Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden Share Message for America at 250

I'm William Jefferson Clinton. It's a time honored tradition, 250 years strong. I, George Walker Bush, do solemnly swear. The American people electing their leaders. I, Barack Hussein Obama. Presidents, an indelible mark on our nation's history. I, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., do solemnly swear. Serving their country, the highest office in the land. Hi, Dad. What's it like to be part of the ex-president club? Well, it can be boring when we're all together. No, it's an honor. There's a great camaraderie because we all share something special. Our nation's leaders each carrying the weight of those promises and the ideals of our founding fathers. What was your favorite part about being the president? You get to meet the widest possible cross section of the American people. It made me less prone to think there's an us and a they. You know, you can get up every day. No matter how bad it is, you can make something good happen for somebody. And that is a gift beyond imagining. These formers, as they are called, remembered for leading our country through some of our greatest challenges. What do you think was the most historically significant moment of your presidency? 9-11. I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. I think historians will analyze that day, America's response after that day. But I think people want to know how the country responded. And it was overwhelming volunteerism, starting with the military. It was an outpouring of patriotism. We can recapture that. I hope it doesn't require a crisis, but it's still latent in the American soul. How do you hope the history books see your service? Well, I hope it's not unlike I see your dad's and your grandfather's service as generated by making sure everybody got a shot. My dad used to say, look, Joey, everyone's entitled to a shot. Everyone's entitled to a shot. Guaranteed. 250 years later, that's one small step for man, a nation tested. I have a dream and a democracy that endures. You ran on a simple yet effective principle, which was hope. Do you still feel that hope in our country? I do. The first time I was on the stage and I talked about hope. Hope of difficulty. I reminded people hope is not blind optimism. The audacity of hope. Hope arises in the face of difficulty, in the face of uncertainty. And obviously we're going through some uncertain times. But when you look at the sweep of American history, we've gone through rough patches and we tend to come out on the other side of them stronger. The beauty about democracy, Jen, is that it's self-correcting. And if you don't like what's going on, vote. And that's how America heals itself. Our next chapter filled with the same passion and determination on all sides to hold close to the principles that built America and made her strong. As we're celebrating 250 years of our democracy, what message do you have to Americans? Remember what's best in us. The basic principle upon which this country was founded, which is we don't have rulers. We don't have kings or monarchs or aristocracies. We have citizens. Don't give up on America. We're the longest lasting, freely elected government in history. And a lot of people didn't think we'd make it this long. I think it'd be a good thing if we made it longer. So everybody should be thinking about that this year. Do I want to make it longer? Because if I do, then I have to be willing to lose as well as win. We're the most unique country in the world. The most unique country in the world in the sense that we really do think democracy is dictated by the rules of the Constitution. My message is consider yourself fortunate to be a part of a great nation and be a citizen, not a spectator, but also love a neighbor like you'd like to be loved yourself. See, one of the beauties of this country is that there are thousands and thousands of citizens who volunteer on a daily basis to help somebody in need. They're often not heralded, but they make huge difference one person at a time. And I would hope people will take a look at our history and realize we're an imperfect nation trying to be more perfect, but be optimistic about the future of the country. We should know that the History Talks event traditionally features former presidents to talk about their legacies. The History Channel is also working with President Trump on an America 250 project, which is expected to come out later this fall. Guys. All right, Jenna, thank you very much. A great conversation. It's so cool seeing all the former presidents talking about America on this special day.