Under Presidents Reagan and Bush, the United States has become "the only country in the world that doesn't understand you have to have national leadership and a national program if you want to lead the world economically," he said.

For the Needy

Clinton said Bush has neglected needy Americans by opposing a bill approved by Congress to extend unemployment benefits for 20 weeks.

"He says he doesn't want to do it because it would break the budget and cost $6 billion," Clinton said. "But he's already been willing to spend more than twice that on foreign aid."

In the long run, curing the economy calls for better national trade policies, national investment in new technology and nationwide educational reform, he said.

"Even if we create new economic opportunities, they can only be seized by young people who are educated to do it," Clinton said. "You are growing up in a world where what you can earn depends on what you can learn."

That means not only in school, but in college and through job training all through a person's work life, he said.

"It's not only important what you learn in high school, it's important that you take out of here the ability to learn in your lifetime," Clinton said. "My job is to create opportunities. Your job is to seize them."