Former President Clinton visits Microsoft
The former president and "Giving" author was on hand to praise Microsoft employees who raised $72 million as part of a just-ended charitable giving push.
Former President Bill Clinton was at Microsoft's campus Friday as part of the company's celebration of the end of its charitable giving campaign. The effort brought in $72 million in individual and company donations (including software), a total that Clinton praised.
Clinton, who just authored a book on giving, noted the role the Internet has played in making it easier to do charitable work, saying it "has changed the landscape of potential for private citizens doing public good."
He urged more individuals to tackle the world's big problems.
"Don't you think that because you're not a billionaire that you can't have an impact," he said. "There are many, many problems in the world where people of modest means can have a huge impact."
Full disclosure, folks. I wasn't there. Microsoft was kind enough to send me over some notes. For a firsthand account, check out this post from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Todd Bishop, including video.
Also, according to Jessica Mintz at the AP, Clinton had this to say about a letter to the National Archives asking that his presidential communication records not be released until 2012.
"It was a letter to speed up presidential releases, not to slow them down," Clinton told reporters at the Microsoft event.