Bill Clinton: The 2016 election is 'kind of scary'

In his first solo appearance Monday campaigning for his wife Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, former President Bill Clinton emphasized the gravity of the 2016 election.

"It's kind of scary this year, but believe it or not, most everybody actually tries to do what they say they're gonna do when they're running," the former president said, referring to some candidates' controversial policy ideas and abrasive language. "They are telling you what they believe. And so you gotta take 'em seriously, but you also have to take seriously whether they have any chance of doing what they say they're gonna do or any record of doing it."

The remark came about as close as the Clinton campaign has come to engaging with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has pushed for building a wall on the Mexican border and called for a shutdown of Muslim travel to the U.S.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

"We don't want to run away from the place we've been — the place that welcomes all people,” Clinton said, adding that he and Hillary are much more in favor of what The New York Times describes as "inclusive" policies.

Watch Bill's full speech below. Becca Stanek