Former President Bill Clinton said Saturday that voters "know something is wrong" in Washington and urged Democrats to create change in the November elections.
"I have never seen the American people so serious," said Clinton. "I think I know why. People know things are out of whack. The rhythm of our public life and our common life in America has been disturbed."
The former president was the keynote speaker at the Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner, the Iowa Democratic Party's biggest annual fundraising event. He drew more than 3,500 activists.
There is speculation that Clinton's wife, New York Sen.
Hillary Rodham Clinton, may seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. She has not been in Iowa during this election cycle, even though other candidates have already begun campaigning in the state that will open the presidential nominating season.
Bill Clinton joked about the speculation. "I am under no illusions as to why I'm here," he said. "You were so desperate for a Democrat with any name recognition at all who isn't running for president that you resorted to the chief caseworker to the junior senator from New York."
Clinton urged activists to focus on the midterm election.
"People are sick of partisanship, they are sick of gridlock and they are coming to us in droves," said Clinton. "People know something is wrong and they want to change."
Clinton called the Bush administration and the Republican-led Congress "unprecedentedly unaccountable" and said tax cuts for the rich have led to huge deficits.
"This is not class warfare," said Clinton. "I've been poor and I've been rich and I like rich better. I want to pay my share. I don't need another vacation home."
Both the White House and Congress are resistant to scrutiny from the outside, he said.
"In Iraq, which is famous for no-bid contracts, $9 billion has gone missing and there has been no serious congressional investigation," said Clinton. "There's never been a more secretive, unaccountable administration."
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