Former White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley visits College of DuPage

Bill Daley, former White House Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama, offered an optimistic view of the nation's economy during a recent visit to College of DuPage, encouraging students to think globally.

Daley served as Special Counsel to President Bill Clinton for the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993, and was Secretary of Commerce from 1997 to 2000. He served as chairman of Al Gore's campaign committee in the 2000 presidential election.

Likening the current economy to a hangover, Daley said “We partied in the U.S., and now we're paying the price. We continue to pay the price dearly from the government binge, but I'm optimistic.”

Click here to view photos from Daley's visit.

In terms of education, Daley told students to focus on the global community and open themselves to new experiences and skills that will make them more viable in an ever-growing global job market.

“If you have the chance to travel, travel. If you have the chance to learn a second language, learn it,” he said. “If you have the chance to live abroad, do it. It's a new world and a more global community.”