Worcester–Former U.S. President Bill Clinton sent a strong message to the nation’s youth to open the doors of opportunity through government at last night’s rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick and his running mate Tim Murray at Worcester’s DCU Center.

“I’ve reached the age now where the most important thing for me is that all you young people have the same chance I did,” said Clinton to a cheering crowd of more than 8,000 supporters.

Clinton told Democratic voters to project their support for Patrick and Murray on a national level.

“Don’t be satisfied with a victory for Deval and Tim,” Clinton said. “Make it as big as you can.”

Both Clinton and Patrick spoke about getting to the top without tearing their opponents down, pointing to negative campaign tactics they said are being used by the Republican Party nationally and by Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey.

“I never thought I could rise up by throwing someone else down,” Clinton said.

“The Republican campaign slogan goes something like this: ‘Okay, we messed it up,'” Clinton said referencing the war in Iraq, the nation’s presence in Afghanistan and former Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown’s handling of the destruction from Hurricane Katrina.

“America works best when we find a way to go forward together,” Clinton said. “If we will just get back to what we know in our bones is right, it is highly unlikely that the 21st century will claim as many lives as the 20th did.”

When Patrick took the stage, he told his supporters that, although he has risen in the polls, the supporters must not let up.

Patrick said his campaign’s achievements have been built without the help of negative campaigning.

“What we have we built up here,” Patrick said, adding that he and Murray have campaigned all over the state for their support.

“Its wonderful when 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds who can’t vote say I want to be a part of this,” Patrick said. “We want the ballroom, the boardroom and all those in between.”

Patrick said when he responds to Healey’s negative advertisements, “It will be factual, pointed and dignified.”

Murray and Patrick said Patrick’s background is similar to that of many Massachusetts citizens.

“There’s a part of Deval’s story in so much of Massachusetts,” Murray said. “There are hard-working people struggling each and every day and they hear Deval’s message and they connect to it.”

Patrick’s speech reflected Clinton’s earlier statement about moving forward and not focusing on the past.

“Its time for us to focus on tomorrow, not yesterday,” Patrick said. “It’s time to focus on building ourselves up. We want to focus on real strategies to prevent crime. We want to focus on relieving the property tax burden; focus on jobs and the economy; and universal and quality healthcare.”

“We don’t need to run a campaign that’s about building ourselves up while tearing others down,” he continued.