Remarks Honoring the 1999 Stanley Cup Champion Dallas Stars March
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Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / Mar. 16 565 What should the States do? What should the he referred to Wayne LaPierre, executive vice Federal Government do? What is the appro- president, National Rifle Association. priate thing to do in the Brady cases? And I believe what we've tried to do is the right Remarks Honoring the 1999 Stanley course. I think the Attorney General has tried to Cup Champion Dallas Stars increase Federal gun prosecutions. We've March 16, 2000 asked for resources to do more. But we've The President. Thank you very much. also tried to do it in a sensible way that left Please be seated. I want to welcome Thomas a lot of the burden and the criminal law Hicks and his family, Gary Bettman and his where it belongs, with the local prosecutors. daughter to the White House. Robert And I think to try to take a case like that, Gainey, the manager; and to all the Stars, where actually the Brady bill worked, and if including the captain, Derian HatcherÐI we had more comprehensive checking so that might say the first American-born captain of no one could sell a gun without a Brady back- a Stanley Cup team. ground check, we'd have an even safer soci- And I welcome Representative Eddie ety, is not a very good argument for the other Bernice Johnson here, who is very proud of side to make. this team. We're glad to have you back in And I think it's truly ironic that the NRA the White House. There are a lot of people is now criticizing us for not throwing every- from Texas here today, including many mem- body in jail that fails a Brady background bers of our administration and former mem- check when they opposed the Brady bill. If bers of our administration. I want to welcome it had been up to them, we wouldn't be doing you here. I oftenÐI miss it when you don't these background checks, and 500,000 more come by. And now I know how to get you felons, fugitives, and stalkers would have back. [Laughter] So thank you. handguns, soÐÐ As all of you know, we're here to congratu- Northern Ireland Peace Process late the 1999 Stanley Cup winner, the Dallas Stars. Ice hockey is a fascinating game, but Q. Is there a break in the Irish impasse? for those of us who grew up in the South, The President. Thank you. We're working we know it's normally dominated by people it. north of the Mason-Dixon line. There was National Rifle Association not a skating rink in my hometown until I Q. Can I follow up on that, sir? Mr. Presi- was over 40 years old. dent, why do you think the NRA has chosen But the Dallas Stars changed the percep- this particular moment, though, to attack tion of hockey. They were the first Sun Belt you? team to win hockey's Holy Grail in the 107- The President. I have no idea. I really year history of the contest. So now Dallas don't know. Must be a good fundraising tac- will be known not just for the Cowboys and tic. I honestly don't know. I don't know. Super Bowls but for the Stars and the Stanley Q. Because they've had their way mostly Cup. on Capitol Hill, it seems, up to this point. It occurred to me when I was getting ready The President. I don't know. I think they for this that hockey is a lot like Washington know that the majority of the American peo- politics. It's a rough gameÐ[laughter]Ðwith ple support us on this bill, and if they get a lot of lead changes. And usually you never the bill before the Congress, it will pass. So know who's going to win until the final mo- maybe it's some strategy to try to keep it from ment. ever being in an acceptable form to be voted And that is, of course, literally what hap- on one way or the other. pened last June in game six, when the Stars I don't know. You'll have to ask them. I clinched their first CupÐ3 overtimes, 111 can't figure it out. Thanks. minutes, all of us, even people like me who don't skate very well, on the edge of our NOTE: The President spoke at 11:50 a.m. on the seats. We watched Ed Belfour block shot South Lawn at the White House. In his remarks, after shot, MVP Joe Nieuwendyk leading the VerDate 02-MAR-2000 05:49 Mar 22, 2000 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00047 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 W:\DISC\PD20MR00.000 ATX006 PsN: ATX006 566 Mar. 16 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 charge on offense. And I still remember head coach Ken Hitchcock; and Buffalo Sabres when Brett Hull shoveled the last puck past goalie Dominik Hasek. Dominik Hasek, a man I once met in Buffalo, to capture the win. I would be afraid to try to put anything past the guy. [Laughter] This Videotape Remarks to the Carnegie was a very impressive game, to those who Endowment's Annual are initiated and those who are becoming ini- Nonproliferation Conference tiated into the thrills of professional hockey. March 16, 2000 Opening and closing the year with a victory over the Sabres, that final game was a perfect I am grateful for the opportunity to ad- ending to a nearly perfect season. The Dallas dress the Carnegie Endowment's Annual Stars not only took home the Cup but also Nonproliferation Conference. I thank you for the president's award with the best record coming together again to focus on the crucial in the league for the second year in a row. task of curbing the spread of weapons of mass And I want to also acknowledge someone destruction. All of you know how serious this who is not here today, the coach. Every good challenge is, from North Korea's nuclear and coach I know, and I've been privileged to missile programs to ongoing risks that sen- know quite a few great ones, always say that sitive materials and technologies will spread the players make great coaches. But great from the former Soviet Union, including to coaches also help the players bring out the Iran, to the imperative of bringing China into best and play as a team. global nonproliferation regimes, to the con- The Stanley Cup is the oldest athletic tro- tinuing need for vigilance against Saddam phy in North America. So it's about more Hussein. than winning. It embodies our fascination Stemming this tide has been a critical pri- with athletics, with determination, with ority for me for 7 years now, and it will be teamwork. All the Dallas Stars earned this for this year, as well. In a few days, I'll travel Cup. And after seeing Wednesday night's vic- to South Asia. There are those in the region tory over the Devils, I see you're not going who hope we will simply accept its nuclear to give it up without a fight. I like people status quo and move on. I will not do that. who don't give it upÐ[laughter]Ðwithout a India and Pakistan have legitimate security fight. concerns. But I will make clear our view that Congratulations to all of you. And now I'd a nuclear future is a dangerous future for like to ask the commissioner of the National them and for the world. And I'll stress that Hockey League, Gary Bettman, to say a few narrowing our differences on nonprolifera- words. tion is important to moving toward a broader relationship. [At this point, Mr. Bettman, team owner I know there are some who have never Thomas Hicks, and team captain Derian seen an arms control agreement they like, Hatcher made brief remarks. Mr. Hatcher because rules can be violated, because per- presented a Stars jersey to the President.] fect verification is impossible, because we The President. You may have noticed can't always count on others to keep their today that I had this tie on. We had the an- word. Still, I believe we must work to broad- nual Speaker's Saint Patrick's Day lunch en and strengthen verifiable arms agree- today a day early up on Capitol Hill, so ments. The alternative is a world with no maybe I should just wear this tomorrow. rules, no verification, and no trust at all. [Laughter] This is great. It would be foolish to rely on treaties alone Thank you very much. Thank you. to protect our security. But it would also be foolish to throw away the tools that sound NOTE: The President spoke at 5 p.m. in the East treaties do offer: a more predictable security Room at the White House. In his remarks, he environment, monitoring inspections, the referred to Mr. Bettman's daughter Brittany; Dal- ability to shine a light on threatening behav- las Stars general manager Robert Gainey, players ior and mobilize the entire world against it. Ed Belfour, Joe Nieuwendyk, and Brett Hull, and So this year we will work to strengthen the VerDate 02-MAR-2000 05:49 Mar 22, 2000 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 W:\DISC\PD20MR00.000 ATX006 PsN: ATX006.