Administration of William J. Clinton, 1993 / July 20 1397 going to come out of Washington intact as NOTE: The President spoke at 5:30 p.m. via sat- proposed now? ellite from Room 459 of the Old Executive Office The President. Yes, I do support it, and Building. A tape was not available for verification I support it strongly. And I'm very glad you of the content of these remarks. asked me about it. The superconducting super collider was defeated soundly in the House, and its fate is in danger in the Senate. Interview With Larry King But I want you to know why. You know, it's July 20, 1993 been in some trouble in the last few years, but I want you to know why. You know, most of the project is in Texas. The people of The Presidency Texas just voted in the Senate race over- whelmingly for a new Senator who basically Mr. King. Good evening. Back in Louis- said that the issue was ``spending, stupid,'' ville, about 3 days before the election, Presi- and accused the Congress of making no dent Clinton said on this program, ``I'll come spending cuts. When the House of Rep- on every 6 months.'' This is the 6-month an- resentatives was voting just a couple of weeks niversary. The timing is perfect. Tonight is ago on the superconducting super collider, 6 months in office for Clinton-Gore. which benefits overwhelmingly the State of Before we get into someÐwhat we'll do Texas, the two United States Senators from is cover some current issues, talk about the Texas were outside on the steps with Ross budget, take calls. OK? But first, there's no Perot telling the House they ought to cut way you could plan for this job, so what about spending and attacking them for not doing it surprises you the most? it. In fact, it wasn't true. We've cut spending The President. It's hard to say. I've $250 billion below the last Bush budget. learned a lot in the last 6 months, and as We've cut over 100 things over $100 million much as I have followed this over 20 years, apiece. I think there are some things that you could But I, frankly, think a lot of people got not have anticipated. I think the thing that sick and tired of hearing that. And I hate has surprised me most is how difficult it is, to say it, because I am for the super- even for the President, if you're going to take conducting super collider. It is a good science on big changes and try to make big things project. It is good for America's high-tech happen, to really keep communicating ex- employment. It is good for our future. And I strongly support it. But it is difficult to get actly what you're about to the American peo- these other Members of Congress from other ple. States that do not benefit from it to vote for Mr. King. And why is that hard? it when the people from the States that do The President. I think because there's so benefit from it will not stand up and take much else in the atmosphere, first; and sec- the same kind of votes, and instead engage ondly, because when you do something like in rhetoric which is simply not true. this big economic plan we're pushing, only Now, if you want to know the truth, that's the controversy is newsworthy at a time when why it's in so much trouble up here. I hope there's so much else to cover. So I'm trying I can save it. I'm doing what I can to save always to remind people, look, we've got as it. I'll keep doing what I can to save it. But many spending cuts, or more, than tax in- it would certainly help if the people who are creases; that the upper income people, peo- going to benefit immediately from it would ple over $200,000, are paying 70 percent of stop saying things which drive the rest of the the burden, and that the middle class is pay- Congress up the wall, because they're not ing very little; the working poor are paying true. nothing. All the details I try to get into. Q. Mr. President, thank you for being with But it's very difficult. And we found that us. the American people knew the most on Feb- The President. Thank you. I've enjoyed ruary 17th, the night I announced the plan it. VerDate 14-MAY-98 08:04 May 27, 1998 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00047 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 W:\DISC\P29JY4.021 INET01 1398 July 20 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1993 and went through it point by point, and that Mr. King. How so? since then, the sort of yelling and rhetoric The President. Well, I think the Secret and screaming and back and forth, that I Service do a very, very good job. But if your have lost the ability to make sure everybody job is to keep the President from being knows the things I want them to know. And harmed in a world full of people who may I feel very badly about that. have some reason to do it, may have the Mr. King. Is that everybody's fault? I means to do it, obviously the best thing mean, is it your fault? Media fault? would be if you put him in a bulletproof The President. I think certainly so. I room and walked out, if you see what I mean. mean, I'm not trying to shift responsibility Mr. King. You couldn't stand that. away from myself. But you asked me. That's The President. No, I couldn't stand that. been a real surprise to me because when I So they do a terrific job. But we've worked was a Governor in a smaller place where lots out our accommodations so that I can at least of people knew me, even if I were doing run every day. I run different routes, and we something that was quite unpopular with the do different things. And I try to get out and media, say, and they were criticizing me, I see the people when I can. could always get my side out there, my Mr. King. Is it hard to understand their points. The essential facts would be out job for you? there. And that, to me, has been the most The President. It's much easier now. I frustrating thing. really respect them; they've got a very tough And also when you're President, you have job. And I make it harder because I'm a real to make a lot of tough decisions. You just people person, you know. I like to be out have to keep lining them up and making there. But I think it's an important job. But them, whether it's base closings or the very if you don't spend some time with just ordi- difficult problems in the Pacific Northwest nary people who tell you what they think, with the forests or the whole litany of things hey, you almost forget how to hear and how that we've done here: the POW±MIA issue to listen and how to speak and the way that and how we're going to deal with Vietnam, most people live. the FBI, the gays in the military, you name Mr. King. By the way, have you seen ``In it. And they keep coming in quick succession. the Line of Fire''? You can't just say, ``Okay, stop the world. I'm The President. Yes, I watched it last going to just work on this. I'm not going to night. make these other decisions.'' You have to Mr. King. What did you think? keep going. The President. I thought Eastwood was Mr. King. We were talking before we terrific. I thought he was good in ``Unfor- went on about Elvis Presley and isolation. given.'' I think he's good in this. I think he's And I was saying that I thought he had a making the best movies he's ever made. more isolated life than you do. But this is Mr. King. Did you like the movie? an isolated life in here, isn't it? The President. I liked the movie very The President. It can be very isolating. much. Mr. King. Do you have to fight it? Mr. King. Was it realistic? The President. I fight it all the time. And The President. I think it was as realistic it can be isolating for two reasons. One is as it could be and still be a real rip-roaring there is so much to do that you have to be thriller, you know. [Laughter] very disciplined about your time. And I think the more I've been in this office, the more conscious I've become of it and, I think, the Gays in the Military more disciplined I've become about my time. Mr. King. We helped their business a lot. But discipline means deciding things you Let's touch some other bases. Okay. First, won't do, people you won't see, calls you today Secretary of Defense Aspin appears won't make. with what looked like the entire military in The second problem is, frankly, the secu- the world before Senator Nunn's committee.