1918 Sept. 27 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1998 incident and Todorovic is now in the custody I’m proud of him for having the courage to of the International War Crimes Tribunal in run. I’m proud of him for not listening to The Hague. everybody, including me, who told him how Todorovic, who served as chief of police terrible and difficult it would be. I’m proud for Bosanski Samac in 1992, is accused by of him because his commitment in the face the Tribunal of being personally responsible of all the odds is the very kind of decision for some of the most heinous crimes that I now am trying to get the voters all over took place during the conflict in Bosnia. America to make in the coming election, and This brings to 35 the number of indicted that is to discard what we normally do in war criminals brought to justice. SFOR has good times—which is to just take a deep assisted in well over half of these cases. This breath and kick our feet back and relax— action by U.S. and other SFOR troops shows and instead make a commitment to the fu- our continued determination to bring to jus- ture of our country. tice those responsible for war crimes in Bos- He’s coming out here against stiff odds be- nia. This message should not be lost on those cause he thinks it’s a mistake for Texas to indicted war criminals still at large. sit back and relax and react to events but I wish to express my admiration for the to take no initiative to prepare for tomorrow. SFOR troops who were involved in this oper- It took a lot of courage. He made a very com- ation and who continue to work daily to con- pelling presentation and if you’ll help him, solidate the peace in Bosnia and if you’ll get him enough help to get that mes- Herzegovina. sage on television so that people can see what the real differences are, he’ll make a very Statement on the Election compelling presentation on election day in of Gerhard Schroeder as November as well. Chancellor of Germany I want to thank Lee and Sandra for having us in their unbelievably beautiful home and September 27, 1998 for doing so in a way that requires putting Today the German people have once again up a tent. I’d like to thank the people who exercised their democratic right to determine prepared and served the meal. I’d like to their national leadership. I extend my sincer- thank the musicians; the piano player and the est congratulations to Gerhard Schroeder. singer were wonderful, and the gospel group He and I had good discussions in Berlin this was amazing. And I think I’m in the right spring and in Washington this summer. I look frame of mind now to go back to Washington, forward to working closely with him. Ger- DC, and deal with it for one more week. And many is one of America’s closest allies. As I thank you for that. always, our two governments will be fully en- I would like to thank Ambassador gaged in a comprehensive policy agenda. McLelland and Ambassador Schechter— I also want to convey my gratitude and that boy, that sounds high-flown, doesn’t it?— of all Americans to Helmut Kohl. During his [laughter]—for being here tonight; my long- 16-year tenure, he has made historic con- time friend Senator Rodney Ellis. Molly Beth tributions to the unity of his nation, the Malcolm. Richard Raymond, thank you for strength of our Euro-Atlantic community, running for office this year. And I’d like to and to peace throughout the world. say a special word of appreciation to Con- gresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee for her steadfast support of our agenda and work. Remarks at a Dinner Honoring The temptation when you’re with a bunch Gubernatorial Candidate Garry of old friends and some new ones, when you Mauro in Houston, Texas know you’re basically preaching to the saved, September 27, 1998 especially on this day, is to kind of give a rah-rah speech. But if you’ll forgive me, be- Thank you so much. I want to tell you cause of the present state of things and be- that—I’ll say a little more about this in a cause I think this election is so profoundly minute, but I’m very proud of Garry Mauro. important to the future of our country, I Administration of William J. Clinton, 1998 / Sept. 27 1919 would like to take just a few moments to be to college; we’ve got fewer toxic waste serious with you. dumps, cleaner air, cleaner water, a safer I was looking at Garry today, thinking food supply; and our country has been a force about how long ago it was I met him. And for peace all over the world and has tried I saw Mark White tonight, and I thought to deal with the thorniest problems in the about—it seemed like yesterday we were world in our time to make the world a safer working as Governors together. It doesn’t place—now, if I had told you that on the take long to live a life. It seems impossible day that I was inaugurated, you probably to me, but next week it will have been 7 years wouldn’t have believed me. next week since I first declared for President. But that’s all true now. It turned out, be- The time has flown by. I want you to know, cause of the hard work of the American peo- for all of you that have helped me make this ple and the wonderful people who were journey, for all the slings and arrows, I working with me and the loyalty of a Con- wouldn’t trade one single day of it for the gress and the Democratic Party that had to opportunity it’s given me to move this coun- fight bitter, bitter, bitter partisan opposition try in the right direction. And I want to thank to nearly everything we did, we were able you for it every day—every single day. to implement the new ideas and the new di- But the question for us as citizens is al- rection, and they turned out to be right. And ways, well, what now? You know, if I told I am grateful for how well America is doing you on the day I was inaugurated President, today and for the support we have received. I’ll come back here for the 1998 elections, And I’m grateful that Texas is doing well, and we will have had ample time to imple- and that every place I go in the country, peo- ment our program—and by then we’ll have ple come up to me and say, ‘‘Mr. President, 16.7 million new jobs and the lowest unem- this is the best time I’ve had in a long time,’’ ployment rate in 28 years and the lowest or, ‘‘This is the best time I’ve had in my life.’’ crime rate in 25 years and the smallest per- centage of people on welfare in 29 years and I am grateful for that. So what are we going the lowest—the first balanced budget and to do about it? That’s the question in the surplus in 29 years and the highest real wage Governor’s race. That’s the question in these growth in 30 years and the lowest African- elections for Congress. What normally hap- American poverty rate ever recorded and the pens in good times is that people relax, and biggest drop in Hispanic poverty in 20 years they’re complacent. and the highest homeownership in history; A lot of you said some wonderful things and, oh, by the way, there will have been to me tonight, gave me wonderful messages somewhere between 12 and 15 million peo- for Hillary tonight, proved once again what ple take advantage of the family and medical good people you are and what good friends leave law, and a quarter of a million felons you are. I thank you for all that. I’m very wouldn’t have been able to buy handguns grateful. We’ve just had some great days, and and not a single hunter, in spite of what the we had one great night and a day with our NRA told them, has lost the ability to get daughter in California. a weapon and go hunting during hunting sea- But I want to tell you, and I want you to son—but a lot of innocent people’s lives have hear me clearly, adversity is not our problem been saved—and we’ll be ahead of schedule in this election. Adversity has energized our and under budget in putting those 100,000 supporters. Adversity has clarified the police on the street; and we’ve opened the choices. Adversity forces us to get to the bot- doors of college to all Americans with a tom of ourselves and ask ourselves what we $1,500-a-year tax credit for the first 2 years really believe in and what kind of people we and tax credits for the rest and deductibility want to be and what we’re willing to put our of student loans and more scholarships and necks on the line for. more work-study positions; and we’ve got Garry Mauro did something in presenting 100,000 more young people in the himself for Governor, near as I can tell, no- AmeriCorps program working to make their body else of his position, experience, and communities better and earning money to go knowledge and ability was willing to do this 1920 Sept. 27 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1998 year. Why? Because he believed it was time give everybody an election-year tax cut. It’s to make a difference. only about 51⁄2 weeks before the election, Now, on the other side in Washington, as and we can make everybody so happy.’’ I’ve said many times, they believe that they’ll It’s great politics. And I say, it may be good do very well in these elections because of politics, but it’s the wrong thing to do. And M&M—money and midterms. Because they it’s wrong for two reasons. First of all, this always have more money and because tradi- old world is in a lot of trouble. One-quarter tionally at midterm elections the voter turn- of the world is in recession. Japan, the second out goes down because our folks, the kind biggest economy in the world, has had no of folks that made it possible for us to have growth for 5 years. Everybody looks to us this good meal tonight, it’s a bigger hassle to be strong and responsible and not to do for them to go vote than it is for most hard- the easy quick thing, but to do the right thing core Republicans who tend to be better off for our own growth and as a beacon of stabil- and older and find it easier to go to polls. ity to the world. And I’m not going to give And they tend not to be so interested. And that up easily. then if you pile good times on top of it, And even more important—even more im- there’s a certain relaxation that says, ‘‘Well, portant—everybody in America who has let’s just stay with the status quo and react given it a minute’s thought knows that while to whatever comes along.’’ the Social Security system is very sound today The enemies of our forces in this election and will be for anybody within shouting dis- are complacency and cynicism at what is tance of needing it, that when the baby going on in Washington, not adversity. Ad- boomers retire—that’s me; I’m the oldest; it versity is our friend. It’s a harsh teacher kills me to admit it—but people between the sometimes, and I hate it. It’s the kind of ages of 34 and 52 that were born after World friend I could do without on some of the War II are the biggest group of Americans last several days. [Laughter] But it is, none- ever until the crowd of kids now in school. theless, the truth. And what we have to de- And when we retire, there will only be about cide as citizens is where we go from here. two people working for every one person Now, let me tell you what we’re trying to drawing Social Security. If we start now with do in Washington. What we’re trying to tell this surplus to help us we can make modest the American people is we’re grateful that changes now that will enable us to secure we’re doing so well. But we did not get here the retirement of the baby boomers without by being casual, by reacting, by taking the imposing an unbearable burden on our chil- easy path. We got here by making the big dren and their ability to raise our grand- decisions and the tough ones in the right way. children. And the world is still changing very fast. All Now, I know it’s more popular to give an you have to do is pick up the paper any day election-year tax cut. But I’ve been waiting and you see about the economic crises in Asia for 29 years to get out of the red, and I’ve and the political turmoil in other parts of the been working for 6 years to get out of the world, and you realize that in this kind of red. And when we voted in 1993 to get out dynamic world, as Alan Greenspan, the of the red, for the economic program, we Chairman of the Federal Reserve, the other didn’t have a single Republican vote. And the day said, America cannot simply be an island deficit was cut 92 percent before the biparti- of prosperity in a sea of economic distress. san balanced budget bill passed in 1997. Now So now that we have this balanced budget, the same crowd that wouldn’t help us cut this surplus, this success, we ought to use the deficit wants to spend it before we even this moment to take on the big challenges see the surplus. I would just like to see the facing America. That is the Democratic mes- red ink turn to black and dry at least for a sage. And let me give you four examples. day or two before we start spending it again, Number one, Wednesday we’ll have the and I think that’s right. first balanced budget and surplus in a gen- Now, this is a huge issue. Half the seniors eration. The Republicans say, ‘‘Good, we fi- in this country would be in poverty today if nally got some money; let’s spend it. Let’s it were not for Social Security. We can make Administration of William J. Clinton, 1998 / Sept. 27 1921 minor changes now, secure the retirement off their college costs for 4 years. It would, of the baby boom generation without under- in short, help move this country forward. mining our children and grandchildren’s fu- It would provide extra funds to the most ture. And I am determined to do it. So that’s troubled urban and rural school districts to the first issue. Do you believe in Social Secu- have high standards, to stop social pro- rity first, or do you want the election-year motion, but not to tell the kids they’re a fail- tax cut? Clear choice between the parties. ure when the system is failing them; instead, Issue number two: Do you believe that in to give them after-school programs, summer order for us to grow economically, the rest school programs, mentoring programs to of the world has to be growing so they can keep them off the street, out of trouble, and buy our products? Thirty percent of Ameri- in learning. It is a good program, and it ought ca’s growth in the last 6 years has come from to pass. Now, for 8 months there has been foreign trade. Now you’ve got a quarter of no action and the budget year begins on Oc- the world in recession, another quarter tee- tober the 1st. We’re for it, and they’re not. tering. I have done my best to lay out a plan It’s a clear choice. to try to help restore Asia, to try to help re- And the fourth issue is the Patients’ Bill store Russia if they will do what they can of Rights. You’ve had a little experience with do for themselves; and more important for that here. Our bill says, simply, you have a Texas, to try to keep what’s going on there right to see a specialist if your doctor tells from spreading to Latin America and to Mex- you you need it. If you get in an accident, ico, to our friends south of the border, our you have a right to go to the nearest emer- biggest trading partners in terms of growth. gency room, not the nearest one your plan happens to cover that may be halfway across In order to do it, and for America to lead, town. If you’re in the middle of a treatment we have at least got to pay our fair share and your employer changes health plans, you to the International Monetary Fund. That’s can keep the doctor you’ve got until your where we get the money to do this stuff. Ever treatment is over. In other words, they can’t since the State of the Union Address, I have tell you when you’re 7 months pregnant to been pleading with this Congress to fund our get another obstetrician, or when you’re 80 fair share of the International Monetary percent through a chemotherapy treatment, Fund, and they still haven’t done it. They you’ve got to stop and go see someone else. still haven’t done it. And it’s playing games This happens today. with our own economic future and under- It says if you have a question about wheth- mining our ability to lead. So that’s the sec- er a procedure is approved or not, you have ond issue. Do you want to keep the economic a right to appeal it and get an answer, pronto, growth going in America, or do you want to instead of months and months down the road take a powder? when it’s too late to do any good. It says you The third issue is education. Garry spoke have a right to the privacy of your medical so movingly of that, but there are some things records. That’s what we’re for. that we ought to do nationally to help. I have The response of the Republicans in Con- sent an education program to Congress in gress and the House was to pass a bill that the balanced budget that does the following didn’t do any of the things I said and left things: puts 100,000 teachers out there to 100 million Americans out of what they did lower class size to an average of 18 in the do. In the Senate, we tried to bring up the early grades all across America; it would Patients’ Bill of Rights and the Republican build or repair 5,000 schools; it would pro- majority was so afraid that the majority lead- vide funds to hook every classroom up to the er had to literally shut the Senate down for Internet, including the poorest schools in 4 hours the other night. I mean, they turned south Texas or inner-city Houston or any- the lights out, and they got under their desks where else in the country, by the year 2000; so they would not have to be recorded voting it would provide college scholarships to for the insurance companies against the peo- 35,000 young people and let them pay it off ple. I never saw anything like it in my life. by going into our neediest areas and teaching It was death by stealth. [Laughter] 1922 Sept. 27 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1998

What else have they done with this last any money, not when people don’t have any year, you might like to know. They have also confidence, not when people are so worried killed campaign finance reform. They’ve about keeping body and soul together you killed the tobacco reform legislation to pro- couldn’t even stand up and give a speech like tect our kids from the dangers of tobacco. the one I gave tonight; you would have to They killed the minimum wage legislation, stand up and talk in slogans and deal with and they’re trying to continue their assault people’s emotions. Now is the good time. on the environment. I think we’ve proved This is Sunday, so let me use one Biblical you can improve the environment and grow reference. We ought to behave like Joseph the economy. That’s the right policy, not to did in the Bible. Now, Joseph was a lot like assault the environment. Garry Mauro. He was not part of the elite So you’ve got a clear choice. In Washing- of Egypt, and Garry Mauro is not part of ton, you’ve got a clear choice. Do you want the elite of Texas. Joseph was even a slave— to put Social Security first, make education at least Garry didn’t have to go through that. our top investment priority, keep the eco- [Laughter] And finally, Joseph got put in nomic growth going, and pass a Patients’ Bill charge of Egypt, and times were very good of Rights? Or do you want somebody that’s and he made a lot of people mad because against all that and wants to divert your atten- he made all the people go out and work like tion to other things? It’s a pretty clear choice. crazy, as if their life depended on it, to gather And if the American people understand it up all the grain to guard against the days as that, I think they’ll make the right deci- when things weren’t so good. So when this sion. famine came and swept over the land, Egypt In Texas, let me say one of the reasons kept right on chugging. Why? Because they I wanted to be here, apart from my friend- had a leader who thought about tomorrow, ship and admiration for Garry Mauro, is that who did not sit on the lead, bask in good I did something as President, with the help times, and just react to whatever came up, of the Democrats, that the Republicans but did what was right for the long term. talked about doing for years but never did. Our country needs to follow that example I don’t know how many times Mark White today. Respectfully, I believe this State and I went to the White House during the should follow that example today. I applaud Governors’ conference and listened to peo- what Garry said. We don’t want, we Demo- ple intone about how, oh, the power in Wash- crats, we never want to get into responding ington should be devolved to the States. Near in kind. One of the deepest disappointments as I could tell, all they ever did was cut of my Presidency is that I hoped that after money and ask us to do more with less. 6 years of working to reconcile our people But we never actually had any more flexi- across the lines that divide us, things would bility, any more authority. We actually did be a little less acrimonious in Washington. that. The Government today has over I think people are getting along better 300,000 fewer people in it than it did the across racial and religious and ethnic lines day I was inaugurated—the Federal Govern- out in the country, but there is still a big ment. It is the smallest in 35 years. The political divide in Washington. The only thing States have more responsibility—more rela- that can close it now is the vote of the people. tionship for education, for the environment, The only thing that can elect Garry Mauro for health care, for crime, for the economy. now is if you believe that it’s better to have It matters more who the Governor is. Joseph; that it’s better to think in the good Now, come back to Texas—I did this Gov- times you should take the big steps, not the ernor’s job for 12 years, and I could still be baby steps; that in the good times you should doing it if I hadn’t gotten diverted in 1991 be acting with confidence, not reacting to and ’92. [Laughter] I would never have got- whatever happens to come along. ten tired of it. I loved it. But I’m telling you, I promise you I see it every day as your the time to act on the long-term problems President in information you can read in the of a State or a nation is the good time—not papers, in information that comes to me, is when times are bad, not when you don’t have classified, this is a dynamic changing world. Administration of William J. Clinton, 1998 / Sept. 28 1923

We stand for progress over partisanship. We Remarks Following Discussions With stand for people over politics. We stand for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu unity over division. And we stand for the fu- of Israel and Chairman Yasser Arafat ture of our children over short-term advan- of the Palestinian Authority and an tage. Exchange With Reporters He deserves your support. And if you can get that message out he’s going to surprise September 28, 1998 a lot of people. And if you’ll stay with that President Clinton. First of all, I would approach, we will win the congressional elec- like to publicly welcome Prime Minister tions in November. Netanyahu and Chairman Arafat. We have God bless you for being here, and thank had a very, very good meeting today, follow- you. ing the one-on-one meeting that the Prime Minister and the Chairman had last night, NOTE: The President spoke at 8:10 p.m. at a pri- their first face-to-face meeting in a year. vate residence. In his remarks, he referred to din- I believe that we all agree that we have ner hosts H. Lee and Sandra Godfrey; State Sen- made progress on the path to peace. There ator Rodney G. Ellis; Texas State Democratic Chair Molly Beth Malcolm; State Representative has been a significant narrowing of the gaps Richard Raymond, candidate for State land com- between the two parties across a wide range missioner; former U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica of issues that were in the American initiative Stan McLelland; and former U.S. Ambassador to that we’ve been working on for months. I Barbados Arthur Schechter. think also, to be candid, there’s still a sub- stantial amount of work to be done until a comprehensive agreement can be reached. Executive Order 13102—Further And because I’m convinced that the two Amendment to Executive Order leaders and the people they represent want 13038, Advisory Committee on an agreement, I have asked them to come Public Interest Obligations of Digital back to the United States in mid-October Television Broadcasters with their teams to do the intensive work necessary to see if we can conclude this. September 25, 1998 Meanwhile, I’ve asked the Secretary of By the authority vested in me as President State and Ambassador Ross to go back to the by the Constitution and the laws of the region in early October to try to see how United States of America, and in order to much preparatory work can be done to nar- extend the reporting deadline of the Advisory row the differences further and to agree on Committee on Public Interest Obligations of at least the modalities for what we will do Digital Television Broadcasters, it is hereby here in mid-October. ordered that Executive Order 13038, as pre- So, all told, it was a good day. And again viously amended, is further amended by de- I want to thank both these men for the open, leting ‘‘October 1, 1998’’ in section 2 and in- candid, respectful way in which they worked, serting ‘‘December 31, 1998’’ in lieu thereof. and we worked, together. And we’re going to work at this now to see if we can get it William J. Clinton done. Q. What are the major sticking—— The White House, Q. Mr. President, there was—— September 25, 1998. President Clinton. Wait, wait. One, two, three. We’ll do them all. [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, Go ahead. 9:43 a.m., September 28, 1998] Palestinian State NOTE: This Executive order was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on September 28, Q. Mr. President, do you support the Pal- and it was published in the Federal Register on estinian state in principle, and do you think September 29. the Palestinians have the right to have a state