May 11 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1993

refuse to believe that you can’t be committed I know that there are still civil rights battles to civil rights and to civic responsibility. I refuse to be fought, but I know that they need to to believe that we can’t create economic oppor- be fought today in the context of making a real tunity by empowering people to seize control difference in real people’s lives. And we should of their destiny and changing the Government’s not be intimidated, those of us who believe in policies. the cause of civil rights for all Americans, into I think that if this leadership council should thinking that somehow that can be separated have any mission today, it should be to break from the fight for economic justice and eco- through those barriers that push us all into one nomic progress and making our free enterprise extreme camp or the other and make us mute system work better. in the face of reality and common sense. Surely We should not let people who basically don’t we can bring the experience of our own lives care whether we make progress in civil rights and the lives of our fellow Americans beyond think that you can separate civil rights from the borders of this city to the policymaking proc- the fight for substantive improvements in edu- ess that will dominate Washington for the next cation and for meaningful advances in health year. That is what we ought to do if we want care or any other area of our national life. Let civil rights to come alive in this country. us resolve tonight that we’re going to spend You know, when I ran for this job I spent the next 4 years breaking down the gridlock a lot of time in African-American churches be- by tearing down the artificial barriers in people’s cause I always had, and because I felt at home. minds to bringing us together, saying we don’t When I got this job and I sought to protect have a person to waste and lifting up the religious and civil liberties of every Amer- everybody’s God-given potential and doing what ican, it was because I wanted mine protected we can to see that they achieve it. and because I have a sharp memory of what Thank you very much, and God bless you. it was like to live in a society where half the people I knew, because of their color, were NOTE: The President spoke at 8 p.m. at the Hyatt treated as second-class citizens. Regency Hotel. In his remarks, he referred to I also have a sharp memory of those who Ralph Neas, executive director, Leadership Con- had the courage to try to change that position. ference on Civil Rights; Benjamin L. Hooks, And now that I am President, I want you to former executive director, National Association know that I’ll make my mistakes from time to for the Advancement of Colored People; Dorothy time, but I’m going to keep trying to move I. Height, president and CEO, National Council the ball forward. I believe we can make ad- of Negro Women; and Raul Yzaguirre, president vances. I don’t believe that our fights are over. and CEO, National Council of La Raza.

Appointment for Members of the Commission on Presidential Scholars May 11, 1993

The President today appointed 32 members success, leadership, and involvement in their of the White House Commission on Presidential schools and communities. Scholars. Among them is New Jersey Governor ‘‘The Presidential Scholars Program is an im- Jim Florio, who will serve as Chair of the Com- portant vehicle for recognizing the efforts and mission. accomplishments of our country’s young peo- The Commission on Presidential Scholars is ple,’’ said the President. ‘‘I am glad that Gov- responsible for selecting 141 graduating high ernor Florio and the rest of this distinguished school seniors from around the country to be- group of Americans have agreed to serve on come Presidential Scholars, the Nation’s highest this Commission, and I look forward to welcom- honor for high school students. The scholars are ing the students they choose to the White chosen on the basis of their accomplishments House.’’ in many areas, such as academic and artistic In addition to Governor Florio, the members

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of the Commission are: Freman Hendrix, Michigan, assistant Wayne Margaret R. Blackshere, Illinois, assistant to County executive for legislative affairs; the president of the Illinois Federation of member of many civic groups, including the Teachers; former elementary school teach- Northwest Detroit Community Leaders er; holds a master’s in urban education Council from Southern Illinois University Patricia Jean Henry, Oklahoma, president of Francis J. Bonner, Jr., Pennsylvania, chair of the National PTA; member of the boards the department of physical medicine and of the Oklahoma State Chamber of Com- rehabilitation at Mt. Sinai and Graduate merce and the Academy for State Goals; Hospitals, Philadelphia, and Sacred Heart co-founder of Pathway House, a rehabilita- Hospital, Norristown tion program for drug-addicted children Thomas E. Britton, New Hampshire, chair of Barbara Holt, Maine, director of Franklin the Monadnock Region District School Pierce College in Portsmouth, NH; served Board; marketing representative for the as the chair and director of Victory ’92 in Millipore Corp. and North American Phar- Maine maceutical Field Marketing Rev. S.C. Cureton, South Carolina, pastor of Gloria Jackson, Florida, retired public school the Reedy River Baptist Church; member administrator in Ft. Lauderdale; alternate of the president’s executive board of the delegate to the Democratic National Con- National Baptist Convention, U.S.A. vention John Davidson, New Mexico, member of the Nathaniel Hawthorne LaCour, Louisiana, New Mexico Commission on Higher Edu- president of the United Teachers of New cation; shareholder and director in the law Orleans; vice president of the American firm of Erwin and Davidson Federation of Teachers; national board Joseph D. DiVincenzo, New York, commis- member of the A. Philip Randolph Insti- sioner of the Niagara Frontier Transpor- tute; member of the National Board for tation Authority; president of DiVincenzo Professional Teaching Standards & Associates Insurance Agency; adjunct Dhyan Lal, California, principal of Carson professor at the Rochester Institute of High School in Los Angeles; focus of a Technology PBS documentary exploring how a principal Jim R. Fotter, Wyoming, president of the Wy- communicates with a culturally diverse stu- oming Education Association; member of dent population to create a positive learning the Education Commission of the States; environment in post-riot Los Angeles delegate at the 1992 Democratic National Ronnie Fern Liebowitz, New Jersey, partner Convention in the Newark law firm of Hellring, Susan F. Friebert, Wisconsin, former teacher Lindman, Goldstein & Siegal; former gen- and currently a high school team leader eral counsel to Rutgers University for guidance counselors and community vol- Bill Marshall, Ohio, law professor; served as unteers to develop and implement pro- the Maine State director for the Clinton grams to direct student academic planning campaign and achievement Penny Miller, Kentucky, assistant professor of Susan E. Gaertner, Minnesota, director of the human services division of the Ramsey political science at the University of Ken- County, MN, attorney’s office, where she tucky; chair of the Kentucky Commission directs legal services for child support en- on Women forcement, paternity actions, and civil com- Sandy Miller, Nevada, First Lady of the State mitments for the second largest jurisdiction of Nevada; former teacher and advocate for in the State children with learning disabilities Felicia Gervais, Florida, president of Leonard Marilyn Monahan, New Hampshire, secretary- L. Farber, Inc., a shopping center develop- treasurer of the National Education Asso- ment firm; also serves on numerous non- ciation profit boards, including Outreach Broward Dan Morales, Texas, attorney general of (a program for troubled adolescents) and Texas; first Hispanic elected to a statewide Center One (the Nation’s first AIDS constitutional office in the State of Texas center) Daniel Morris, Colorado, former teacher and

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president of the Colorado Education Asso- previously the associate vice president for ciation; former Peace Corps volunteer academic affairs at the University of Michi- Carla Nuxoll, Washington, President of the gan, where she was the first African-Amer- Washington Education Association; chair of ican woman to receive tenure the board of PULSE Nancy Verderber, Missouri, administrative li- James Shimoura, Michigan, former special as- aison for disability-related issues for the St. sistant attorney general for the State of Louis County School Districts; member of Michigan; shareholder in the law firm of the Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities Kemp, Klein, Umphrey, and Edelman in Greater St. Louis Eddie L. Smith, Jr., Mississippi, former high school teacher; Mayor of Holly Springs, MS Margaret M. Whillock, Arkansas, executive Dawn Steel, California, president of Columbia vice president of the Baptist Medical Sys- Pictures from 1987 to 1990, the first tems Foundation in Little Rock; director woman to head a major motion picture stu- of development at the University of Arkan- dio sas Niara Sudarkasa, Pennsylvania, president of Tracey Bailey, Florida, National Teacher of Lincoln University in Chester County, PA; the Year

Nomination for Posts at the Interior and Transportation Departments May 11, 1993

The President named a total of four officials ‘‘I am gratified that these individuals will be at the Departments of Transportation and the joining me in Washington,’’ said the President. Interior today. He expressed his intention to ‘‘Frank Kruesi has been an innovative and suc- nominate Frank Kruesi to be Assistant Secretary cessful policy adviser to Mayor Daley. Ada Deer of Transportation for Transportation Policy and has been a powerful and eloquent voice for Ada Deer to be Assistant Secretary of the Inte- changing national Indian policy. Both will be rior for Indian Affairs. The President also ap- valuable parts of this administration, as will proved the appointment of Richard Mintz to Richard Mintz and Patricia Beneke.’’ be the Director of Transportation’s Office of Public Affairs, and Patricia Beneke to be Associ- ate Solicitor for Energy and Resources at Inte- NOTE: Biographies of the nominees were made rior. available by the Office of the Press Secretary.

Interview With Don Imus of WFAN Radio, New York City May 12, 1993

Mr. Imus. Good morning, Mr. President. The President. I haven’t lost my focus. You’ve The President. Good morning. How are you? just been seeing me through the foggy lens of Mr. Imus. I’m fine. How are you? television instead of the direct one of radio. The President. I’m all right. [Laughter] There’s a big headline in the Wash- ington Post today, ‘‘Clinton Wins Third Major Victory In Congress.’’ I think we’re doing fine. The First 100 Days You know, we lost one bill, and a lot of people Mr. Imus. Let me ask you something. What think it’s like the last days of Pompeii. I mean, the hell is going on down there in that White if you’re going to fight for change, you’ve got House? What do you mean, you’ve lost your to be prepared to lose a few as well as win focus? [Laughter] some. But I think we’re well on track.

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