Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / Oct. 10 2423

But you get the point. If you want children NOTE: The President spoke at 7:05 p.m. at a pri- in to have good health care, vate residence. In his remarks, he referred to re- it doesn’t matter what we do in Washington, ception hosts Senator John D. IV and even if we have good policy, unless the Gov- his wife, Sharon; Republican Presidential can- didate Gov. George W. Bush; Gov. Tony Knowles ernor cares enough to make sure that max- of Alaska; and Gov. Cecil H. Underwood of West imum efforts are made in an intelligent way Virginia. Representative Wise is a gubernatorial to take care of the families. And West Vir- candidate in West Virginia. ginia is just like Arkansas. You’ve got a whole lot of people who work like crazy, work 40 or 50 hours a week for low incomes, who Remarks at a Reception for cannot afford health insurance. This is a big Representative Joseph Crowley deal to you. October 10, 2000 So what I want to say is, obviously, I’m interested in the races for Congress, espe- Thank you. Let me say, first of all, I am cially one Senate race, and I’m passionately delighted to be here for many reasons. First committed to the campaign of the Vice Presi- of all because I love Rosa, because—and dent and Senator Lieberman. But I’m telling Rosa does that sort of ‘‘born in a log cabin’’ you, I spent a dozen years as a Governor, routine better than anybody I know—[laugh- and I worked with some of the ablest people ter]—what she neglected to tell you was that I ever met in that period, and I think I know her mother, the seamstress, is the best politi- something about West Virginia. It really mat- cian I have ever met in my life to this day— ters. You need somebody that is creative, ag- [laughter]—and because her husband, the gressive, and consistent, somebody that un- man who shares this house, Stan, had so much to do with my becoming President in derstands the economy, education, and 1992 and is now, tonight in Florida working health care. He does. He should win, and with the Vice President as he prepares for I hope you won’t quit helping him tonight. this important debate, and has also helped I know this is a close race. Listen, it’s hard my friends Tony Blair and Prime Minister to beat any incumbent Governor when the Barak and other good people around the economy is doing well. I used to tell every- world, and because Rosa’s been there for 8 body, ‘‘If the economy was better, I could years now with me working on many of the have a lobotomy and get reelected’’—[laugh- things that have helped turn our country ter]—when I was running. It’s hard. But he around. is doing very well, and he’s doing very well I’m here because I really like Joe Crowley, because people sense these things about him. because he’s been real good to Hillary, which So we still—we’ve got more than a month means a lot to me—[laughter]—and be- left in this campaign, folks. And if you can cause—I’ll tell you another Queens story, be- give him any more money, you ought to. And cause I love Queens. And in early ’92, you if you can’t give him any more money, you know, we were pretty desperate to get press ought to go home and start talking to people in early ’92. I mean, here I was from Arkan- about why this matters. sas; nobody in knew who I was. But I’m just—we have got a chance here Harold Ickes says, ‘‘We’re going to meet to see States that have been left out and left with the Queens Democratic Committee, behind for a long time if we could just keep and Tom Manton is for you, and I think they this economy going, really balloon, and do will endorse you.’’ I said, ‘‘They’re going to well. But it will matter profoundly who the endorse me?’’ I was like fifth in name rec- Governor is. And I think, again, you need ognition in New Hampshire at the time. And somebody that understands how Washington he said, ‘‘Yes. Yes, it’s going to happen. But works and how it affects West Virginia, some- we’re going to take a subway out there,’’ body that’s committed to jobs, schools, and which I thought was great. I like to ride the health care, and somebody that’s intelligent, subway. creative, aggressive, and consistent. He is. So we took a subway there, and there was Thank you very much. this typically passive New York press person 2424 Oct. 10 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 with us with a camera, in my face, lights ev- are not out of the woods yet. We have still erywhere, and all these people who had been got to get this police issue right. It’s got to sort of uprooted on the subway watching the be done right, but I hope that people on both filming of this thing, thinking, ‘‘Why are they sides and particularly some of the people on taking that guy’s picture? Who is this strange the other side—for most of you—who have person they’ve got this camera on?’’ been talking about, well, maybe they would So then we walked down this beautiful bag the Good Friday agreement, I hope they tree-lined street, and we walked up some have been watching what is going on in the stairs. I remember—whoever—the Queens , and I hope they understand Democratic meeting was on the second floor how easy it is to let these things get away of some building, and all of a sudden they from you. introduced me, and I was terrified, right. Keep in mind, these people are rep- So I’m walking down the aisle, and I resented by teams that sat at Camp David, passed this African-American guy, and he and they’ve been working together for 7 reaches out and puts his arm around me and years. They know each other’s children. They says, ‘‘Son, don’t worry about it. I was born know how many grandchildren they have. in Hope, Arkansas, too, and we’re going to And still, think about how quickly it slipped. be for you.’’ [Laughter] True story. So I say to all of you interested in peace So the rest is history, as they say. So I’m in Ireland, I’ll keep working on it, and you deeply indebted. I am grateful to all these keep working on it, and just remind them Members of the House of Representatives that it’s a fragile thing. And sometimes you’re who are here. Whatever success I’ve had as most vulnerable in life when you think you’re President would have been literally impos- least vulnerable. We cannot take our good sible without them, both in the majority and fortune for granted. maybe especially in the minority, because vir- Now, on the Middle East, I don’t want to tually every good thing that’s happened in say too much except we had a pretty good Congress in the last 6 years would not have day today. And we, our whole American happened if they hadn’t known for sure that team, we’ve been working like crazy for the my veto would be upheld. That was the only last several days trying to help do our part. incentive to work with us to make construc- I just have to believe they’re not going to tive progress. So if it hadn’t been for them, let this thing spin out of control. it wouldn’t have happened. But there are lots of things going on there, Now, I just would like to say a couple of including things that are not apparent, devel- things. First of all, I do feel an enormous opments in other countries that are having amount of gratitude for what’s happened in an impact on this. So we’re working as hard the last 8 years. This last week has been an as we know how to end the violence and get emotional roller coaster for me because we the folks back to the negotiating table, and had that stunning election in Serbia, vali- I hope you will all say a prayer for that. dating the stand the United States took, year- Let me just say a word about this election. in and year-out, when it was very unpopular, No one in America understands as clearly as sometimes in our country, for the freedom I do how important this election is, not just of the people of Bosnia, the freedom of the for President and Vice President but every people of Kosovo, the principle of democracy Senate seat, every House seat—nobody. in Serbia, the idea that Europe ought to be And since we’re in the business of being united and democratic and whole. And I was humble here, because you realize how quick- so happy. ly things can change, it’s important to recog- And we had about 30 minutes to celebrate nize that—I’m absolutely convinced the only before all hell broke loose in the Middle danger we have in this election is if people East, where I have worked as hard as I could will think the consequences of their vote are to find a just and lasting peace. And Joe, we not particularly significant, and our crowd talked a lot about Ireland tonight. Let me may not go, and some may not understand just say briefly on Ireland first, I’m very what the consequences are. But I’m telling pleased about how far we have come. We you, we have never had a better chance to Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / Oct. 10 2425 literally imagine the future we want to build I believe that the Gore-Lieberman eco- for our kids and just go do it. But if we’re nomic plan, which the Democrats broadly careless with it, it could get away from us. support, would keep interest rates about a So you’ve got these huge economic dif- percent lower over a decade, and I believe ferences. Rosa mentioned that. You know, I that’s about $390 billion in lower home mort- just got back from Jay Rockefeller’s house. gages, $30 billion in lower car payments, $15 At least one of you was there with me tonight. billion in lower college loan payments, not And Jay Rockefeller, you know, he pays those to mention lower credit card payments, lower taxes George Bush wants to cut. [Laughter] business loan costs, and higher growth. So I told old Jay tonight, I said, ‘‘You know,’’ we’ve got a big choice here. I said, ‘‘I just came over here because I’m You know, there are still neighborhoods busy in Washington, and I felt the need to in New York, in and in upstate go on vacation. And I really wanted to see New York, in Buffalo, in Rochester, in other Versailles, and I couldn’t, so I thought I places that have not fully participated in this would come to your house instead—next best economic recovery yet. One of the good bi- thing.’’ [Laughter] partisan things we’re trying to do is to pass But I want you to think about it. I mean this new markets initiative that all the New they want a tax cut that’s way bigger than York delegations have been so helpful on, the one our side wants. We want to have as that Speaker Hastert and I have worked on. much as we think we can afford to pay for But in order for it to work, the overall econ- college education, long-term care if some- omy has to be working. In order for it to body in your family is sick, child care, retire- be attractive for us to give extra incentives ment savings. But we want to save something to people with money to invest in the areas to invest in education and health care, and that aren’t growing, the overall economy’s got we want to keep paying down the debt. to be working. Now, this is an interesting juxtaposition. This is a huge deal. It may be the biggest The Democratic Party is now the fiscally con- difference. And you’ve got to make sure peo- servative party in America and has been for ple know that between now and the election. some time. Why? I must say, the first person David Bonior, he’s actually—he’s got a race I ever heard argue this case was former Con- out there in Michigan. He lives in a competi- gressman Joe Kennedy from Boston. But it’s tive district. There’s no way in the world he true. If you pay down the debt and you keep wouldn’t win with the biggest percentage of interest rates lower, that does more to help the vote he has ever had if the people of lower income working people and middle- his district clearly understood the difference class people than anything else, because it in what their economic plan would do and grows the economy quicker; it gets labor what ours would do for their long-term wel- markets tighter; it raises wages at the low fare. end, creates more jobs there; and it spreads I could go through the education issue, the the benefits broadly. health care issue. You know, we’re for the Now, if they get their way, you cannot cut Patients’ Bill of Rights, and they aren’t. And taxes as much as they say they’re going to, if you want to know why, look at the Medi- partially privatize Social Security, which costs care budget they voted out today. another $1 trillion—something they never We’re trying to put some money back in talk about. Although I was proud to see the the Medicare program. We actually cut it too Governor acknowledge that in the last de- much in the Balanced Budget Act of ’97. We bate—said—‘‘Well, where are you going to want to see it fairly distributed. We want to get the money?’’ He said, ‘‘Out of the sur- take care of the hospitals, the urban hospitals, plus.’’ the rural hospitals, the teaching hospitals. We So if you have a $1.6 trillion to $9 trillion want to take care of the nursing homes and tax cut and a $1 trillion Social Security privat- the community providers. ization program and then you’ve got all these Fifty-five percent in their budget goes to other spending programs they promise, the HMO’s, the same people they killed the you’re back in deficit again. Patients’ Bill of Rights for—big difference 2426 Oct. 10 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 here. The American people need to know much market power that maybe they will be that. able to get American seniors drugs made in The prescription drug plan—Joe’s been America almost as cheap as they can get active in this, and Rosa talked about it. I’m them in Canada. And they’re afraid that their so glad about this. This business of being able profit margins will go down so much that to go to Canada and buy the drugs, they tried then they won’t have the money they would to water that down. They have fooled with like to have either for profits or research or it a little bit—considerably. advertising. But do you ever wonder what this pre- Now, that is a real problem for them. But scription drug deal is all about? Do you really can the answer to their problem be to keep know why we’re fighting with them? Here’s seniors who need it from getting the medi- the deal. Here’s the real deal on prescrip- cine they need? That’s my problem. The Re- tions. The drug companies aren’t for a Medi- publican plan only covers half of the seniors care prescription drug program that all sen- who need the coverage. And this idea that iors can voluntarily buy into. you can have a private health insurance pol- Now, that doesn’t make any sense, does icy that people can afford to buy that’s worth it? Did you ever see anybody that’s in busi- a flip is just not true. The insurance compa- ness that didn’t want more customers? Did nies—I just jumped on the health insurance you ever meet a politician that didn’t want companies. Let me brag on them. They have more votes? Right? Did you ever meet a car been perfectly honest. They say there is not salesman that didn’t want to sell more cars? an insurance market out there for prescrip- Did you ever see anybody running a media tion drugs that people can afford. That’s what empire that didn’t want their audience share they said. to go up? So I’m just telling you this because this Here’s why. Here’s the deal. You need to is the kind of thing—I get frustrated because know. Why are drugs cheaper in Canada than I don’t think most people really understand they are in America, even though they’re what the nature of the fight is. You don’t have made in America? Why are they cheaper in to demonize the drug companies. Lord Europe, even though they’re made in Amer- knows, I’m glad they’re here. They do won- ica? Because it costs a lot of money to de- derful work. They employ tens of thousands velop these drugs, then they spend a lot of of people. I’m proud they’re American, and money advertising them, but America is the I would help them solve their problem. only country in the world that doesn’t have But the answer to their problem cannot price controls. be to keep seniors away from the medicine So if they develop some great new drug, they need. Now, that’s what this is about. they’ve got to get us to pay, all of us, all the And he’s out there, trying to do the right money they put in, in development and ad- thing. [Laughter] Oh, come on, you’re time vertising. Once they do that, it doesn’t cost and a half my size; don’t whine. [Laughter] anything to make another pill. Once you get Now, wait a minute. This is a big deal. your embedded cost back, another pill is You all have got friends all over America. cheap. Then they can afford to sell them You’ve got people living in these battle- under price controls throughout Europe, ground States. I’m telling you, if people know Canada, and elsewhere. what the differences are, Senator Lieberman So when—I’m saying this so you don’t and Vice President Gore win. We win the have to demonize the drug companies, so House. We pick up at least four, maybe six, you’ll understand. So they’ve got a real prob- Senate seats if they know. lem. What is their problem? They think, if We are for hate crimes legislation; they’re Medicare can buy drugs for millions and mil- not. They gave us a vote in the Senate. It lions of seniors who need them, Medicare turned out it wasn’t real. Some of their guys will acquire so much market power—they got well on the vote. It’s 57–42 for the hate know this is not price fixing; this ain’t close crimes legislation. But when it comes time to price fixing—but we’ll have a big buyer. to leave it in the bill, poof! It vanishes. Now, And they know Medicare will acquire so we’ve got to find some bill to put it on, and Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / Oct. 11 2427 their leadership doesn’t want it on any bill. They’ll vote. But if they don’t hear from you, People need to know that. they might just be getting this stuff over the You know, there are lots of differences air waves. here in terms of our ideas of one America, So I would just say to you, this is a pro- in terms of our ideas of health care policy, foundly important election. Just remember in terms of our education policy. I’m just tell- the Middle East: One day we’re about to ing you the differences are clear. Those are make peace; the next day we’re trying to keep just three. people from killing each other. You cannot You mentioned gun safety. Did you see predict the future. Life is a funny thing. that ABC—did anybody see that ABC special We may not have a time like this again Peter Jennings did on the NRA? Did you in our lifetime. And as a nation, we will not see it? Did you see all those people there, forgive ourselves if we squander this oppor- good Americans, going to these NRA conven- tunity. The public needs to clearly under- tions? They’re good citizens. And Peter Jen- stand the differences, the choices, the con- nings going around interviewing them, say- sequences. I am completely comfortable with ing, ‘‘Do you really believe that Al Gore will whatever decision they make if they do. take your gun away?’’ ‘‘Absolutely; I do. Bill So that’s the only thing I would like to ask Clinton and Al Gore, they’re a threat to our you to do. Think of everybody you know, any- second amendment rights.’’ where in this great country, between now There’s not one living, breathing American and the election, and every single day, for that missed a day in the deer woods because the next however many weeks we’ve got— of me. But 500,000 felons, fugitives, and 5 weeks and some odd days—take some time stalkers could not get handguns because of to make sure that they understand the dif- the Brady bill. So, the program says that ferences, the choices, the consequences. And when Mr. LaPierre said that I wanted those we’ll have some more people like Joe Crow- people to die in some of those horrible shoot- ley in the Congress and a great celebration ings so then I would have some political basis in the Presidential race on election eve. to take people’s guns away, their membership Thank you, and God bless you. went up 200,000 according to the ABC—[in- audible]. NOTE: The President spoke at 8:35 p.m. at a pri- vate residence. In his remarks, he referred to re- Now, let me tell you something: The ception hosts Representative Rosa DeLauro and American people are smart and solid, and her husband, Stanley Greenburg; her mother, they nearly always get it right if they’ve got Luisa DeLauro, member, New Haven, CT, Board enough information and enough time. But of Aldermen; Prime Minister Tony Blair of the you know, that’s just not true. And it’s not United Kingdom; Prime Minister Ehud Barak of true that Al Gore proposed to take their guns Israel; former Deputy White House Chief of Staff away. What he said was, ‘‘If you’re going to Harold Ickes; Queens County Democratic Orga- buy a handgun, you ought to have a license nization Chair Thomas J. Manton; Republican like you have to drive a car, that proves that Presidential candidate Gov. George W. Bush; you don’t have a criminal background; you’ve ABC News reporter Peter Jennings; and National Rifle Association Executive Vice President Wayne got enough sense to use a gun safely.’’ That’s LaPierre. Representative Joseph Crowley is a can- the radical idea he proposed. didate for Congress in New York’s Seventh Con- Will any one of those NRA people lose gressional District. their guns? Not unless they’re crooks and shouldn’t have it and present a danger to so- ciety. So I’m just imploring you. You came Statement on Suspending the here tonight. Every one of you are politically Immigration of Persons Impeding active; you all show up. Every one of you the Peace Process in Sierra Leone know scores of people that will never come October 11, 2000 to a deal like this, not a time in their lives. But they will vote. They want to believe they I have signed a proclamation suspending are good citizens. They are good citizens. the entry into the United States, as immi- They’re patriotic. They love their country. grants and nonimmigrants, of all persons—