Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Clinton sketches his plans for change Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 15:11:15 EST Message-ID: \SE A \HD Clinton sketches his plans for change \SH Listen to him, watch her \BY Frank J. Murray \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES A bullishly confident President-elect Bill Clinton insisted yesterday that he alone decides what happens in his administration, but he cited Hillary Clinton's public stance as a guide to his actions. He mentioned Mrs. Clinton's anti-tobacco views at his first post-election news conference while defending transition board chairman Vernon Jordan's links with RJR Nabisco Inc., a tobacco-based conglomerate of which he is a board member. "Nobody on this [transition] board is going to be making these decisions. I'm going to make them," Mr. Clinton rasped with a voice still limping from campaign battle fatigue. Mr. Clinton said the public should be assured by statements from him and his wife, Hillary, a lawyer whose potential role in the administration provoked controversy during the campaign. "Those of you who are familiar with my record and my wife's public statements here at home would have little to be concerned about us being too close to the tobacco lobby," Mr. Clinton said. Even Mr. Clinton's abused throat did not weaken the tone that sounded decisive and in-charge about virtually everything except how to deal with potential nuclear bullies like North Korea. He did admit to some doubts about dealing quickly with a Congress controlled by his own Democratic Party and seemed to be seeking time to deliver the economic relief that was the cornerstone of his presidential campaign. "I also told the American people repeatedly we didn't get into this business overnight and we're not going to get out of it overnight," he said during the nationally televised 35-minute meeting with reporters at the historic Old State House in Little Rock, Ark. "I'm not trying to scale back or scale down or anything else. I think the American people understand that these problems are of long duration and there won't be any overnight miracles," Mr. Clinton said, explaining with a candor unusual in new officials that some campaign promises had not been fully thought out and needed some more work. Mr. Clinton said he would try Republican tactics in dealing with Congress and foreign affairs. Recalling Ronald Reagan's 1981 success with Congress by packaging a number of interlocking issues in a comprehensive bill, Mr. Clinton said, "I think the fewer votes you have the better off you are." And he said he will follow George Bush's lead in structuring a national security apparatus that is not always at cross-purposes. "President Bush's group worked pretty well as a team in that area and that's something that I want. I am very much committed to picking a national security adviser, a secretary of defense and a secretary of state than can work together on this agenda," Mr. Clinton said, responding to repeated questions on foreign issues despite a determination to stick to the economy and personnel. "The American people want America to get its house in order and want this economy to start working again and that's what I'll focus on," he said at one point, but the next two questions dealt with foreign issues and Mr. Clinton announced he had been planning to call retiring South Korean President Roh Tae-woo later yesterday afternoon. "I hope we can continue to be a force for the security of South Korea," Mr. Clinton said, advocating unification of Korea but avoiding mention of U.S. forces in a country currently engaged in its own three-way presidential campaign. "I hope very much that North Korea will not be successful in developing real nuclear capacity," he said. [Korean TV reported that Mr. Clinton told Mr. Roh in a 15-minute talk later that U.S. troops would stay in South Korea as long as needed and he would work closely with the South to stop North Korea's development of nuclear weapons.] Mr. Clinton showed no doubt the office is his for better or for worse and said he expects a honeymoon to get started. "I'm having a wonderful time. I mean, it is an enormous responsibility, but I asked for it and it's an indulgence to feel overwhelmed by it," Mr. Clinton said with unbridled delight. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM