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Clinton has second chance,
search for history
After a joyous inauguration, the president’s
second term will be far from a joyride
It had been 60 years since a Democratic president last
celebrated an inaugural sequel, so Bill Clinton placed
his hand on the family Bible on Monday assured of at
least that niche in history. But his legacy remains as
uncertain at the dawn of his second term as it was when
he took the oath four years ago.
Putting that first term of inconsistency behind him,
Clinton spoke in awe of the historic threshold that will
frame his presidency — the dawn of the 21st Century.
“A moment that will define our course — and our char
acter — for decades to come,” he called it. But what of a
defining moment for him, America’s youthful leader of so
many seeming contradictions? Giv
en a second chance, but with a Re
publican Congress as his chaper
one, where will Clinton’s search
for history lead the nation?
The possibilities are many; the path to achieve uncer
tain.
Perhaps a balanced budget and, as a result, a redefined
Democratic Party, freed of its tax-and-spend label. Maybe
Middle East peace or some other landmark success
abroad. Steps to put Social Security and Medicare on
firmer financial footing are being discussed.
Or, perhaps, it will be a distinction less coveted, some
blemish or scar from investigations into questionable De
mocratic fund-raising or past dealings in Arkansas.
His own thoughts squarely on earning a place in histo
ry, Clinton called for an end to "the politics of petty bick
ering and extreme partisanship.”
Tbe prospect of bipartisan cooperation will be sorely
tested in the weeks ahead, as Clinton unveils his budget
and seeks a fresh start with Republican congressional
leaders he cast as callous and mean-spirited in his reelec
tion campaign.
The target for many such barbs was House Speaker
Newt Gingrich, like Clinton both a student of history and
a man whose foibles often overshadow his considerable
talents. Eager for a fresh start of his own, the speaker was
in a forgiving mood on Inauguration Day.
"While we may disagree on some things, here you are
among friends,” Gingrich told Clinton and Vice President
Al Gore at the traditional Capitol luncheon.
Such a cooperative tone is likely to echo through Feb.
4, when Clinton delivers his State of the Union address.
But there already are myriad signs of the conflict that will
follow Clinton’s budget submission two days later.
Throughout late 1995 and 1996, Clinton pummeled Re
publicans for their plan to significantly control Medicare
spending as part of a blueprint for balancing the budget.
In 1997, Republicans want Clinton to take the lead in
proposing significant Medicare reforms, but Clinton has
decided to push more modest savings. Republicans are in
ANALYSIS
ohn King
no mood »
for another
major fight on
the issue, but al
ready are accusing
Clinton of budgetary gim
micks.
Clinton, in turn, says Republi
cans are opening the new year with
a giumncK or ineir own — a constitu
tional amendment requiring a balanced budget. Senate
Majority Leader Trent Lott warned over the weekend that
Clinton’s team was putting the bipartisan spirit at risk
with "hysterical” attacks on this GOP priority.
Clinton and Republicans also are at odds over the ad
ministration’s plan to cut defense spending, money that
Clinton needs to pay for tax cuts promised in last year’s
campaign as well as a bigger education budget and other
Democratic domestic priorities.
Still, Lott and Gingrich said they were optimistic of
reaching an agreement, and Clinton sounded more like a
Republican than a Democrat at times in his speech,
promising a leaner government that "lives within its
means, and does more with less.”
But as Clinton labors to resolve his differences with the
Republicans, there will be pressures from Democrats as
well, beginning with demands for major changes to the
welfare law Clinton signed last year. Clinton has pledged
to restore $16 billion in cut welfare funding, but Republi
cans are in no mood for major changes.
CHRIS HUTCHINSON/Emerald
Several lawmakers concerned about Social Security’s
solvency had hoped Clinton would use the national stage
of his inauguration to push specific solutions, including
changes in the way the government calculates inflation.
But the president, chastened by failure to deliver the
biggest promise of his first term — health care for all —
would not go along, only promising vaguely to be part of
the reform effort.
He was vague as well on the issue of campaign finance
reform, an area of considerable disagreement between the
political parties and an issue Clinton pushed in his 1992
campaign but largely ignored as president until his par
ty’s fund-raising came under scrutiny last year.
All this uncertainty, however, did not deter Clinton
from grand thoughts of how he might be one day be re
membered and he wished aloud near the end of his
speech, “Let us shape the hope of this day into the no
blest chapter of our history.”
John King covers politics and Washington for The
Associated Press.
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READER VOICES
Should the cross on Skinner Butte be removed?
“I don't think it
should be removed
because it’s a war
memorial."
Stacie Hutt
Landscape
Architecture
“I’m not into this po
litical correctness.
[The cross] has been
there this long, and if
others feel offended
because it has noth
ing to do with their re
ligion, then don’t be
here.”
Ed Hartley
Journalism
“I don’t think it
should be on public
land because it’s a
cross and that's a vio
lation of church and
state. It’s ridiculous
that the city of Eugene
is making a huge con
troversy over this."
Maria Isabel
Rodriguez
General Science
"No, [it shouldn't
be removed], I don't
think there is a sepa
ration of church and
state in this country
anyway."
Julie Toupal
English
“Yes, I think it
should be removed. I
think it's important
that public land
should not contain
symbols of religion.
The separation of
church and state
should be protected at
all costs."
Philip Green
History
“If [the cross] is a
tribute the community
decided to give to the
[war] veterans, then it
should be able to
stay.”
Roland Ahyes
Journalism
iermtnn
In the Jan. 17
story “Mock date
rape trial ends In
hung jury, "Judge
Lauren Holland
was quoted as
saying: “I thought
it was a great
opportunity to
talk about issues
people don't
really like to talk
about.” John
Dodd, also
quoted in the
story, said Judge
Holland said this.
The quote should
not have been in
quotation marks.