Well, it's 12 at our special Expanded Edition of midday continues here on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Gary I acted last night Bill Clinton and Bob Dole met in the first of their to pre-election presidential debates. Today. We're going to rebroadcast that debate so you can hear for yourself what the candidates had to say. Then after the debate will join Talk of the nation's conversation about the debate with analyst Kathleen Hall Jamieson and William kristol first, though the presidential debate from last night. Here is the moderator of the debate PBS host Jim Lehrer.Good evening from the Bushnell theater in Hartford, Connecticut on Joe malara of the NewsHour on PBS. Welcome to the first of the 1996 Presidential debates between President Bill Clinton the Democratic nominee and Senator Bob Dole. The Republican nominee event is sponsored by the commission on presidential debates. It will last 90 minutes following a format and rules worked out by the two campaigns. There will be two minute opening and closing statements in between a series of questions. Each having three parts a 90 second answer a 60-second real bottle and a 30-second response. I will assist the candidates and adhering to those time limits with the help of a series of Lights visible to both under their rules to candidates are not allowed to question each other directly. I will ask the questions. There are no limitations on the subjects the order for everything tonight was determined by coin toss now.Do the opening statements and the President Clinton, mr. President? Thank you, Jim. And thank you to the people of Hartford our hosts. I want to begin by saying again how much I respect Senator Dole and his record of public service and how hard I will try to make this campaign and this debate one of ideas not insults. 4 years ago I ran for president at a time of high unemployment and Rising frustration. I wanted to turn this country around with a program of opportunity for all responsibility from all and an American Community where everybody has a role to play. I wanted a government that was smaller and less bureaucratic to help people have the tools to make the most of their own lies. 4 years ago you took me on faith. Now, there's a record 10 and 1/2 million more jobs Rising incomes fall in crime rates and Welfare rolls the strong America at peace. We are better off than we were four years ago. Let's keep it going we cut the deficit by 60% Now, let's balance the budget and protect Medicare Medicaid education in the environment. We got taxes for 15 million working Americans. Now that's passed the tax cuts for education and child-rearing help with medical emergencies in buying a home. We passed family and medical leave. Now. Let's expand it. So more people can succeed his parents and in the workforce. We passed a hundred thousand police the assault weapons ban the Brady Bill Now let's keep going by finishing the work of putting the police on the street and tackling juvenile gangs. We passed welfare reform. Now, let's move a million people from welfare to work and most important. Let's make education our highest priority so that every 8 year old be able to read every twelve-year-old can log onto the internet every 18 year old can go to college we can build a bridge to the 21st century and I look forward to discussing exactly how we're going to do it. Senator Dole 2 minutes. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. President those kind words. Thank the people of Hartford commission and all those out who may be listening or watching. It's a great honor for me to be here standing here is the Republican nominee. I'm very proud to be the Republican nominee reaching out to Democrats and independents. I have three very special people within might my wife Elizabeth my daughter Robin with never let me down. I found a name Frank karaffa. from New York along with Ali manninen help me out in the mountains of Italy a few years back. I've learned from them that people do have tough times. And sometimes you can't go It Alone. And that's what America is all about. I'm never getting my future back from doctors and nurses and a doctor in Chicago named Dr. Kelikian and ever since that time I try to get something back to my country to the people, who are Watching us tonight. America's greatest place in the face of the Earth I know many of you still have anxieties. You work harder and harder. Make ends meet and put food on the table. You worried about the quality and safety your children quality of education, but even more important that you worry about the future and will they have the same opportunities that you and I have had and Jack camp and I want to share with you some ideas tonight. Jack Kemp is my running mate doing an outstanding job. I'm a plain-speaking man. And I learned long ago that your word was your bond. And I promise you tonight that I'll try to address your concerns and not try to exploit them. It's a tall order, but I've been running against the odds for a long time. And again, I'm honored to be here this evening. Supposed first question is a major difference in your view of the role of the Federal Government and that of Senator Bill. How would you define the difference? Which am I believe that the federal government? Should give people the tools and try to establish the conditions in which they can make the most of their own lies that to me is the key and that leaves me to some different conclusions from Centerville. For example, we have reduce the size of the federal government to its smallest size in 30 years. We produced more regulations eliminated more programs in my to Republican predecessors, but I have worked hard for things like the family and medical leave Law the Brady Bill the assault weapons ban the program to put a hundred thousand police on the street. All these are problems that sent it suppose that I supported because I felt they were illegitimate effort to help people make the most of their own lives. I work hard to help families in part values for their own children. I supported the v-chip. So the parents would be able to control what their kids watch on television when they're young along with the rating systems and pellet for television and educational television. I supported strong action against the tobacco. Stop the stop the marketing advertising and sales tobacco. So young people I supported a big increase in the safe and drug-free schools program. These were areas on which side of the doll and a different but I believe that they were the right areas for America to be acting together as one country to help individuals and families make the most of their own lives and raise their kids with good values and a good future. I think the basic difference is and I That's an experience in this I think the basic Givens. I trust the people. the present trust the government relax and looked at the healthcare plan that he wanted to impose on the American people 1/7 of total economy 17 new taxes price controls 35 to 50 new bureaucracies a 1.5 trillion dollars. Don't forget that that happened in 1993. A tax increase the tax everybody in America not just the rich. You made $25,000 here is McFalls. You got your Social Security taxes increased. We had a BTU tax turn into a 35 billion dollar gas tax a 265 billion dollar tax increase I guess I Rely more on the individual like hairy little cart around in my pocket all the Tenth Amendment where possible I want to get power back to the States and back to the people. That's my difference for the present my life specific differences later. He noted a few but there are others. I trust the people we've done a lot to give the people more powers to make their own decisions over their own life. But I do think we are right when we try to for example, give mothers and newborns 48 hours before they can be kicked out of the hospital in a Leaf Drive by deliveries. I think we were right to pass a kassebaum. Kennedyville, which says you can't lose your health insurance just because you change the odds of having someone in your family has been sick. Our government is smaller and less bureaucratic and is given more authority to the states then its two predecessors under Republican president, but I do believe we have to help our People Get Ready To Succeed in the 21st century. Senator Dole the president said in his opening statement. We are better off today than we were four years ago you agreed? Now he's better off than it was four years ago. Agree with that. That's right, and I may be better off for years and that but I don't know. I looked at the slowest growth in the century. He inherited a growth of 4.7. 4.8% us down about 2.4% We're going to pass a million bankrupt. Is this year for the first time in history? We've got stagnant wages. In fact women's ways of dropped 2.2% men's wages. Haven't gone up going down. So we have stagnation. We have the highest form day in history. And it seems to me that if you take a look are you better off? Well, I guess some maybe better off so don't know saying it's probably better off than he was four years ago. Rene preval is probably better off when he was four years ago, but are the American people that working harder and higher and order and pay more taxes for the first time in history you pay about 40% of what you earn more than you spend for food clothing and shelter to mine for taxes under this Administration. So some may be better off I talk about family income being up that's not true in Connecticut family income is down and it's up in some cases because both parents are working one works for the family and one works to pay taxes for the government. We're going to get my tax cuts and then spend more time with their children, maybe even take a vacation. That's what America is all about. Well, let me say first of all in February Senator Dole acknowledge that the American economy was in the best shape has been in in 30 years. We have 10 and 1/2 million more jobs a faster job growth rate than under any Republican administrations of the 1920s wages are going up for the first time in a decade. We have record numbers of new small businesses. We had the biggest drop in the number of people in poverty in 27 years all groups of people are growing. We had the biggest drop in income inequality in 27 years in 1995. The average family income has gone up over $1,600 just sent our economic plan passed. So I think it's clear that we're better off than we were four years ago. Now we need to focus on what we need to do to be better off still. How can we help people as we are to get their retirement when they work for small businesses be able to afford health insurance be able to educate their children. That's what I want to focus on, but we're clearly better off than we were four years ago. Is Senator Dole acknowledge this year. I doubt that I acknowledge that this year but not any event. I need me just look at the facts. We ask the people are doing tonight. Are you better off when you were four years ago come out whether we're better off as whether they're better off. Are you working harder to put food on the table feed your children are do children get a better education drug uses double the pasta 44 months all across America Prime has gone down but it's because the mayor's like Rudy Giuliani where was one-third of the drop happened in one city in New York city. So yes, some may be better off, but other people listening tonight the Working Families benefit for economic package. They'll be better off and Bob Dylan was president and Jack have his vice president. Was President Cinder Dole Is come pretty close in the last few days accusing you of lying about his position on Medicare reform have you done so absolutely not. Let's let's look at the position. First of all remember that in this campaign season since Saturday has been a candidate. He has bragged about the fact that he voted against Medicare in the beginning a 1965 only twelve members. He said he did the right thing. Then he knew it wouldn't work at the time. That's what he said. Then his budget that he passed along with speaker Gingrich cut Medicare 270 billion dollars more than was necessary to repair the Medicare trust fund. It would have charged singers more for out-of-pocket costs as well as more in premiums because doctors could have charged them or the American Medical Hospital Association The Nurses Association to Catholic Hospital Association, all said hundreds of hospitals with clothes and people would be hurt badly under the dog and which Medicare plan that I veto and now with this risky 550 billion dollar tax scheme of Senator Doles even his own friends his campaign co-chair side of the motto says that they can't possibly pay for it without cutting Medicare. And cutting Social Security as well according to him. Now my balanced budget plan. It's 10 years to the life of the Medicare trust fund 10 years and we'll have time to deal with the long-term problems of the Baby Boomers, but it was simply wrong to finance their last game to cut Medicare 270 billion dollars to run the risk of it withering on the vine. We always have to reform it over the years, but we need someone who believes in it to reform. Well, I must say if I look back to vote on Medicare 1965. We had a program called elder care that also provided drugs on his means test the people who needed medical attention to say that I thought it was a good program. But I've supported Medicare ever since in fact, I used to call my mother would tell me that Bob all I've got's my Social Security my medicare don't cut it. I wouldn't violate anything. My mother said in fact, we had a conversation about our mother's one day a very poignant conversation in the White House. I'm concerned about Healthcare. I've had the best Healthcare government hospitals Army hospitals. And I know it's important but we got to fix it. It's his trusty the presents cuz she's not mine or say it's going to go broke. He doesn't fix it for 10 years. We ought appoint a commission. Just we did with Social Security in 1983 When We rescued Social Security and I was proud to be on that commission along with Claude pepper the champion of senior citizens in Florida and we can do it again if we take politics out of it stop carry scaring the seniors with the present you've already spent 45 million dollars scaring seeing you are tearing me apart. I think it's time to have a truce. Well, let me say first of all, I'd be happy to have a commission deal with this and I appreciate what Senator Dole did on the 83 Social Security Commission. But it won't be possible to do. If his tax gamepasses because even his own campaign co-chair, Senator D'Amato says, he'll have to cut Medicare even more than was cut in the bill that I vetoed Ivy told that bill because it cut more Medicare and in basically ran the risk of breaking up the system my balanced budget plan puts 10 years on the Medicare we are to do that then we can have a commission. But Senator Doles plans are not good for the country. Cinderella speaking of your tax plan. Do you still think that's a good idea to 15% across-the-board tax bill and I need it. I need it. That's the point. This is not a Wall Street tax cut this the family tax cut just a Main Street tax cut 15% across a family making $30,000 a year. That's $1,261. That may be some in this bush Bushnell Memorial not a lot of money but people watching the night with a couple of kids are working family. That's for 5. Months of daycare, maybe a personal computer it maybe three or four months of mortgage payments this economic factors about family that it's a six-point package. First of all, the balanced budget amendment Constitution, which President Clinton defeated he twisted arms and got six Democrats to go with the other way. We lost by one vote. It's balancing a budget. New year 2002 it's a tax cut cutting capital gains 50% You can go out and prayed more jobs and more opportunities. It's a state tax relief. It's a $500 for child tax credit. It's about litigation reform out of the press and gets millions of dollars in the trial orders. If I don't like this provision back and I fell off that hold him and Chico before I let the ground hit the ground had a call on my cell phone from a trial lawyer thing. I think we got a case itself and it's also a regulatory reform. What's a good package? Mr. Presently like to have your support? The president will here's the problem with it. It it sounds very good. But there's a reason that 500 Economist including 7, Nobel Prize winners and business periodicals like business week and I even Senator Doles friend Senator Warren Rodman former Republican senators from New Hampshire says, it is not a practical problem. It's a 550 billion dollar tax scheme that will cause a big hole in the deficit which will raise interest rates and slow down the economy and caused people to pay more for home mortgages car payment credit card payments college loans and small business loans. It's not good to raise the deficit. We work too hard to lower it little actually raise taxes on 9 million people and in addition to that. It will force bigger Cuts in Medicare Medicaid education in the environment than the ones that he ended the gangers past that I vetoed last year. So it sounds great but are targeted tax cut for Education child-rearing Health Care in home buying which is paid for in my balanced budget plan something that he is not done certified by the Congressional budget office. That's the right way to go to 20% of the next year's six years. I want to increase spending 14% That's how simple it is. I want the government to pinch pennies for a change instead of the American families were talking about 6 percentage points over six years and where that money you give it back to the working people. He also provide opportunity scholarships for low-income parents will have the same choice that others have been sending their children to better schools and we will work and what it does work, mr. Krabs, and I know you have congratulate. What's the president of the Senate are mentioned trial lawyers and camping that means campaign financing avoid being unduly influence give you money or give you services in your campaigns. Well, I try to articulate my positions as clearly as possible. Tell people what I stand for and let them decide whether they're going to support me or not to mention the trial lawyers in the case of the product liability billed which day pass and ID told I think that's what he's talking about. I actually wanted to sign that bill and I told the people exactly what the Congress exactly what kind of pill I would sign a lot of the trial lawyers didn't want me to sign in at all, but I thought we got to do what we could to cut frivolous lawsuits, but they wouldn't make some of the changes that I thought you'd be made. Let me just give you an example. I had a person in the Oval Office who lost a child in a school bus accident where a drunk driver caused the accident directly, but there were problems with the school bus the drunk driver had no money under the new bill if I had signed it a person like that could never have had any recovery. I thought that was wrong. So I gave for five specific examples to the Congress and I said prove to me that these people could recover but we're going to eliminate frivolous lawsuits. I'll sign the bill. But generally I believe that the president has to be willing to do what he thinks is right eye done. A lot of things that were controversial my economic plan my trade position Bosnia Haiti taking on the NRA for the first time taking on the tobacco companies for the first time. Sometimes you just have to do that because you know, what's right for the country over the long run. That's what I tried to do. And that's what I will continue to do as president. So don't know. How does he avoid conflict? Well, I don't know in the case of the trial lawyers and I look at the trial lawyers in your fuel made in shorts. You run out to Hollywood and pick up two to four million and organized labor comes to Washington DC and puts 35 million into the pot. These aren't special interest and I've got a lot to learn I was there for a while before I left on June 11th the trial lawyers, so I don't like I don't know my wife's a lawyer with only two lawyers in Washington trust each other, but we're lawyers. I like lawyers. I don't dislike trial all yours, but it seems to me there's got to be some into the frivolous lawsuits and got to be some cap on punitive damage. You're putting a lot of business people out of out of business small businessman and small business women who paid 70% of your 1965 billion dollar tax increase the largest tax increase in his pee America. I said that one day and patton one in a Democrat say no you said in the history of the world. So I modified it the largest tax increase in the history of the world and it seems to me that there's a problem as president. And I will address you as mr. President. You didn't do that with me with President Bush in 1992. Let me say it first of all, I signed a tort Reform Bill that dealt dealt with civilian Aviation a couple of years ago. I prove that I will sign reasonable tort reform. Secondly Senator Doles had some pretty harsh comments about special interest money, but it wasn't me who opposed what we try to do to save the lives of children who are subjected tobacco and then went to the tobacco Growers and bragged about standing up for the federal government and we tried to stop the advertising marketing and sales of tobacco children and it wasn't me that left. The polluters actually come into the halls of Congress into the room and rewrite the environmental laws. That's what speaker Gingrich and Senator Doles did not me. So, I believe that we should take a different approach to this and talk about how we stand on the issues instead of trying to characterize each other some motivations. I think Center. And I just honestly disagree how do you avoid being influenced by people contribute money and services to your campaign? I think it's very difficult. Let's be honest about it. That's why we need campaign Finance reform. That's why I reach out to the pro boaters. We done about all this. We are the Reform Party Republican party and the Pearl voters looking for all my to take a look at the Republican record. Whatever it is, whatever the check this was a 92 is all done with campaign Finance reform. I work the senator Mitchell who played me I guess in the debate warm-up, we tried six or eight years ago. He pointed three people. I planted three people to get the campaign Finance reform we couldn't get it done because it wasn't enforcement you suggested formation Newt Gingrich. Did I suggest at least four or five years ago? We had a commission on campaign Finance reform. They sent it to Congress may have to vote it up or down. That's how it works when ever going to fix it by the parties do the Democrats want to better advantage and sales. We want to better advantage of the Republicans and that's not how it's going to work. But I want to touch on this the back of thing. I know the president's been coughing a lot on that and I want to go back to 1965. That was my first vote against tobacco companies when I said we are to Label cigarettes not a consistent record every since 1965. We passed the belt on 1992 is encouraged the states to adopt programs in stop Kidde smoke in all 50 states did it it took three and a half years. It was until election year. Mr. Friendly ever thought about stopping smoking. What about drugs have been preached the double the last 44 months cocaine's up 141% marijuana cocaine up 166% You have a selective memory will try to correct it as we go along muslera. I hope you'll have a chance to discuss drugs later in the program. But let me respond to what you said. I agree that there's too many incumbent politicians in Washington and both parties have consistently opposed campaign Finance reform that was certainly the space from the minute. I got there. So after I speak English in Centerville took over the Congress, I went to New Hampshire and man suggested the gentleman that unfortunate just passed away a couple days ago suggested that we appoint a commission and I shook hands with him on it. And I pointed my members and a commission never met and then Senator Doles Ardent supporter Senator McCain who's out there today along with Senator Feingold. I'll support its sponsor the campaign Finance reform proposal. I strongly supported it and members of some of those on party in the Senate killed it and he was not out there urging them to vote for the mccain-feingold bill. So I think the American people including the Pharaoh supporters know that I've had a consistent record in favor of campaign Finance reform and I will continue to have and I hope we can finally get it in the next session of Congress cuz we need it badly 30 seconds have a bipartisan commission take it out of politics get people don't have any interest in politics, but understand the issue and let them make a recommendation of Congress. No, we're not kidding anybody. Mr. Present these sophisticated people watch knut millions and millions of Americans. They know the Republican Party hasn't done it. They know the Democratic party won't do it. We all agree that somebody else to do it. Then we have to vote it up or down. What's the president of the Senate are mentioned drugs in the past that you are you bear some responsibility for the rise and drug use of teenagers in the United States? What gym I think every American in any position responsibilities should be concerned about what's happening. I am but let's look at the overall record overall in America cocaine use is dropped 30% in the last 4 years casual drug use down 13% The tragedy is that our young people are still increasing their use of drugs talk to about 11% total with marijuana, and I regret it. Let me tell you what I tried to do about I appointed a four-star general who led our effort South of the Border to keep rug from coming into the country is our nation's drugs are the most heavily directed decorated soldier in uniform when he retired. We submitted the biggest drug budget ever. We have dramatically increased the controlling enforcement at the border. We supported crime bill that had 60 definitely including the death penalty for drug came and I supported a big expansion and safe and drug-free schools problem to support things like the Dare program cuz I thought all those things were very important. I do. I think that I bear some responsibility for the fact that too many of our children still don't understand drugs are wrong drugs can kill you even though I have consistently opposed the legalization of drugs all my public life and worked hard against them. I think we all do and I hope we can do better. I don't think this issue should be politicised because my record is clear and I don't think that at all supports used to using drugs. I think we just have to continue to work on this until those who think it isn't dangerous and won't tell them it won't destroy their lives got the message and change. What is a very selective? Mr. President? You don't want to put aside his drug, but it's hard to put a size Medicare go out and scare senior citizens and other vulnerable groups of veterans and people get Pell Grants thinks of this. I mean you say we've done all these bad things which isn't isn't the case but it seems to me that record is clear. The record is pretty clear in Arkansas on your Governor drug use double that you resisted the appointment of a drugs are there because you thought it might interfere with treatment but here you've got the drug czars office 83% you cut interdiction substantially mean that's what I want to stop it from coming across the border and in my Administration we're going to try in the National Guard to stop it from coming across the border of this is invasion of drugs from all over the world and we have a responsibility you had a surgeon or before General care for you had a lady was said we ought to consider legalizing drugs. Is that the kind of leadership we need and I won't comment on other things that have happened. Then your ministration your past about drugs, but it seems to me the kids are they have they started the auto stop and just don't do it. Let me see again. We did have a drugs are in Arkansas by the answer to the governor just like this one answers the president. That's what I thought we ought to do. Secondly Center W voted against the crime bill that have the death penalty for drug kingpins in it and you voted to cut services to 23 million school children of the safe and drug-free schools act. I don't think that means you're soft on drugs. We just have a different approach, but let me remind you that my family has suffered from drug abuse. I know what it's like to see somebody you love nearly lose their lives and I hate drug Senator we need to do this together and we can Send it all on the government get continuing to talk about the government's role. If elected president. Would you seek to repeal the Brady Bill in the ban on assault weapons? Not if I didn't have a better idea, but I've got a better idea. It's something I've worked on for 15 years. It's called the automated check for the instant check is being used in 17 States right now States like, Florida, Colorado, Virginia and other states. You don't buy any gun. You don't get any gun. We've got 20 million names on a computer in Washington DC at people should not have gun we ought to keep guns out of the hands of criminals Andrade other categories and should not have guns. I've been working on this for a long long time you walk in you put your little card in there. If it says kill you don't get any gun. You don't get a handgun. You don't get a rifle. You don't get a shotgun you get Zippo ever going to protect America children and American families and people live as prisoners in their own home. We got to stop guns from being dumped on the street. Administration says they support the instant check appropriated by 200 billion dollars. But only spent about $3 to get it underway in our Administration my Administration we will act like this. Keeps up with technology. It keeps guns out of the hands of people should not have guns. That is the bottom line and I believe it's a good idea as strong bipartisan support. And perhaps that's another thing we can be politicised you talk about the Brady Bill. There's only been one prosecution under the Brady. The only one of the assault weapons ban and only seven under the Brady Bill that you talked about all the time and on the assault weapons and out of 17 weapons were banned only six man now because Levin have been modified in the back on the street. Let's get together on this instant check is that will really make a difference. Let me say first of all set it always gone back and forth about whether he'd be for repealing the Brady Bill to repeal in the assault weapons ban, and I think its present position is that he would not do sew ins. That's true. I'm grateful for But let's look at the facts here. The Brady Bill has kept at least 60,000 felons fugitives and stalkers from getting handguns Senator Dole led the fight against the Brady Bill. He tried to keep it from coming to my desk. He didn't succeed and I signed it and I'm glad I did. Then we had the assault weapons ban in the Senate Senator Dole thought it bitterly and oppose the entire crime Bill and almost brought the entire crime bill down because of National Rifle Association didn't want the assault weapons ban just like they didn't want the Brady Bill but two years later nobody's lost their handgun that mean their rifles. We've expanded the Brady Bill to cover people who beat up their their spouses their kids and this is a safer country. So I'm glad I took on that fight and I believe with all respect. I was right and he was wrong. Well, the president have it quite right. I mean it seemed to me the time that the assault weapon ban was not affected. That's history that I've told the NRA That's History. You're not going to worry about it anymore. I'm not going to worry about anymore. Let's do something better. Not stop, you know playing the political game master present talk about this and this that you had up all the states of use the instant check and how many weapons they've kept kept out of the hands of criminals have the number you mentioned. So in my view if you want to be protected you got a vote for Bob Dole and we'll get the instant check past and will keep guns out of the hands of criminals. What's brother in Somerville said the other day that you practiced a photo up foreign policy that has less than the credibility of the United States throughout the world. Is he wrong about that? If you think that's what he said, he's not right about that. Look at where we are today. The United States is still the indispensable nation in the aftermath of the Cold War and on the brink of the 21st Century. I have work to support our country is the world's strongest force for Peace and Freedom prosperity and security. We have done the following things. Number one. We've managed the aftermath of the Cold War supporting a big drop and nuclear weapons in Russia, the removal of Russian troops from the baltics the integration of Central and Eastern European Democracies into a new partnership with NATO and I might add with a democratic Russian. There are no nuclear missiles pointed at the children of the United States tonight, and I'm not going in our Administration for the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age. We have worked hard for Peace and Freedom. When I took office Haiti was governed by a dictator that has defied the United States when I took office to worth war in Europe with Waging in Bosnia. Now, there's a democratically elected president in Haiti. Peace and Bosnia. We just had elections there. We made progress in Northern Ireland in the Middle East. We've also stood up to the new threats of terrorism if liberation of weapons of mass destruction, Organized crime and we have worked hard to expand America's economic presence around the world with the biggest increase in trade with the largest number of new trade agreements in history. That's one of the reasons America's number one in Auto production again. But I have a different view again. I've supported present on Bosnia. And I think we were told the troops of the album the year and I would understand has been extended till sometime next year. But let's start with Somalia or they dragged Americans who the streets in or 18 Americans were killed one day because I didn't have ever been down for 8 hours the rangers. They didn't have the weapons. They didn't have the tanks. They ask for the tanks. It didn't get the tanks in this administration because we were nation-building call Mission Creek. We turn it over to the United Nations. The president didn't have much to do about it. Look at Haiti where we spent about three billion dollars. We got an alarm called about two weeks ago because the present find out their desk while then he's on his own property. So we need more protection of America. Bosnia Northern Ireland, there's no cease-fire and bosne. I think there's still lots of problems and buys new we agreed to train an RN the Muslim so they can defend themselves the products you had any rain in 1992. We haven't done that. We're way behind which means Americans can come home American should have gone there in the first place that we let them defend themselves as they have a right to do in her article 57 United Nations Charter. first of all I take full responsibility for what happened in Somalia, but the American people must remember that those soldiers were under an American Commander when that happened. I believe I did the best I could under the circumstances and let's not forget that hundreds of thousands of Lies were say there. Secondly in Haiti political violence is much much smaller than it was thirdly in Bosnia. It's a virtual miracle that there has been no return to war and at least there has now been an election and the institutions are beginning to function. In Northern Ireland in the Middle East we are better off than we were four years ago. There will always be problems in this whole world. But if we're moving in the right direction in America's leading, we're better off if elected president. What criteria would you use to decide when to send US troops into Harm's Way? Well after World War 1. We had a policy of disengagement World War 1 and World War II we had sort of the compulsory engagement policy. Now, I think we have to have a selective engagement policy. We have to re-enter has to involve not the United Nations interest and many things are present talked about it turn over the United Nations. They decided he's deployed more troops than any president history around the world. It's cost us billions and billions of dollars for peacekeeping operations. And it seems to me that when you make a decision the decisions made by the Press United States by the commander and chief. He makes a decision when he commits young men are young women we're going to ground and defend our Liberty and our freedom. That that would be my position that I'm going to have a top-down with you at the Pentagon. A bottom up or you'll be all fight over how much money do I want a top-down or do you determine what our priorities are and what we should do in the vents and then follow that policy instead of this bottom-up review with all the services fighting for the money. The president said he was going to cut the fence 60 billion dollars he cut the fence 112 billion dollars devastated States like California and others and I think now we got a problem. I got to go back and look it's just like you said in Texas one day you need to raise taxes too much and you did and you cut defense too much. Mr. Present and you didn't you may have said that too but the bottom line is we are the strongest nation in the world. We provide the leadership. I'm going to have to continue to provide the leadership. But let's do it on our terms that went to our interests are involved and not when somebody blows a whistle at the United Nations are military is the strongest military in the world. It is the strongest best prepared best-equipped. It has ever been there is very little difference in the budget that I propose in the Republican budget over the next six year. We are spending a lot of money to modernize our weapon system. I propose a lot of new Investments to improve the quality of life for our soldiers or our men and women in uniform for their families for their training. That is my solemn obligation. You ask. When do you decide to deploy them? The interest of the American people must be at stake. Our values must be at stake. We have to be able to make a difference and frankly we have to consider what the risks are to our young men and women in uniform but I believe the evidence is that are deployments have been successful in Haiti and Bosnia when we move to Kuwait to repel Saddam Hussein's threatened invasion of Kuwait when I have sent the fleet to into the Taiwan Straits when we worked hard to in the North Korea nuclear threat, I believe the United States is a piece tonight in part because of the discipline careful affected deployment of our military resources. North Korea where they have enough with wanting to build six nuclear bombs will get sorted distance ourselves and our allies South Korea they lost about a million people in the war of the Korean War The Forgotten War we lost 53,000 Americans we shouldn't be doing any favors for North Korea to close Society. We don't have any inspection went on with his going to work or not, but we could give him these and Sunday. So I'm going to call them something else incentives. We don't know what's going to happen here. We have Cuba 90 miles from our Shores and what are we doing? We pass the law that gave people the right to sue in the present postpone it for six months and it seemed to me if you want to send a signal send a signal missed your present off of leaving for tougher sanctions on Castro not try to make it easier for him. I must present what is your attitude toward Cubano Cuban should be treated. Well, first of all love for the last four years, we have worked hard to put more and more pressure on the Castro government to bring about more openness and move toward democracy in 1992 before I became president Congress passed a few but democracy act and I enforce it vigorously we made the Embargo tougher, but we increase contacts people to people with the Cubans including direct telephone service, which was largely supported by the cuban-american community. Then Cuba shot down two of our planes and murdered four people. In international airspace. They weren't completely Beyond The Pale of the law and I sign the helmsburg and legislation set it all this. Correct. I did give about six months before the effective date of the act for lawsuits can actually be filed even though they're effective now and can be legally binding because I want to change Cuba and the United States needs help from other countries. Nobody in the world agrees with our policy on Cuba now, but this law can be used as leverage to get other countries to help us to move Cuba to democracy every single country in Latin America Central America, and the Caribbean is a democracy tonight, but Cuba and if we stay firm and strong we will be able to bring you around as well. I'm at the point. I made we have to be firm and strong and I hope I hope that will happen will happen starting next January and may be going to happen the balance of this year. We have not been firm and strong. You look at the four people still live in Cuba. It's a Haven for drug smugglers. And we don't have a firm policy when it comes to Fidel Castro. In my view the policy has failed. So Congress passes a law the president signs it like he does a lot of things but he like welfare reform. I'm going to sign it, but I'm going to try to change it next year in a lot of these election year conversion to present time at all the drug money and all the other things all this anti-smoking campaign all happened in 1996. I think the people doing out there to go back and take a look at the record. Money for a balanced budget amendment when he gave you that biggest tax increase in history and they try to take over your health care System when he fought regulatory reform the cost the average family 6 to $7,000 a year this this is serious a business about your family's about your business. And in this case, it's about a firmer policy with qled. There were several off the subject Whoppers and that let me let me just mention the cenedella voted for 900 billion dollars in tax increases his running mate. Jack Antoine said that Bob Dole never met a tax. He didn't hike. And everybody knows including the Wall Street Journal hardly a friend of the democratic party of this Administration that the 82 tax increase he sponsored in inflation-adjusted dollars was the biggest tax increase in American history. So well at least get the facts out here on the table so we can know where to go from here to mention health health perform several times. Let me first answer that question about the 1982 tax cut and we were closing loopholes. We're going after big Corporation. I know you probably would have posed a mister Preston, but I think we should have a fair system of the platter system and we'll have a firefighter system. I'm going to make the economic package work. Health care what we finally passed the kassebaum bill the president supposed to hit 1993 want to give us his big sister took over. 170 economy the put on price controls created all these State alliances that cost 1.5 trillion dollars and forth people in a managed care what they want it or not. Most people want to see their own doctor. They're going to see their own doctor when Bob Dylan was present. We won't threaten anybody. So we passed the Kennedy kassebaum kasbohm. Kennedyville have a cover about 20 to 25 million people. We've been for that four four five or six years the present held it up and he's going to find a gun near passing Senator Kennedy out it up for a hundred days because he wasn't satisfied with one provision, but it will cover pre-existing condition if you change your job you're going to be covered. So a lot of good things in this bill that we should have done instead of trying this massive massive take over by the federal government, but then of course, he had a democratic Congress and they didn't want to do that that we got a republican Congress. We finally got action and I'm very proud of my colleagues in the Republican party for getting that done. It means a lot to a lot of people watching us tonight. Well, that sounds very good, but it's very wrong. Citadel remembers well that we actually offered not to even put in a healthcare bill in 1994 93 but instead to work with the Senate Republicans and lot of joint bill. And they said no because they got a memo from one of their political advisor saying that instead they should characterize whatever we did is big government and make sure nothing was done to eight Healthcare before the 94 elections so they can make that claim. Well, maybe we bit off more than we can chew but we're pursuing a step-by-step reform. Now the county Casa phone bill that I sign will make it possible for 25 million people to keep their health insurance when they change jobs or somebody in their family has been sick. I signed a bill to stop these drive-by delivery for insurance companies can force people out of the hospital after 24 hours and I vetoed Senator Doles Medicare plan that would have forced a lot of seniors in the managed-care and taking a lot more money out of their pockets and led the Medicare weathering on the vine. How many divisions in the cast of Ong Bill were provisions of my Provisions like deduction for long-term care making certain self-employed people watching tonight can deduct not 30% but 80% of you pay for premiums. You can also deduct long-term care now. So it's a good it's a good start. I think there's another way of looking at our tax cut for clothes or economic facts. There may be a way there to reach out to the uninsured because a lot of uninsured people in this country particular children, that should be covered. By the way you can do is to expand Medicaid in America. No one will go without Health Care. No one will go without food. Sorry. Back to Foreign Affairs for a moment. Mr. President. Are you satisfied with the way you handled this last year at crisis in the end result? Well, I believe that we did the appropriate thing under the circumstances. Saddam Hussein is under a UN resolution not to threaten. His neighbors are threatened his own represses on citizens. Unfortunately, a lot of people have never been is concerned about the Kurds as the United States has tried to be and we've been flying a an operation to protect them out of turkey for many years now. What happened was a one of the Turkish and one of the Kurdish leaders invited him to go up North but we felt since the whole world community and told him not to do it the ones he did it we had to do something. We did not feel that I could commit. I certainly didn't feel I should commit American troops to throw him out of where he had gone. And that was the only way to do that. So the appropriate think strategically to do was to reduce his ability to threaten his neighbors. We did that by expanding what's called a no-fly zone by increasing our allies control of the airspace now from the Kuwait border to the suburbs a bag that wasn't the right thing to do. I believe it was Is it fully affected it making withdraw from the northwell? He does he has a little bit and I hope he will continue. We have learned that if you give him an answer I can while we had to do something and even though not all of our Ally supported it at first, I think most of them now believe that what we did was an appropriate thing to do. Why are the presidents on CIA director says it's a Damas stronger now than he was. And I don't understand the ending the no-fly zone in the South and the trouble was in the north and what we've done during the Bush Administration records worth the state department to go she ate and trying to work their differences out. Now. We got all thousands and thousands of refugees we shipping I guess 3000 courage to Guam involves turkey and the real problem. Saddam is probably stronger than I ever was reshot 144 cruise missiles are worth about a million to a piece and it's the radar the repair in a cup of three days if we inflict any damage. No, I haven't ever allies helping but we have Great Britain. They're always very loyal to us and I appreciate that and of course Kuwait even though they had to find out there at five thousand troops come they didn't even understand that we had to get there from the bottom line is we went in there alone or supposed to be offering under UN resolution. We did it without any of our allies. It helped us in the Gulf. Senator Dole has two or three times before tonight criticize me for working with you. And now I'm being criticized for not working with you in that alone or at least has to act first. Sometimes we cannot let other countries have a veto on our foreign policy. I could not send soldiers into the north of a rock that would have been wrong. I could reduce Saddam Hussein's ability to threaten to wait in his other neighbors again. That's what I did. I still believe it was the right thing to do. Senator Dole on your photo op foreign-policy charge against the summit last week fall into that category. Well, I wear some good pictures, but Does a falling knife I don't know. I'm going to be very serious. I have supported the prez when I thought he was right on Bosnia. I supported him on NAFTA and GATT. That's not that we always disagree others disagreed with us. The Middle East is very difficult. But it seemed to me just as an observer. I know before you call somebody to America. You can have some notion. What's the end result might be a maybe it's better just to get together and sit down and talk. Maybe that was the purpose. And I know talks if they started again today. But again, I say it's almost like an ad hoc foreign policy. It's a Dhaka so they won't get in the morning read the papers. And what country is in trouble with I have a meeting to me. That's not the strategy. I think they can people expect from there. I think we have lost credibility and I say this very honestly without any partisan could we lost credibility around the world are always know they're not certain what we're going to do whatever whatever response is going to be nobody suggested sending troops to Iraq if that was the hint there from the present, but I do think that's all I was saying is stronger than I was and I do believe that they didn't gain a great deal in the Mideast by bringing three of the four leaders one refused to come to Washington DC. We have a very consistent policy in the Middle East it is to support the peace process to support the security of Israel and to support those who are prepared to take risks for. Peace. It is a very difficult environment. The feelings are very strong. They're extremists in all parts of the Middle East who want to kill that peace process. Prime minister Ravine gave his life because someone in his own country literally hated him for trying to bring peace. I would like to have had a big organize Summit but those people were killing each other rapidly innocent Arab children innocent Israeli people they were dying and there is so much trust is broken down in the aftermath of the change of government. I felt that if I could just get the parties together to say, let's stop the violence start talkin commit to the negotiations. That would be a plus not today. The secretary of state is in the Middle East and they started negotiations and all those leaders promised me. They would not quit until they resolve the issues between them and got the peace process going forward again. Well, I was just find the present not call for non unconditional and of the violence me to sing to me the violence of stopping these leaders came to America the killing of the tragedies of taking place and it's unfortunate and it is a difficult area. No doubt about it. Shouldn't be politicized in any way by the presence or buy it by his opponent and I don't intend to politicize it. I hope that they have talked and I hope they reached a result of the killing the lamp. Was President near acceptance speech in Chicago? You said the real choice in this race is quote whether we build a bridge to the future or bridge to the past about what we believe our best days are still out there or are best days are behind us about whether we want to country of people all working together or one where you're on your own in quote. Are you saying that you believe Senator Doles is a man of the past lady and if if elected president, he would leave the country backwards. Well, I'm saying that some of those said and he is fine speech in San Diego that he wanted to build a bridge to the past and I think I know what he meant by that. He's troubled As I Am by some of the things that go on today, but I believe America is the greatest country in human history because we have maintained freedom and increasing Prosperity by relentlessly pushing the barriers of knowledge the Bears or the present always moving into the future. That's why when I became president. I was determined to kind of movie on this old stale debated it going on in Washington for too long to get this country moving again. That's why we've got a country with 10 and 1/2 million more jobs in record numbers of new businesses and Rising incomes and falling crime rates and Welfare roll rates why we're moving in the right direction. And I'm trying to emphasize that what I want to do is to continue to do that. That's why my balanced budget plan will still invest and grow this economy. That's why I want a tax cut for education and child-rearing but it's got to be paid for that's why I want to continue the work. We have done over partisan opposition to work with communities to bring that crime rate down until our streets are all safe. Again. These are my commitments. I am very oriented toward the future. I think this election has to be geared toward the future. I think America's best days are still ahead, but we got to build a ride Bridge. You know it private remind me. Sometimes my brother Kenny was no longer live, but Kenny was a great talker. And he used to tell me things that I knew we're not quite accurate. So we always had a real weed / 6, I may be in your case. Maybe just two. 11 million new jobs and everything. I mean the present can take credit for everything that Governors are doing what is happening in New York City when it comes to murder rate and then not the response of the bad things that happen with its drug use or something else in America. And so it seems to me that we can talk about what we call Kenny the great exaggerator. He disliked exact make it sound little better. Men you feel better. Like I'm the bridges, I want a bridge to the future. I also want a bridge to the truth. We have to tell the truth. We got people watching it. I'd listening night trying to find the truth. And the truth is there's a lot wrong with America. We need a strong economic factors. We need a tax cut. We need the $500 child credit and we'll have that soon. I Do Not For a Moment think I'm entitled to all the credit for the good things that have happened in America, but where I have moved to work with the American people to help them have the tools to make the most of their own lives. I think I should get some credit for that. I also personally took responsibility tonight when Senator Dole asked me about the drug problem. But you know, I think my ideas are better for the future set. It all voted against student loans against Head Start against creating the Department of Education if he gets elected president will start the new century without anyone in the cabinet of the president representing education and our children. I personally don't think that's the right kind of future for America and I think we ought to take a different tack. So there. Do you still favor eliminating the Department of Education? Yes. I didn't favor of one of his and started I voted against it. It was a tribute to after President Carter's election or kin to the National Education Association who sent a lot of delegates to democratic convention against 99.5 per-cent of their money Democrat Democrats and the president and lot of the teachers send their kids to private schools are better Public Schools. So what we want to do is call Opportunity scholarships now, so I'm still your Republic and you can't be reaching out to these people. I've reached out to people all my life. I worked on the food stamp program proudly and the WIC program in the school lunch program the Senators like George McGovern Hubert Humphrey and others to name a few of my Democratic friends. I'm not some extremist Adder I care about people I have my own little Foundation is raised about 10 million dollars for the disabled. I don't advertise. It just did haven't before and I try to do a lot of things that I think might be helpful to people. But seems to me that we ought to take that money, we can save me part of Education putting an opportunity scholarships and tell little and Dale Shakespeare out in Cleveland, Ohio and tell your mother and father you're going to get to go to school cuz we're going to match with the state puts up and you're going to get to go to the school of your choice. I don't fall to present the vice president sending their children to private schools are better schools. I applied for criticizing but why shouldn't everybody have that choice? Why shouldn't low-income Americans and low middle-income American I'm excited about it. It's going to be a big big opportunity for a lot of people. Let me say first of all, I'm off for students having more choices. We worked hard to expand public school choice and my balanced budget Builders funds for 3000 new schools created by teachers and parents. Sometimes by businesspeople call charter schools that have no rules are free of bureaucracy and can only send existence if they perform and teach children the ones that are out there are doing well what I'm against this Saturday those plan to take money away from all the children. We now help with limited federal funds and help far fewer if we're going to have a private voucher plan. That'll be down at the local level of the state level. But Senator Dole has consistently opposed federal health education. He voted against student loans. He voted against my improve student loan plan. He voted against the national service bill against the Head Start Bill he voted against our efforts in safe and drug-free schools. He is voted against these program. He does not believe it. That's the issue 90% of our kids are out there in those public school, and we need a lift their staff. There's a moving forward with the problems like those. I've outlined in this campaign what time it is but it's getting late voted against their body part of some big package it a lot of fork in it or a lot of things. We should have had me Friday, but I know I've supported all the education program not supported Headstart. I think we ought to look at it. So I don't want anybody out there to think that we just been devoting. No, no, no, let's give low-income parents the same right to people with power and Prestige have in America and let them go to better schools. That's not much help us turn the school's back to the teachers and back to the parents and take it away from the National Education Association. I support school choice. I have advocated expansions of public school choice Alternatives and I said the creation of 3,000 new schools that we are going to help the states to finance. But if you're going to have a private voucher plan that ought to be determined by States and localities where they're raising a spending most of the money. I simply think it's wrong to take money away and programs that are helping build basic skills for kids 90% take money. Problems that are helping are discus tools to improve their standards are schools. Sing better in our schools can be made to be even better still with the right kind of community leadership in partnership with the school level. I have been a strong force for reforming senator. We are obviously having some technical difficulties with his feed. Please bear with us. You pick out take out Ally now, they need the money or not or not. He's paid his volunteer. I like I like my teacher's choice. Pilar Gonzalez First of all, Centerville, let's set the record straight. I was able love for 2 years when I was in a very young boy to go to a Catholic school, but I basically went to Public Schools all my life and I worked hard for a long time to make them better. 90% of our kids are there. You it's amazing to me. You are all for having more responsibility at the local level for everything except schools where we don't have very much money at the federal level to spend on education. We ought to spend it helping to 90% of the kids that we can help. If a local school district in Cleveland or anyplace else want to have a private school choice plan like Milwaukee did let them have at it. I might say the results are highly ambiguous, but I want to get out there and give a better education opportunity to all of our children and that's why I be told the budget that you pass with 30 billion dollars and education cuts. It was wrong. That's my plan for the future better. Senator Dole at the Republican convention. You said the following and I quote. It is demeaning to the nation that within the Clinton administration of core of the elite who never grew up never did anything real never sacrifice never suffered and never learned should have the power to fun with your earnings their dubious and self-serving schemes in quote whom precisely and what precisely did you have in mind? A lot of the people are in the White House and other agencies who never been had any experience who came to Washington, but I don't experience. They're all very liberal. Of course, they wouldn't be in the administration and their idea was that they knew what was best for the American people. Now I feel very strongly about a lot of things. I feel strongly about education. I want to help young people have an education just as I had an education after World War II with the GI Bill of Rights when we've had millions of young men and women in subsequent Wars change the face of the nation because the government help with their education. Now, the reason I don't have no reason present can support is pretty obvious. It's not taking anything away from school just new money. I thought you meant taking away from anybody else except will downsides Department of Education. But this is a very liberal Administration. This is Administration gave you the big tax cut this Administration tried to take over Healthcare and impose a governmental system this Administration and Regulatory reform does putting a lot of small businessmen and small business women out of business administration of thought the balanced budget amendment and Vito de balanced budget and be told welfare reform twice and the list goes on and on and on. That's what I had in mind. I want people in my Administration will have people in my Administration who understand America. They won't be 10 Millionaires and 14 lawyers in the cabin. They'll be people with experience and people understand America and people have made it. I know the Hard Knocks in life. Would set it all made that remark about all the elitist young leaders in ministration them one of the young man who works for me who grew up in a house trailer looked at me and said this present. I know how you grew up. Who is he talking about? I know this liberal charge that's what their party always drives out when they get in a tight race sort of their golden oldie, you know, it's a record. They think they can play that everybody lost it here and I just don't think that dog will hunt this time. The American people should make up their own mind hears the record we cut the deficit for years in a row for the first time since before the Civil War. I mean before World War II and maybe before the Civil War we got 10 and 1/2 million new jobs got record numbers of those new small businesses. We made every one of them eligible for a tax cut. We got declining crime rates 2 million fewer people on welfare rolls before the welfare reform pass in a 50% increase in child support and a crime Bill was 60 death penalties a hundred thousand police in the assault weapons, ban. The American people can make up their mind about whether that's a little record or record. It's good for America liberal conservative you put whatever label you want what you want. My name is pretty local. I'll put that label on it when you take a look at all the programs you've abdicated. Mr. Present. Thank goodness. We had a republican Congress are the first thing you didn't you came in the office with set up a stimulus package that we got a little pork and want to scatter around America 16 billion dollars and even some in your own party couldn't buy that I'm ever talking about the telephone. I'm not even certain you were too excited, but I will never repeat what I've talked of the Fresno Bob any bad. We saved the taxpayers 16 billion dollars and then came some other programs and then came Healthcare and then came the tax increase a lot of these things just stop the 1994 because then the Congress change nothing. We've done a good job if you're not a liberal. Describe your political philosophy. I believe that the purpose of politics is to get people to us to make the most of their own lives to reinforce the values of opportunity and responsibilities and a build a sense of community. So we're all working together. I don't believe in discrimination. I believe you can protect the environment and grow the economy. I believe that we have to do these things with a government that smaller and less bureaucratic. What do we have to do them none the less? I know it's inconvenient for send her a doll. But the truth is I reduce the size of government more than my Republican predecessors and I did stop them. I admit that I sure stop their budget their budget cut enforcement for the Environmental Protection Agency by Third it cut funds to clean up toxic waste dumps with 10 million of our kids still living within 4 miles of a toxic waste by 1/3. It ended the principle of the polluter should pay for those toxic waste dumps unless it was very recent their budget weekend arch support for Education 30 billion dollars. You can cut fonts for Scholarships in college loans their budget cut 270 billion dollars in Medicare and finally their budget withdrew the national guarantee of health care of the poor children families with children with handicaps the elderly in nursing homes for pregnant women. It was wrong for the country and calling it conservative won't make it right. It was a bad decision for America and would have been bad for our future if I hadn't stopped it. Well, the present can be find himself in any way. I want I think we have to look at the record the back to the time he was what Texas director for George McGovern George McGovern is a friend of mine. So I don't mean but he was a liberal proud liberal. I just finished reading a book. I think it's called. What does it take for the Democratic Party by Ronald card offshore something talking about all the liberal influences in the administration, but it's organized labor or whether it's a Hollywood at least or was it some of the media leave or whether it's the labor unions or whatever and so I think you take a look at it, but the bottom line is provided recite all these bills and all these things. They want to know what's going to happen to them. They've all got a lot of anxiety is out there. Did anybody complain when you raise tax in me to go out and asked if people how you going to pay the extra money? That's why we want an economic package. We want the government to pinch their pennies for a change instead of people pinching their pennies. That's what our messages to people watching at all this back-and-forth you loaded this way you go to that. We want a better America's we go into the next century. The way to get a better America is to balance the budget. And protect Medicare Medicaid education environment to get a targeted tax cut and let me talk about the education tax go to let people have a $10,000 deduction for the cost of college tuition in any year any kind of college tuition to give families a tax credit a dollar-for-dollar reduction in their taxes for the cost of a typical Community College so we can open that to everybody and then to let people saving an IRA and withdraw from it without a tax penalty for Education home buying for medical expenses. That's the right way to go into the 21st century balance the budget and cutting taxes not balloon with is 550 billion dollar tax scheme. Citadel we talked mostly now about differences between the two of you that relate to policy issues and that sort of thing but they're also significant differences in the more personal area that are relevant to the selection. Let me say it first on the presents promise for another tax cut him a knife to old people's I travel on all you got to the tax lady promised last time book for him and 96 and not many hands go up to the question. But you've I use election promise from my phone. The people want economic reform. They're having a hard time making ends meet you got one parent working for the Garment the other parent working for the family and this is important business this about getting the economy moving again this about American jobs and opportunities. It's about the government as I said before pinching. It's pennies for change instead of the for taxpayer when they raise your taxes. Nobody runs around asking people where you going to get the extra money. I think The Government Can Do Better or their personal differences that irrelevant weight my cholesterol, but I will not make out an issue in this campaign, I think he's is a bit taller than I am. But I think their first time difference is I mean, I don't like to get into personal matters far as I'm concerned. This is a campaign about issues. It's about my vision for America and about his verbal vision for America. And not about personal things and I think is liquidation is a thing of the past. I know he wants to disown it how I wouldn't want to be a liberal either. Mr. President if you're stuck with it, because that's that's your record to record Arkansas the biggest tax increase in history biggest crime increase in history biggest drug increase in history in Arkansas. just present Well, just for the record when I was going we had the lowest the second lowest tax burden in any state in the country the highest job growth rate in any state when I ran for president and were widely recognized for a lot of other advances. But the important thing is what are we going to do now? I think a targeted the tax cut is better for our future targeted the education of child rearing. With the rest of the education plan hooking up all of our classrooms to the internet, but the year two-thousand making sure we've got an army of reading volunteers train people to teach with parents and teachers. So that are 8 year olds can learn to read investing in our environment cleaning up two-thirds of the worst. Toxic waste dumps those plans are better than this 550 billion dollar tax scheme. Not remember folks even Senator Doles campaign co-chair side of the motto says he's got to cut Medicare to pay for this. Everybody has looked at a 500, 27 Nobel Prize winner say it's bad for the economy is going to blow a hold of that raise taxes on 9 million. People are bigger Cuts than the one I vetoed. Our plan is better. It'll take us to the future with a growing economy and healthier families. Oh, I'm ready. Renewed friendship with Al D'Amato. And I know you appreciate it. You don't even have tax cuts in your budget. Mr. President. First, two years your present. When did we had a republican Congress and even thought about that you talked about tax cuts? I'm getting back to personal differences. I don't know. I think it would be a little more specific but I think the president could clarify one thing tonight and that's the question of Pardons. I know you talked about it on the gym with Jim Lehrer on a PBS show. And I've never discussed White Waters. I've told you personally I'm not discussing Widewater now, but I am discussing a power of the president has to Grant Pardons and hopefully in the next segment you could like that to rest. espresso Well the first of all that you know, he made that remark about Senator D'Amato. He he's arranged for me to spend a lot more time with some of the motto in the last couple of years. And so I'm more familiar with this comments Than I Used to Be. Let me say what I said already about this part of the issue. This is an issue. They brought up they didn't understand there's been no consideration of it. No discussion of it. I'll tell you this. I will not give anyone special treatment and I will strictly adhere to the law and that is what every president has done as far as I know in the past, but what every other presidents have done, this is something I take seriously and that's my position. But it's animated present shouldn't have any comment at all. Take me to work. So I'm going to be a bad deal business dealings and you may be sending a signal. I don't know. I'm not questioning anybody but is a prize United States when somebody ask you about pardons you say no comment. And I think you made a mistake. And I think when you make a mistake you say I made a mistake, but apparently the position hasn't changed if there are other specific areas, but beyond that I haven't gotten any of these things as a present knows we've had that discussion and I again, I know some Tomatoes I think me ahead of hearing or two or Whitewater. I can't remember but he's not my general chairman. He's a friend of mine and so is Senator Kennedy a friend of yours and remember one day on the floor. I said now gentlemen, let me tax your memories and Kennedy jumped up and said why I have thought of that before, you know, the one of your little girlfriend his father 32nd no comment. What's the subject matter? Senator Dole If you could single out one thing that you would like for the voters to have in their mind about President Clinton on a policy matter or a personal matter, what would it be something to know about him understand it and appreciate it. See if I say anything it's going to be misconstrued. I don't think it's even a race between that is about our vision for America. I have no like presents when the person I'm addressing maldivian. Mr. Present. I said a 1992 didn't extend that courtesy of President Bush, but I respect the presidency. I've served under number presents. They all have their strengths and all their weaknesses. So I'd rather talk about my strengths. I think I have my strengths and I think the best thing is going for Bob Dole as a bob. Don't keep these word. It's a question Queen trust and fear and I would say I think mr. President about all you've got going in this campaign is fear. You're spending millions and billions of dollars and negative ads frightening senior citizens. I know this to be a fact because I had one telling me last week Center don't cut my medicare. I'm trying to save your Medicare just as I rescued Social Security with a bipartisan Commission. I have relatives on Medicare. I used to sign welfare checks to my grandparents. I know all about poverty and all about me and all about taking care of people and that's been my career and United States Senate and I'll keep my word on the economic package. If I couldn't cut taxes and balance the budget the same time, I wouldn't look you in the eye tonight in your living room wherever you may be and say that this is good for America. People with tattoos served with Bob Dole Greer disagree. He kept his word. That's what this race is all about. I like the American people to know that. I have worked very hard to be on their side and remove this country forward and we're better off than we were four years ago. But the most important thing is my plan for the 21st century is a better plan targeted tax cut a real commitment to education reform a deep commitment to making welfare reform work with incentives to the private sector to move people from welfare to work and we have to create those jobs. Now that we're requiring people to go to work a commitment to continuing step-by-step Health Care reform with the next step helping people who are between jobs to Access healthcare not lose it just because they're out of work for a while a commitment to grow the economy while protecting the environment that's what I like to know about me that I've gotten up every day and work for the American people and works out at their children could have their dreams come true. And I believe we've got the results to show. We're on the right track. Most important thing is I believe it got the right ideas for the future and I'd like Center to know I like Centre though. You probably tell we like each other. We just see the world in different ways and you folks out there going to have to choose who you think is right. I'd say the few know the first almost fell in the Santa was a doll birthday life out of the bird Dale delicate member who is controlled In My Memory working with Sunday River Golf in Connecticut on the hospice program now 2500 hospices. As I said, I member I've worked all my life while I was in the Congress. I left on June 11th. I wanted the American people enough cuz I was willing to give up something President Clinton ran for governor 1990 and said he's going to fill out Easter. He didn't use present. So I guess it's a little better deal, but I want the American people know if I was willing to give up something what is getting more power and more power. So I roll the dice I put my career on the line that I really believed the future of America's on the line. We can give you all these numbers They Don't Mean a Thing If you're out of work. You have nothing to eat if you can't have medical care for your holding a crack baby in your arms right now. And what what are you doing next? You know America's best days are ahead of us. I've seen the tough times. I know they can be better and I'll lead America to a brighter future. I miss president. What do you say to Senator Doles point that at this election is about keeping once word. Let's look at that when I ran for president. I said we cut the deficit in half and four years. We cut it by 60% I said that our economic plan with produce 8 million jobs. We have 10 and a half million new jobs were number one and Autos again record numbers of new small businesses. I said we put pass a crime bill it would put a hundred thousand police on the street. Ban assault weapons and deal with the problems that oughta be dealt with with capital punishment including capital punishment for drug kingpins, and we did that I said we would change the way welfare works and even before the bill pass we've moved nearly 2 million people from welfare to work working with States and communities. I said we get tougher on child support and child support enforcement's up 50% I said that I would work for tax relief for middle-class Americans the deficit was bigger than I thought it was going to be and I think they're better off all of us are that we got those interest rates down in the depths it down Republicans talk about it. But we're the first Administration in anybody's lifetime looking at this program to bring that deficit down for years in a row. We still get tax cuts of 15 million working Americans and now I've got a plan it's been out there for two years. It could have been passed already but instead the Republicans shut the government down to try to force their budget and their plan on me, and I couldn't take that but we'll get the rest of that tax relief. And so I think You can look at those results. You know that the plan I've laid out for the Futures has a very good chance of being enacted. If you'll give me a chance to build a bridge to the 21st century, so Valeri goes again on minutes of flight has been used before but exaggerating all the things that he did he didn't do all these things not to take all these four years in a row. He came into the high growth rate the 1990 budget agreement with some y'all didn't like had some very tough cost controls put a lot of pressure on Congress. The S&L crisis is over there just last said it's all that money was coming in and he cut the fence and extra sixty billion dollars through a lot of people out of work. He talks about a smaller government. They're actually more people in the garden except for the people on defense related jobs. They're gone the government's bigger than it was when President Kennedy was around. No. I said, there's not a republican Congress cut 53 billion dollars. So let's just let's give credit where credit is due Governor Engler Michigan cut taxes 21 * create a lot of new job. So it'll Governor Thompson soda Governor Rowland and a lot of people out to deserve credit. Mr. President when I'm president knighted states. We're going to have a day. Cancel that we're going to go to work directly with the governor's Republicans and Democrats to get power back to the people in back to the States. But I believe that my plan is better than Senator Doles ill-advised 550 billion dollar scheme, which I'll say again will blow a hole in the deficit. Our plan will balance the budget and grow the economy preserve the environment and invest in education. We have the right approach to the Future and look at the results. It is not midnight and America Senator. We are better off than we were four years ago. All right. That's the last question the last answer. Let's go now to the closing statements 2 minutes. Will first gen let me thank you, and thank you so dough, and thank you, ladies and gentlemen, all of you listening tonight the chance you've given us to appear. I want to say in the beginning. That I am profoundly grateful for the chance that you have given me to serve as president for the last four years. I never could have dreamed anything. Like this would come my way in life. And I've done my best to be faithful to the charge of giving me I'm proud of the fact that America is stronger and more prosperous and more secure than we were four years ago. I'm glad we're going in the right direction and I've done my best tonight to lay out my plans for going forward to an even better future in The Next Century. I'd like to leave you with the thought that the things I do is President are basically driven by the people whose lives I have seen affected by what does or doesn't happen in this country the auto worker in Toledo who was unemployed when I was elected and now has a great job cuz we're number one and auto production again all the people. I've met who used to be on welfare who are not working and raising their children. Can I sync what others could do for our country and for themselves if we did the welfare reform thing in the proper way, I think of the man who grabbed me by the shoulders wants with tears in his eyes and said his daughter was dying of cancer and he thanked me for giving him a chance to spend some time with her without losing his job because of the Family Medical Leave Act. I think of all the people that I grew up with him went to school with him. I stay in touch with him to never let me forget have what we do in Washington affects all of you out there in America. Folks we can build that bridge the 21st century big enough and strong enough for all of us to walk across and I hope that you will help me build it. Senator Dole your closing statements or thank you Jim. Thank you. Mr. President. Thank everyone for watching and listening. I want address my remarks to the young people of America. Because they're the ones they're going to spend most of their life in the 21st century. They're the ones who have the challenges there people out there making predictions that it's not going to be the same. You're not going to have the opportunity is going to be more deaths. It's more drugs more crime. and less confidence in the American people and that's what you're faced with the parents are faced with the grandparents are faced with it's important. if their future and I would say to those I know they're more young people experimenting with drugs today than ever before drug use has gone up. If you care about the future of America. If you care about your future. Just don't do it. And I know that I'm someone older than you. But I've had my anxious moments in my life. I've learned to feed myself and they walked in the dress and I'm standing here is proof that in America. The possibilities are Unlimited. I know who I am. And I know where I'm from. And I know where I want to take America. We are the greatest country on the face of the Earth. We do more good things. For more people in our communities are neighborhoods that anywhere that I know of. This is important business. This election is important. I asked for your support. I asked for your help. If you really want to get involved. Just happened to my homepage www.dog Camp. 96 o r g. Thank you. God bless America. farewell listening to a rebroadcast of last night's presidential debate between Democrat Bill Clinton and Republicans. Bob Dole are thanks to Stephanie to Schmitt and Pacifica Radio played a key role in making that broadcast possible today. Will that does it for our official debate coverage? We're going to take a break here for station identification, and then most of these stations were going to talk about the debate will be joining Talk of the Nation from Washington DC is they discuss the presidential debate you been listening to so we invite you stay too, and we'd like to remind you that programming on Minnesota Public Radio is supported by carousel automobiles providing sales service and leasing for Audie including the new a 4 and 84 Quattro. 555-449-5915 for 49591. It's fair and 52° a contra-revenue FM 91.1 Minneapolis Saint Paul or Twin City weather forecast calls for a sunny Sky through the afternoon high temperature in the middle 50 is tomorrow's high should be near 60 degrees under a partly cloudy sky. 28 minutes now before to programming on Minnesota Public Radio is supported by the College of st. Scholastica Duluth where the Benedictine tradition and riches nationally-recognized liberal arts and professional programs is a sad do I wear going to be joining Talk of the Nation Neal Conan is the house will be going off to Talk of the Nation in just about a minute or so to discuss the presidential debates. You been listening to our guests will be Kathleen Hall Jamieson. She is the dean of the Annenberg School of communication and the author of presidential debates William. Kristol is also on the program today. He is the editor of the Weekly Standard one of the best-known conservative commentators in America, and we'll get to that discussion briefly. But a reminder of more debate debate coverage here on Minnesota Public Radio tomorrow. We're going to focus on the US Senate race here in Minnesota live broadcast from st. Cloud tomorrow. St. Cloud st. Cloud City Hall all three of them. Your party candidates in Minnesota will be debating Paul wellstone Rudy boschwitz and Dean Barclay. They'll be discussing the issues in the Minnesota Senate campaign. You can hear live coverage over the noon hour here on the day Wednesday night the vice presidential debate Al Gore and Jack Kemp will be debating and will be broadcasting that debate live. Of course, you're Minnesota Public Radio. And if you can't hear it on Wednesday Night Live or if you simply like to hear it again, we will be rebroadcasting the vice presidential debate Thursday noon here on midday. So we sure hope you'll be able to stay tuned are the Minnesota Public Radio is our campaign coverage continues coming up next live coverage from Washington Talk of the Nation continuing an examination of the presidential debates Kathleen Hall, Jamieson, William. Kristol the gas today and sitting in for Ray Suarez the host today. Is national public radio's Neal Conan? So stay tuned.