[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[March 17, 1992]
[Pages 466-469]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at a St. Patrick's Day Ceremony and an Exchange With Reporters

March 17, 1992
    The President. May I just say to Minister Andrews how delighted I am 
to be here. I missed the traditional lunch on Capitol Hill, a lunch of 
genuine friendship between not only the parties here, but normally 
Ireland is so well-represented, as they were today. And as I think 
everyone knows, I was down in Arkansas for a Medal of Freedom ceremony. 
But may I say to our friends from Ireland, particularly the Minister, 
how sorry I am to miss the luncheon but how pleased I am to receive you 
here.
    It gives me an opportunity to express, once again, the feeling I 
have and the feeling the American people have about the Irish-American 
relationship. It is strong. It is good. And it is very, very important 
to us. And this ceremonial occasion gives me a chance to extend through 
the Minister to the people in Ireland our respects, our love, and our 
affection on this very special day.
    So Mr. Minister, I'm glad you came our way, sir. And I'm delighted 
to have had this short visit.

[At this point, Foreign Minister David Andrews of Ireland spoke and 
presented the President with a crystal bowl filled with

[[Page 467]]

Irish shamrocks.]

    The President. Thank you very, very much.
    Q. Mr. President, will the luck of the Irish be with Pat Buchanan on 
this day?
    Foreign Minister Andrews. Yes and no, he asked me to say.
    The President. I've got to put a little shamrock in here.
    Foreign Minister Andrews. Did you want to say something in response?
    The President. No.

House Bank Controversy

    Q. How about Secretary Cheney, Martin, and Madigan bouncing checks, 
Mr. President?
    The President. No, I have no comment on all that. I just got home 
and am looking about it. I heard that Secretary Cheney, as would be 
expected, did an outstanding job. I haven't seen the testimony, but 
needless to say I have great confidence in him, total confidence in his 
integrity. And I just haven't heard anything about any of the others.
    What I've decided to do is let this matter unfold. It's a matter of 
considerable agony for good people on the Hill. And let's get the facts 
out, and then I think the American people are very smart. They will be 
able to make a determination as to what was wrongdoing and who were 
simply victims of a system that obviously has failed everybody. And so 
we'll just wait and see how that works out. But I have no further 
comment on that subject at all, so spare yourselves the agony of asking 
because I simply will not take any more questions on it on this 
marvelous St. Patrick's Day.
    Foreign Minister Andrews. Irish journalist here.
    The President. Sure.

Northern Ireland

    Q. Mr. President, what role can the United States play in bringing 
forward the progress for peace in Northern Ireland?
    The President. Well, I'm not sure. I think heretofore we've tried to 
be a catalytic role, tried to support, as the Minister generally said, 
certain funds. But we've got to be in close touch with the Government. 
But it is not a problem that we ourselves can work out. It is a problem 
that because of the many Americans of Irish heritage we are vitally 
interested in and because of Ireland's own substantial role in the EC 
that we're vitally interested in, and as Ireland-U.S. relations that 
we're vitally interested in. But we simply are not in a position to 
dictate a solution, to in any way be the sole arbiter of this difficult 
situation. But I've told the Minister we would like to help in any way 
he deems possible. But again, it isn't easy, as he and I both know.

Loan Guarantees for Israel

    Q. Mr. President, the Israeli loan guarantees, are they dead?
    The President. What did you say?
    Q. The Israeli loan guarantees, are they dead now?
    The President. Well, I don't think they're dead. We have always 
wanted to go forward with loan guarantees. Our administration has been 
in the forefront of bringing and encouraging people to go home to 
Israel, whether it be from the Soviet Union or Ethiopia. We have a 
longstanding policy that feels that settlements are counterproductive to 
peace. This is not a new policy. This is a longstanding policy. And I am 
determined to see that that policy not be altered.
    However, if there's room within that policy to do what we'd like to 
do, which is to support the people coming home, why, we'd like to do 
that. But settlements are counterproductive to peace, and everybody 
knows that. So we'll just have to wait and see. I have made my position 
very, very clear to the Congress, and Secretary Baker has done the same 
thing. And we have close historic relations with Israel, and they will 
always be that way. But we have a difference now, it appears, in terms 
of these settlements. But I have said over and over again that we want 
to help, we want to help in a humanitarian way, but that we simply are 
not going to shift and change the foreign policy of this country.
    Yes, Brit [Brit Hume, ABC News]? And then I've got to go because I 
don't want to be rude to our guests. I want to say hello to our other 
friends here.
    Q. What is your view, sir, of the compro-

[[Page 468]]

mise that was discussed yesterday on the Hill that's been offered there? 
I understand you're about to meet with Senator Leahy.
    The President. Well, I'm not sure which one you're talking about.
    Q. Well, do you have something to say to Senator Leahy that might--
--
    The President. No, I'm listening. They asked for a meeting with me, 
and I'm very glad to have a meeting with him. Secretary Baker has had 
many meetings with Senator Leahy. I talked to him over the weekend, and 
I look forward to the meeting. But we'll see what it is that he has on 
his mind. But our policy is very, very clear, Brit, and I just hope 
everybody understands that. It's not that we're shifting ground. And 
it's not that we are being--in my view, I don't think we're being 
difficult. We're being consistent.
    Yes? Then I've got to go. I really do.

House Bank Controversy

    Q. Why are you confident that you yourself did not bounce any 
checks? Were you able to go through your own records during your time?
    The President. Well, I'll tell you, I went through whatever I've 
got. I was in Congress 1967 to 1970. You were about 4 at the time. And I 
can't find checks back that long; most people in America don't save 
them. I did find a ledger sheet that shows I have positive balances at 
the beginning--for 4 years, my own bookkeeping--have positive balances 
at beginning of every month, at the end. And I take great pride in the 
fact I don't bounce checks. But heavens knows, with the way the 
operation went up there, whether there's anything to it or not. I don't 
believe so. I'd like to be able to say I didn't do it. But I just don't 
know yet.
    Q. Do you sympathize though with some Members of Congress who say 
the same things you did? They don't bounce checks either; they didn't 
bounce checks----
    The President. Yes, I do. I----
    Q. ----and then they found out that they did.
    The President. Yes, I can understand it. If, in other words, 
somebody writes a check and then he puts a stop order on it, and they go 
ahead and cash the check, and he's overdrawn--absolutely. Of course, I 
sympathize with that. And I think there's a major institutional problem. 
The bank's been closed now. But I'll have more to say about that when 
the facts are out there. But I will, in the meantime, grunge through 
every file I can find stored away in little cubbyholes here or in 
Houston, Texas, and try to find checks from 1967 to 1970. And I 
challenge everybody out here to try to do the same thing so his 
conscience or hers will be clear when they're asking these questions. 
And all you young ones can't go back that far. But for us, please, all 
my vintage, go back and see if you can find those checks from 25 years 
ago.
    Q. Does that mean there's some question in your mind then, sir, 
that----
    The President. What?
    Q. Does that suggest there's some question in your mind whether you 
did bounce a check?
    The President. No, I have no question, but when I hear the fact that 
checks were stopped and then they went ahead and didn't stop them, why, 
who knows? But I don't think I ever did that. I really do feel very--my 
conscience is very clear on this. And I hope I can satisfy this 
understandable inquiry to go back that far.

Presidential Primaries

    Q. What about Pat Buchanan, sir? When and how do you make peace with 
him, or does he have to talk to you?
    The President. Well, I just keep my sights on these elections. And I 
think we'll do well today. It's a little early to tell. But what I've 
got to do is lead this country and then, in the meantime, take care of 
these primaries that crop up every Tuesday. And so far I'm very, very 
pleased with the results. And I'm going to keep plodding ahead and not 
criticize the opponent, just keep shooting for victory.
    And I hope that we achieve that today in Michigan. I hope I achieve 
that today in Illinois. I felt good when I was in those two States, but 
it's a strange year. So we're taking nothing for granted. And yet, I 
cannot be out there campaigning. I was in each State one day. And I 
can't spend any more time doing that because I have re-

[[Page 469]]

sponsibilities here and duties here, one of which is most pleasurable 
today, I might add, that I'm determined to fulfill.
    Q. Can you and Pat make peace after all that's gone on?
    The President. Well, I have a--I think so, yes; I really do.
    Q. If Buchanan loses, should he get out?
    The President. Let's go down and say hello.

                    Note: The President spoke at 4:13 p.m. in the Rose 
                        Garden at the White House.