[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[August 7, 1992]
[Pages 1319-1323]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's News Conference
August 7, 1992

    The President. Let me comment on three subjects this morning, and 
then I'll be glad to take a few questions. We only have a short period 
of time because I'm going over to an event outside the White House.

The Economy

    While I'm pleased that the unemployment rate declined by one-tenth 
of a percent in July, and it shows that about 200,000 new jobs were 
created in that month, I simply cannot be satisfied until every American 
that wants a job has one. We must work to ensure that economic growth is 
strong enough to bring unemployment down rapidly.
    It's interesting that just that one-tenth percentage point resulted 
in that many jobs. Our household employment survey reported a drop in 
unemployed persons by 215,000, and the 198,000 new jobs that were 
created in July is the most since December of last year. Also, the 
number of people employed in May and June was revised upward by 80,000.
    Some good precursors of stronger growth are definitely in place. For 
example, interest rates and inflation are at their lowest level in a 
generation, creating conditions for sustained growth. But there's also a 
restructuring underway of the management and operation of many of our 
larger companies. They're adjusting to a more competitive national and 
international environment.
    As this takes place, it is crucial that we continue to expand our 
markets abroad, to accelerate our job training, and to reform our 
educational system so that tomorrow's work force is the most competitive 
in the world.

Bosnia

    Now let me turn to the subject I talked a little about yesterday, 
the terrifying violence that's occurring in Bosnia. The pictures of the 
prisoners rounded up by the Serbian forces and being held in these 
detention camps are stark evidence of the need to deal with this problem 
effectively.

[[Page 1320]]

The world cannot shed its horror at the prospect of concentration camps. 
The shocking brutality of genocide in World War II in those 
concentration camps are burning memories for all of us. That can't 
happen again, and we will not rest until the international community has 
gained access to any and all detention camps.
    As I said yesterday, let no one think there is an easy or simple 
solution for this tragedy. But we are taking the complex and strong 
steps necessary to bring humanitarian relief to the people of Bosnia and 
political resolution to the crisis in that country.

Iraq

    Finally, we continue to work with the United Nations to monitor the 
situation in Iraq. We have great confidence in Mr. Ekeus and his 
inspection team as they pursue compliance with the United Nations 
resolutions. Once again, we're hearing the bluster of Saddam Hussein. He 
speaks of Kuwait as the 19th province, and he threatens not to allow 
inspection of his ministries. We will continue to demand full compliance 
with all resolutions, but we will speak with the measured confidence of 
a nation and a community of nations that is totally dedicated to seeing 
every single one of these United Nations resolutions fully enforced.
    I have time for a few questions. And Helen [Helen Thomas, United 
Press International], you go ahead.

Bosnia

    Q. Mr. President, if the international community, the U.N., NATO, et 
cetera, do not support you on the use of force, will you go it alone? 
Will you only use air and naval power, or will you use ground troops? In 
addition to the terrifying pictures, were you also pushed by Clinton and 
Thatcher into this stronger stance, which seems to be a change for you?
    The President. Let me answer the last part of that question. I want 
to be sure I remember all the parts of it, but the last part of it is, 
absolutely no. This is not a political matter. This is a matter of 
humanitarian concern. I will not engage the other side on this 
particular issue. We're trying to handle it in a sound way with sound 
foreign policy as the backbone to it. So that's the end of that one.
    What was the first part now?
    Q. Would the U.S. go it alone if it does not get the U.N. backing in 
NATO?
    The President. Well, I'm confident we'll have the U.N. backing, so 
it's too hypothetical. You asked about the use of force. Everyone has 
been reluctant for a very understandable reason to use force. There's a 
lot of voices out there in the United States today that say, use force. 
But they don't have the responsibility for sending somebody else's son 
or somebody else's daughter into harm's way, and I do.
    We are thinking it out very carefully. I do not want to see the 
United States bogged down in any way into some guerrilla warfare. We 
lived through that once. And yet, I have a lot of options available to 
me, and I will contemplate every one very seriously but in conjunction 
with the United Nations. And so we're going to continue to press for the 
resolutions that I hope will solve this problem.
    Incidentally, there was a statement this morning by Yugoslavia's 
Prime Minister Panic, where he said that he will order the Serbs in 
Bosnia to close all detention camps or that their leaders must resign. 
Well, that's a move in the right direction. The diplomacy that's going 
on behind the scenes will all push towards that kind of resolution of 
the question. But we have a lot of options available to us, Helen.

Iraq

    Q. Mr. President, on Iraq, we heard yesterday that they were going 
to prevent U.N. forces from entering other ministries. Have you been 
able to determine whether that's a real threat? And what are you 
prepared to do if, in fact, that's the case?
    The President. Well, I think the answer is overall he is going to 
comply with the U.N. resolutions, and that is just going to happen. So I 
can't tell how much of this is bluster, how much on their part is 
determination to provoke confrontation. But they're going to comply with 
these resolutions. I'm absolutely certain of that.
    Q. Are you going to do anything to speed up the 
timetable to force the inspections to

[[Page 1321]]

go quicker than they are?
    The President. No. I think we have great confidence in Dr. Ekeus. He 
is a very persistent individual. The timetable as I understand it, which 
I'm not at liberty to discuss, seems to me appropriate to get to the 
bottom of all this, fulfill all these inspections.

Secretary of State Baker

    Q. What effect do these knotty foreign policy problems, Bosnia and 
Iraq, have on your flexibility in assigning Secretary of State Baker?
    The President. Well, when I have something to say about what 
Secretary Baker might or might not do, I'll be sure to let everybody 
here know about it. But I have great confidence in him and in the 
Department on the diplomacy. There's no question about that, Brit [Brit 
Hume, ABC News]. It's very important that we handle not only this 
matter; we've got some others. We've got a very important visit coming 
up with the Prime Minister of Israel. And so I continue to rely heavily 
on the State Department, on the Secretary of State for substantive 
advice. But what lies ahead, or what might or might not--having read all 
the speculation that emanated from this newsroom a couple of weeks ago, 
I thought you told me that a deal had already been made. But he's still 
in his job, and I'm still relying heavily on him for sound advice and 
action over there.
    Q. Deputy Secretary Eagleburger said a week or 10 days ago that he 
expected Secretary Baker to be on the job at State for a long time. 
Would you second that?
    The President. But that counters what I think I read out of this 
newsroom. So----
    Q. Well, we'll be glad to get authoritative advice by you, sir, on 
what's going on.
    The President. ----I've got to sort it all out, and then I'll get 
back to you.

Foreign Policy and Domestic Politics

    Q. Bill Clinton commended your statement yesterday on Bosnia. Yet 
Marlin Fitzwater said about a week ago that Bill Clinton had been 
reckless when Clinton called for the United States to urge the United 
Nations to authorize air strikes to get those relief shipments through. 
Do you regard Bill Clinton as reckless in Yugoslavia, the former 
Yugoslavia, or anyplace else in foreign policy?
    The President. I'm going to keep on these foreign policy issues and 
try to keep them out of the political arena, the jockeying, the instant 
statement. I am confident that what we're doing is correct. I have no 
problem with his offering advice on these matters. But I am not going to 
get engaged in the political arena when we are trying to do something 
that really has a tremendous humanitarian aspect.
    Q. But sir, you talk about defining yourself and Bill Clinton. On 
foreign policy, have you no disputes with him on any foreign policy?
    The President. There will be plenty of time to define that, but not 
in the context of trying to do something that is very important. I have 
some responsibilities as a candidate, eventually when I become the 
nominee of this party, to just take the issues to him, to define his 
background, to tell it as it really is, and to fight for the programs 
and the issues that I believe in. So I've got all that to do.
    But when it comes to a serious foreign policy initiative, I'm going 
to do my level-best to keep it out of the political arena. It is too 
very, very important that we conduct ourselves, whether it's in Iraq or 
whether it's in Bosnia, without kind of political leanings, and I'm 
going to do that. Therefore, I'm not going to answer questions that 
relate to his charge or trying to come back with some countercharge.

Presidential Campaign

    Q. Mr. President, there was the flap this Monday about the memo, or 
the fax rather that was sent to news organizations from your campaign. 
And you subsequently denounced this or disavowed it and said you didn't 
want to get involved in the sleaze business, et cetera. There are many 
in your campaign that are quite happy with the impact that that fax had 
and seem to think that tactically this was quite beneficial and that you 
were able to distance yourself from this. Is that a pattern we should 
expect, or are you confident that this is now never going to happen 
again?

[[Page 1322]]

    The President. The pattern you should expect is, after my being 
hounded and pounded for 9 months by my principles being ill-defined and 
what I stand for being ill-defined, you're going to see some hard-
hitting attacks which are going to fairly define his positions. And 
that's what you should look for.
    Q. What did you feel was unfair about the memo?
    The President. I already said that I want to keep this campaign out 
of the sleaze business. Inasmuch as some interpreted the replay of 
Clinton's campaign manager's words as sleaze, I don't want any part of 
that.

Bosnia

    Q. Mr. Bush, I know you've said that you hope there will be no need 
for any military use of force in Bosnia. But if it should come to that, 
does the resolution you want envision U.S. troops or aviators in some 
way being involved in that use of force? Could you specify----
    The President. That is too hypothetical. We're working with the 
United Nations, and if we make a determination that force is necessary, 
we will do that after thorough discussion with our allies and with the 
United Nations Security Council participants.
    Q. But surely, your allies are expecting some sort of indication of 
what your involvement----
    The President. Well, we've already evidenced our willingness to be 
involved. We moved a carrier task force into the Adriatic. We have given 
support for humanitarian relief and will continue to do that. So I am 
not saying what we'll do or what we won't do, but whatever we do, I want 
to do it in conjunction with the international community.

Aid to Russia

    Q. Mr. Bush, now that the IMF has approved some Russian assistance, 
the $1 billion loan in the World Bank, is the U.S. going to expedite any 
more financial assistance to Russia? Would you expect to offer them 
additional agricultural credit guarantees for the September-October 
period?
    The President. Well, I have no plans on that; no recommendations 
have come to me on that. I do want to thank, though, both the Republican 
and Democratic leadership in the House for a very strong vote yesterday. 
I think it's a great boost for Yeltsin, who has our strong backing as he 
goes about his reforms under very difficult conditions. But no 
recommendations have come to me yet on further grain sales or anything.

The Economy

    Q. Mr. President, as you noted in the unemployment numbers, figures 
are good but there's still a long way to go. Is it time now, do you 
think, to tell the American people that they probably won't start 
feeling good until maybe next year about the economy, but if they just 
hang on, it's coming? I mean, is this sort of a time----
    The President. I'd just like to see them understand that there's 
some very strong signs here that are good. That doesn't mean there's no 
problems out there, but I think all they've heard are negative news 
about the economy, a lot of it because of the political process. If the 
other side can only win by things being bad, they're going to go out and 
point out all the things that are bad. All I'm saying is this is good 
news.
    Now, you can help by putting a nice, positive interpretation on the 
fact that there are 200,000 more jobs created. And please do it because 
it's only fair that the American people understand that every once in a 
while something reasonably good happens. Interest rates are down, and 
inflation is down, and we are poised for a strong recovery. We've been 
growing, albeit anemically.
    So it's important. I think your question is a good one because I 
think it is important that the American people understand the facts and 
try to separate out those facts from the political rhetoric that they've 
been handed for month after month about how horrible things are. Yes, 
conditions are not perfect. And yes, the economy has grown too slowly. 
But it has been anemically growing. Now this is fairly good news, you 
see.
    Q. Let me just follow up, sir. Part of the problem has been 
expectations, that sometimes, as it's been said here, your own ex-

[[Page 1323]]

pectations were raised, along with everyone else. I'm just saying is it 
time now to say, ``Okay, probably by November it may not look as good as 
you'd like it to, but hang on because it's cyclical, and it will get 
better, and we see signs.'' I mean, I'm asking you to put the spin on 
it.
    The President. Well, I feel comfortable with that. [Laughter]
    Mr. Fitzwater. Final question, please.

Presidential Campaign

    Q. Mr. President, you mentioned that your principles have been ill-
defined by your opponents in the campaign. As you know, there's been 
some talk even within your own party that a problem has been that you 
haven't gone forward and said what you really stand for, what you're 
going to fight for in a second term. Why do you think, after so many 
years in public life and 4 years as President, there are still these 
questions out there about what George Bush really stands for?
    The President. I'm not sure I know the answer to that. But they'll 
sure know it by the time they go into the voting booth in November. 
They'll see the record. The record will be an accurate record, and it 
will be a positive record. I'm not going to permit the Democratic Party 
and the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic nominee to ill-
define it.
    So I can't answer as to why. Maybe some of the answer can be, you 
know, little seminars; we can discover that ex post facto. But now what 
I'm going to do is join the fray and go after him and define his record. 
And that's going to be fun. I'm looking forward to it. Then I'll 
contrast it with not only what have we done but what do I want to do.
    I've not done that. I explained to them yesterday, I thought I had 
some obligations here as President to try to get some things through, 
even though the Congress has dug in and made it very difficult to get 
something done. So I'll take that case to the American people. If you 
want to change an institution that hadn't changed in a long time, try on 
the Congress, the liberal Democratic control of the Congress. That will 
help. Then say, here's what the man is trying to do in education reform. 
Here's what he's been trying to do in welfare reform. Here's what he's 
been trying to do in enterprise zones. Here's what he's been trying to 
do, and it's been blocked by a hostile, highly political, liberal 
leadership in the Congress. So that hasn't been defined out there, and 
I've got to get that done.
    This is the last. Yes, followup.
    Q. If I could just follow up. I just wonder why you think even some 
within your own party make this charge about you not having articulated 
what you stand for. Even some of the people, you may support the 
programs that they're advocating, but they don't really believe you're 
going to fight for them.
    The President. Well, I keep reading that in various journals and 
books, and it's not true. So what I have to do then is say, here's what 
a convention is about, here's what a campaign is about, and set the 
record straight and take the facts out there and let the American people 
make that determination themselves, not through some filters out there. 
That's the only way to take care of this problem which I think has 
existed.
    Thank you all very much. We're off to the Guadalcanal memorial.

                    Note: The President's 137th news conference began at 
                        10:05 a.m. in the Briefing Room at the White 
                        House. During the news conference the following 
                        people were referred to: Rolf Ekeus, Executive 
                        Director, United Nations Special Commission on 
                        Iraq, and Margaret Thatcher, former Prime 
                        Minister of the United Kingdom.