    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [April 5, 1993]
    [Pages 403-404]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Exchange With Reporters En Route to the Opening Day Baseball Game in
    Baltimore, Maryland
    April 5, 1993

    Affirmative Action in Baseball

        Q. Mr. President, what do you think of Jesse Jackson's protest
    today?
        The President. I think it's an informational protest. I think it's
    fine. The owners put out a statement a few days ago which they say was
    the first step in, you know, efforts to increase minority ownership and
    minority increases in management. I think we should. I'm encouraged by
    Don Baylor's appointment out in Colorado. And I think it's time to make
    a move on that front. So, I think it's a legitimate issue, and I think
    it's, like I said, it's an informational picket and not an attempt to
    get people not to go to the game. So, I think it's good.
        Q. Do you think they're moving fast enough?
        The President. Well, I think that it was a good first step. And I
    think you'll see some movement now. And I think it's an issue that
    deserves some attention, and they're obviously going to give it some.
    And I think that Reverend Jackson being out there will highlight the
    issue. So I think it's fine.

    Stimulus Package

        Q. Mr. President, how about the logjam in the Senate on the economic
    stimulus plan? Do you think they'll be able to break that and get
    cloture?
        The President. I don't know. We're working at it. I mean, it's a
    classic--there was an article in the paper today, one of the papers I
    saw, which pretty well summed it up. They said, you know, it's just a
    political power play. In the Senate the majority does not rule. It's not
    like the country. It's not like the House. If the minority chooses, they
    can stop majority rule. And that's what they're doing. There are a lot
    of Republican Senators who have told people that they might vote for the
    stimulus program but there's enormous partisan political pressure not to
    do it.
        And of course, what it means is that in this time when no new jobs
    are being created even though there seems to be an economic recovery, it
    means that for political purposes they're willing to deny jobs to places
    like Baltimore and

    [[Page 404]]

    Dallas and Houston and Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and Portland and
    Seattle. It's very sad. I mean, the block grant program was designed to
    create jobs in a hurry based on local priorities, and it's one that the
    Republicans had always championed. Just about the only Democrat
    champions of the program were people like me who were out there at the
    grassroots level, Governors and Senators. I just think it's real sad
    that they have chosen to exert the minority muscle in a way that will
    keep Americans out of work. I think it's a mistake.

    Note: The exchange began at 11:45 a.m. aboard the MARC train en route to
    Oriole Park at Camden Yards. In his remarks, the President referred to
    civil rights leader Jesse Jackson. A tape was not available for
    verification of the content of this exchange.