    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [July 1, 1993]
    [Page 969]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 969]]

    Remarks at a Meeting With Doug Luffborough and an Exchange With
    Reporters
    July 1, 1993

        The President. Hello, everybody. Those of you who travel with me
    regularly will, I think, recognize the young man on my right, Mr. Doug
    Luffborough. He was the student speaker at Northeastern University in
    Boston the other day. This is his mother, whom I introduced from the
    audience; got a big hand. He's here with President John Curry of
    Northeastern and Senator John Kerry, his Senator. I invited him and his
    mother to come visit me in the Oval Office, so they didn't wait long to
    take me up on the invitation. [Laughter] I'm glad to see them here
    today.
        You may remember also that he brought the house down. He not only
    gave a great speech, but he sang at the beginning of his speech. I
    thought to myself, if I could sing like that I wouldn't be giving
    speeches today. [Laughter]
        Mr. Luffborough. Well, it was a wonderful opportunity for me and a
    wonderful opportunity for my family and especially for my mother. I've
    been waiting for an opportunity like this, and I'm just really thrilled.
    And I'm really glad that Northeastern was the place you decided to come.
    It's been a pleasure and an honor to be here today. Thank you.
        Q. Mr. President, what was it about Doug that impressed you so much?
        The President. First of all, that he had come from such humble
    circumstances to go to college and to stay in college and that he had
    made the most of it. He obviously never felt sorry for himself. He
    obviously had a mother who helped him to believe in himself, as many
    others do. And the fact that his fellow students picked him to be the
    spokesperson for their class showed that they identified with the values
    and the inner strength and drive that took him to the success that he
    enjoys. I was very impressed. And I just thought it would be neat if
    they could come down here and see me.

    Vietnam

        Q. Sir, what signal do you hope to send by lifting U.S. opposition
    to international loans to Vietnam?
        The President. I haven't made an announcement on that. When I do,
    I'll be glad to discuss it.

    Iraq

        Q. Mr. President, Tariq Aziz seems this afternoon to be holding out
    some type of an olive branch, saying that Iraq will not avenge the
    attack the other day and also that he hopes for better relations with
    your administration. What response do you have, if any?
        The President. I don't know. I need to be briefed on what he said.
    But of course, they shouldn't act in revenge. We have evidence that what
    was done was wrong, and the United States had to respond.

    Note: The President spoke at 5:03 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these
    remarks.