    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [July 14, 1993]
    [Pages 1081-1082]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Interview With Wolf Blitzer of CNN in Des Moines, Iowa
    July 14, 1993

    Economic Summit

        The President. [Inaudible]--revised upward in about 5 days.
        Mr. Blitzer. Significantly?
        The President. Could be.
        Mr. Blitzer. And tomorrow you're supposed to go up to Capitol Hill
    to meet with some Members of the House and Senate, I take it, to discuss
    this issue or the whole G-7 Tokyo summit?
        The President. Well, I will certainly give them a briefing on this
    issue, and I want to talk about what happened on our trip and what
    happened at the Tokyo summit and how important it is for us now to pass
    this budget. This is our part of the bargain. We got a new trade
    agreement with Japan. We got an agreement to lower tariffs historically
    with the other major industrialized countries. We're trying to restore
    growth to the world economy, but to do it we've got to bring the
    American budget deficit down, too.
        Mr. Blitzer. You come to this area here--helicopters are flying
    overhead even as we speak--to see the devastation. The G-7 summit must
    seem like 100 years ago, doesn't it?
        The President. It's a long way away, but the focus of those high-
    flung summits is to affect the lives of people like the folks on this
    street for the better. So in a way, it's a good way to come home, and I
    should be here.

    Midwest Flooding

        Mr. Blitzer. Now, as a former Governor, you seem to be so
    comfortable dealing with these natural disaster type of situations, and
    you get really immersed into it right away. Am I wrong? Is that just my
    impression?
        The President. No, you're right----
        Mr. Blitzer. In certain areas you seem uncomfortable, but in this
    kind of area you seem very comfortable.
        The President. Well, I think in every new job there's a learning
    curve, but I don't have much of one here. Most people who would become
    President, who would come out of the Congress, for example, might not
    have anything like the experience that I've had dealing with disasters.
    But my State, on a per capita basis, suffers from tornadoes more than
    any other. We've had major floods. We've had huge droughts. I've dealt
    with a lot of these, and I know what's been wrong in the past. And I'm
    glad that a lot of people think we're trying to put it right here. I
    feel good about it.
        Mr. Blitzer. You're going to go back to Washington tonight. Any
    plans to come back to this area, visit other devastated areas in the
    Midwest?
        The President. Well, I don't want to rule it in or out. I've got to
    go back and see where we are, first of all, on the aid package, and
    secondly, where we are with the budget negotiations, and thirdly, where
    we are in dealing with the States and the localities. That's the big
    issue. That's the thing we're trying to do a better job of, make sure
    everybody is sort of on board and we're all doing things together,
    singing out of the same hymnal. And I wouldn't rule it out, but I don't
    want to commit yet. I've got to go back and see what the job is, what we
    have to do in Washington.

    Homosexuals in the Military

        Mr. Blitzer. And on top of everything else, this week the Pentagon
    is supposed to give you

    [[Page 1082]]

    its recommendations on the whole issue of gays in the military.
        The President. They are.
        Mr. Blitzer. What's your sense? Is it falling into place right now?
        The President. My sense is there's still some difference of opinion
    even among the service chiefs about what they want. But I hope they'll
    come up with something that everyone can agree is fair and we can all
    live with. We'll just have to see.
        Mr. Blitzer. How much after you get that recommendation do you think
    you will finally act on some decision?
        The President. Oh, I won't take long, won't take long at all. No, I
    won't take long.
        Mr. Blitzer. Have you basically made up your mind already?
        The President. Well, I want to see what they say first. I think
    they're still debating it a little among themselves, and I want to see
    what they say.
        Mr. Blitzer. Okay, Mr. President. Thank you very much once again for
    joining us.
        The President. Thanks, Wolf. Thank you.
        Mr. Blitzer. Pretty devastated area.
        The President. It is.

    Note: The interview began at 3:20 p.m. at the intersection of Fleur and
    Valley Drives. A tape was not available for verification of the content
    of this interview.