[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
[January 22, 1993]
[Page 7]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 7]]


Exchange With Reporters Following a Cabinet Meeting
January 22, 1993

Withdrawal of Nomination for Attorney General

    Q. Mr. President, how difficult was the Zoe Baird decision? How 
agonizing was it for you?
    The President. I'm sad about it. But it wasn't agonizing. I'm sad 
about it, and I take full responsibility, as I said in my statement, for 
the way the evaluation was done. I still have a very high regard for 
her. She is an extraordinary person. And I feel very badly about it, but 
I'm responsible for it, and I'm going to start this afternoon looking 
for an Attorney General. And I have the process set up, and we're going 
to begin as soon as the lunch hour is over, working on the future. And 
that's what I intend to focus on.
    Q. Will it be a woman?
    The President. I have nothing else to say. I'm going to start this 
afternoon. Thanks.

Note: The exchange began at 11:15 a.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White 
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of this 
exchange.