    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
    [October 23, 1994]
    [Page 1847]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum in Seattle
    October 23, 1994

        I've been--when I gave my statement over there, one of you asked me
    a question--and I left--about Mr. Gingrich's charge that it was
    hypocritical for someone to have a memo which speculated about the
    recommendations that the Kerrey commission and others might have.
        Now, I've told you what my position is. And my position is, I
    haven't and don't support cuts in Social Security, and I would support
    savings in the Medicare program only if they're used to advance the
    cause of health care.
        Now, Mr. Gingrich has leveled a charge which is not right. It
    doesn't have anything to do with how the list came about. But he can
    solve this whole problem if he would say what I said. So just ask him if
    he and Senator Dole will say what I said. Will they say they support--
    they don't support cuts in Social Security, and they won't support using
    Medicare savings for anything other than helping health care?
        If they have the same position, they can make this issue go away.
    Then they have to answer, what about their trillion dollar contract,
    because they will explode the deficit by a trillion dollars and start
    sending jobs overseas again.
        The answer to this is for him to say what I have said to you today.
    So ask him if he'll take the same position. And then the only question
    is whether he's going to abandon his contract for all these tax cuts and
    spending increases.
        Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at approximately 3:45 p.m. at the King County
    Airport. In his remarks, he referred to House Republican whip Newt
    Gingrich. A tape was not available for verification of the content of
    these remarks.