    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
    [April 21, 1995]
    [Page 562]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters on the Oklahoma City Bombing
    April 21, 1995

        The President. I wanted to make a couple of points. First of all, I
    was briefed late last evening by the Attorney General on the status of
    the investigation, and I am well satisfied with the efforts that are
    being made, the progress that's being made. I would just ask that you
    and the American people not rush to any conclusions unsupported by known
    evidence and that we give the investigators the space they need to do
    their job. They are working hard; they are moving ahead.
        The second thing I'd like to say is that Hillary and I have decided
    to go to Oklahoma City on Sunday to be a part of the memorial service
    and to be with the families of the victims and the people of Oklahoma
    City. I think all America will be there in spirit and is there today,
    and I have determined that I should also declare Sunday a national day
    of mourning for the victims there and to ask people in their places of
    worship and in their homes all across America to pray for the people
    there and for the community.
        The final thing I'd like to say is just a brief message to the
    children of this country. I have been very concerned with how the
    children in Oklahoma City and, indeed, the children throughout America
    must be reacting to a horror of this magnitude. And my message to the
    children is that this was an evil thing and the people who did it were
    terribly, horribly wrong. We will catch them, and we will punish them.
        But the children of America need to know that almost all the adults
    in this country are good people who love their children and love other
    children, and we're going to get through this. We're going to get
    through this. I don't want our children to believe something terrible
    about life and the future and grownups in general because of this awful
    thing. Most adults are good people who want to protect our children in
    their childhood, and we are going to get through this.
        Q. Mr. President, do you know of any progress in the investigation?
        The President. You know I'm not going to comment. I'm letting the
    Justice Department announce progress. I don't think that it's
    appropriate for me to say anything, except I can tell you that I know
    what they've done and the American people would be very pleased and very
    impressed by the work they are doing. But this is a big issue, and we
    don't want to undermine their ability to work by anything that is said
    or by jumping to unwarranted conclusions.

    Note: The President spoke at 10 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White
    House, prior to his departure for Havre de Grace, MD. The proclamation
    declaring a national day of mourning is listed in Appendix D at the end
    of this volume.