[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
[May 28, 1996]
[Page 823]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on the Verdict in the McDougal-Tucker Trial and an
Exchange With Reporters
May 28, 1996

    The President. I'd like to make a brief statement about the jury 
verdict in Arkansas today. First of all, the jury has completed its 
work, and they obviously worked for quite a long time and debated this 
thoroughly and tried to make a good decision. So I think we should all 
accept that.
    Obviously, on a personal level, I'm very sorry for Governor Tucker 
and Jim and Susan McDougal. But the jury has decided. I was asked to 
give testimony; I did that. And for me, it's time to go back to work. 
That's what I intend to do.
    Q. Do you think Governor Tucker should resign?
    The President. I don't want to comment on that. I think those 
questions have to be resolved by the people involved and in terms of 
what their other options are. I don't want to comment on that.
    I just think that this is a day for saying that these jurors worked 
a long time; they were out for an extended period of time; they reached 
their verdict. And as I said, for me it's more of a personal thing 
today. I'm very sorry for them personally. But I did what I was asked to 
do, and now I've got to go back to work. That's what I intend to do.
    Q. Sir, do you think this is a repudiation of your statements?
    Q. Did the jurors not believe you, sir? Did the jurors not believe 
you?
    The President. You ought to ask them that. I doubt that; I doubt 
that that's what was going on. But you ought to ask them. I don't know.

Note: The President spoke at 6:20 p.m. on the North Driveway at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to trial codefendants Gov. Jim 
Guy Tucker of Arkansas and James and Susan McDougal. A tape was not 
available for verification of the content of these remarks.