[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000-2001, Book III)]
[November 23, 2000]
[Pages 2581-2582]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Exchange With Reporters in Thurmont, Maryland
November 23, 2000

Thanksgiving

    The President. Hi, guys. Happy Thanksgiving.
    Q. What are you thankful for, Mr. President?
    The President. I have a lot to be thankful for this year. I've got 
my family here. They're all in good health; they're all doing well. I've 
got my two nephews here. I'm very grateful for how good the people of 
New York were to Hillary, and I'm 
very grateful the country's in good shape. I've got a lot to be grateful 
for.

2000 Presidential Election

    Q. Sir, do you think the Supreme Court will get involved in the 
Florida situation?
    The President. I think the law on that is pretty clear, and there's 
no point on my commenting on that. I don't think I should comment about 
it.
    Q. Thankful you're not in this election this year? Wish you were?
    The President. I think that the less I say about this right now, the 
better. I just want everybody who tried to vote--legally voted--to have 
their votes count, including the service people--everybody. I think 
that's what they're trying to do, and I hope there will be time to do 
it. I think that the position that I've taken on this all along is, we 
ought to just do the right thing and enfranchise everybody that could 
possibly

[[Page 2582]]

do it but let the thing play out. There's a process under way, and the 
courts will do what they're going to do. That's the way it ought to be. 
And I don't think I should comment.
    I'll tell you, I am thankful that I live in a country with enough 
faith in its democracy that we're all letting this thing play out. 
Comedy shows are having fun with it. We're all laughing about it. The 
two candidates seem to be in a fairly good humor about it. When I was in 
Asia, I had a couple of people tell me that in some countries people 
would be in the streets over this. Instead, we trust our system. We just 
have to trust it, whether we agree with it or disagree with it. Let it 
play out. I just hope that we don't run out of time.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 2:25 p.m. at Maple Run Golf Course. A tape 
was not available for verification of the content of this exchange.