[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 4 (Monday, January 26, 1998)]
[Pages 93-94]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Exchange With Reporters at Cardozo High School

January 19, 1998

Paula Jones Lawsuit

    Q. Mr. President, according to Ambassador Seitz, the British believe 
that Jean Kennedy Smith passed along intelligence information to the 
IRA. Does that concern you, sir?
    On another subject--[laughter]--sir, I didn't hear, I'm sorry, I'm 
getting hard of hearing. Well, on another subject, after Saturday are 
you persuaded you may prevail if the Jones case actually does go to 
trial?
    The President. You know, the judge asked us not to talk about it, 
and I think at least somebody involved in it ought to follow her 
instructions.
    Q. You mean the judge's gag order, sir?
    The President. Mr. Bennett will say anything that I have to say 
about that.

Attack on U.S. Citizens in Guatemala

    Q. Did you see that Seitz story, sir, the Ambassador Seitz book?
    You've seen the news from Guatemala. Is there anything the United 
States can do to safeguard U.S. citizens down there?
    The President. Well, first of all, it's a terrible thing what 
happened with that. I have a lot of concerns, obviously, for the victims 
and their families. But we're persuaded that the Government is taking 
appropriate action. And it is--where they were, you know, there had been 
some difficulties. But I think that the Government is doing what it can, 
and we've been in touch with them. The main thing we need to do now is 
be concerned with the victims and their families and do whatever we can 
to minimize such things happening in the future.

Middle East Peace Process

    Q. Are you discouraged about the advance word that Prime Minister 
Netanyahu may not have anything to say that would advance the peace 
process?
    The President. Well, I'm looking forward to the meeting. I'm 
committed to making it a success. I'm going to do my part, and I just 
want us to have constructive relations where we can move this forward. 
And I've been working on it all morning; that's why I'm a little late 
here today. I'm going to be prepared to reach out a hand in cooperation 
to both the Prime Minister and to Mr. Arafat and we'll see what happens. 
But I've got high hopes. I've worked hard on it. The United States, I 
think, is viewed rightly as a country that just wants a just, stable, 
and lasting peace. And we're all going to have to make some moves if 
we're going to get there. But I'm looking forward to this meeting.

Participation in Community Service

    Q. When was the last time you painted a wall, sir?
    The President. Not very long ago. This is the third painting project 
I've done with the national service--with the AmeriCorps people. But we 
really wanted to emphasize Martin Luther King's birthday as a day of 
service, a day on, not a day off. And I want to thank the people from 
the DC school system and the city government and General Becton and the 
others. This is encouraging, to have all these young people out here. 
And all over America there are young people working today, tens of 
thousands of them. That's the image of our young people I'd like for the 
rest of America to see, and I hope that they will inspire more people of 
all ages to get involved in community service.
    Q. Thank you.
    The President. You guys need to give Sam his cuts; he didn't have to 
work hard today. [Laughter]

Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith

    Q. Sir, could you look into that Smith thing?
    The President. Yes, I will. I will.

Participation in Community Service

    Q. Mr. President, how much painting experience do you have?
    The President. When I was a younger man, I did quite a bit of it.
    Q. For who?
    The President. For myself. That's the advantage when you elect a 
real middle class President--you get people who've had to do things like 
this in life.
    Q. What's the shirt mean, Mr. President?

[[Page 94]]

    The President. It's just a shirt my daughter gave me.
    Q. And the numbers on the back?
    The President. I'm not sure. I have no idea. I hope it's not 
something embarrassing; I don't have a clue. [Laughter]

Note: The President spoke at 11:55 a.m. in room 306 at the school. In 
his remarks, he referred to U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright; 
Robert S. Bennett, the President's attorney in the Paula Jones case; 
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of Israel; Chairman Yasser Arafat of 
the Palestinian Authority; Gen. Julius Becton, USA (Ret.), 
superintendent, District of Columbia public schools; and Sam Donaldson, 
ABC News White House correspondent. A reporter referred to Raymond G.H. 
Seitz, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom. A tape was not 
available for verification of the content of this exchange.