[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 13 (Monday, March 30, 1998)]
[Page 490]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With President Yoweri 
Kaguta Museveni of Uganda in Kampala

March 24, 1998

    The President. Good morning.

Executive Privilege

    Q. Mr. President, we haven't yet had the opportunity to ask you 
about your decision to invoke executive privilege, sir. Why shouldn't 
the American people see that as an effort to hide something from them?
    The President. Look, that's a question that's being asked and 
answered back home by the people who are responsible to do that. I don't 
believe I should be discussing that here.
    Q. Could you at least tell us why you think the First Lady might be 
covered by that privilege, why her conversation might fall under that?
    The President. All I know is--I saw an article about it in the paper 
today. I haven't discussed it with the lawyers. I don't know. You should 
ask someone who does.

President's Visit to Africa

    Q. There is speculation, sir, you're glad to be out of Washington 
for a couple weeks. Is that the case?
    The President. Well, I'm glad to be doing the business of the United 
States and the people. I've looked forward to this for years. And I 
think most Americans want me to do the job I was elected to do. And so 
I'm going to try to do what most people want me to do.
    Q. What was your reaction to the crowd yesterday? We saw--the 
pictures were pretty dramatic.
    The President. I thought it was wonderful. I've never seen so many 
people at an event. But what I was concerned about, there were two 
people there who were just wedged between the crowd and the barrier, and 
I was afraid they would be hurt or perhaps even killed if we didn't get 
room for them. And they got them out, and it was fine. It was a 
wonderful day. I loved it.

President Boris Yeltsin of Russia

    Q. Have you talked to Boris Yeltsin, Mr. President?
    The President. No.

Note: The exchange began at 11:12 a.m. at the State House Lodge. A tape 
was not available for verification of the content of this exchange.