[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 44 (Monday, November 2, 1998)]
[Pages 2176-2177]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Arrival in West Palm Beach, Florida

October 29, 1998

    Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to be here with Governor 
Chiles, Senator Graham, Commissioner Nelson, Congressman Deutsch, 
Congressman Wexler, my good friend Lieutenant Governor MacKay.
    I know that along with all other Americans your hearts filled with 
pride today when you saw our space shuttle lift off with 77-year-old 
Senator John Glenn among the crew, going into the heavens for the second 
time--the first time over 36 years ago.
    I'm here tonight in South Florida on behalf of our Democratic ticket 
and specifically for Lieutenant Governor MacKay. And I'd like to make 
two points. First of all, I hope the pride and the patriotism that the 
people of Florida and the United States felt this afternoon will carry 
over until Tuesday and that everyone will feel in their pride an 
obligation to go to the polls and vote, because this is no ordinary 
election. In profound ways we are shaping what America will look like 
and what this state will look like well into the 21st century.
    In so many ways the challenges of Florida are the challenges of 
America. In terms of the education of our children in this last budget 
battle, thanks to the steadfast support of people like Bob Graham and 
Peter Deutsch and Rob Wexler, we were able to get a huge downpayment of 
my goal of putting 100,000 teachers in the early grades.
    But it will be up to the Governor of Florida to determine whether we 
have a real commitment in this State, one of the fastest growing States 
in the country, for our children to have those smaller class sizes and 
classes for the children and the teachers to meet. That's a strong 
reason to support Buddy MacKay's bid for Governor.
    And in the next session of Congress we will have to deal with the 
unfinished business of America in saving Social Security for the 21st 
century and protecting and reforming Medicare and finally passing a 
Patients' Bill of Rights.
    But here in Florida, there will be a disproportionate impact on all 
these decisions because there are so many senior citizens. I've known 
Buddy MacKay a long time, and you know, I'm never surprised by what 
people do or say in the closing days of an election, but goodness, how 
anybody could claim that he had ever done anything other than be one of 
the strongest supporters the seniors of this State and this Nation ever 
had is a mystery to me, because he certainly has been.
    And I will say again, to really do what we need to do for the 
seniors here, for the integrity of their health care and the security of 
their retirement and the stability of their lives, requires not only a 
President and a Congress but a Governor committed to them. That's 
another big reason to support Buddy MacKay for Governor on Tuesday.
    And we're glad to be here. I wish him well. I wish the people of 
Florida well. And again I say, I hope everyone will be at the polls on 
Tuesday. If you felt good today, you can feel just that same way on 
Tuesday by being a good citizen and doing your part.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 5:52 p.m. at the West Palm Beach 
International Airport. In his remarks, he referred to Governor Lawton 
Chiles of Florida; State Insurance Commissioner Bill Nelson; and 
gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Buddy MacKay.

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