[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 2 (Monday, January 18, 1999)]
[Pages 46-47]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to a Meeting With Labor Leaders and an Exchange With 
Reporters

January 13, 1999

    The President. First of all, I want to thank these distinguished 
leaders of the American labor movement for coming here today for this 
meeting. We are meeting to talk about the economy, the challenges we 
face in the 21st century--in part, what I intend to say about it at the 
State of the Union next week. We will be discussing ways we can work 
together to save Social Security, to renew our public schools, to 
improve health care, and deal with a whole range of other issues.
    In large measure, opportunity for America's labor families and their 
children will depend upon whether America can master the challenges of a 
global economy. We have worked hard over the last year, as all of you 
know, to deal with the global financial crisis and to restore growth. I 
talked about that at the Detroit Economic Club on Friday. This will 
require a very vigorous set of actions this year, and a part of it will 
involve the Congress, part of it will involve our work with other 
nations over the course of the year. But it will be very important.
    I have received a briefing this morning from Secretary Rubin and my 
economic team on the situation in Brazil, and on the developments in the 
world markets. We are monitoring these developments closely, especially 
what is going on in Brazil. We've been in contact with key Brazilian 
Government officials, the G-7, and other important countries. We've been 
in contact with the International Monetary Fund. We have a strong 
interest in seeing Brazil, with whom we have worked on so many important 
things around the world, carrying forward with its economic reform plan, 
and succeed. And we certainly hope that they will.
    At the present time, I think that's about all I have to say about 
developments there.

Senate Impeachment Trial

    Q. Mr. President, what do you think will be the outcome of the 
impeachment trial? We know what your hopes are, but what do you think is 
really going to happen?
    The President. I think the Senate has to deal with that. We filed 
our brief today. It makes our case. The important thing for me is to 
spend as little time thinking about that as possible, and as much time 
working on the issues we're here to discuss as possible. They have their 
job to do in the Senate, and I have mine. And I intend to do it. I 
intend----
    Q. Well, do you fear any removal from office, with the buildup of 
this case?
    The President. I think that the brief speaks for itself and the 
statements which have been made by hundreds of constitutional experts 
and others--I trust that the right thing will be done. And I think, in 
the meanwhile, I need to work on the business of the people.
    Q. Mr. President, your impeachment is before the Union, and you're 
giving your State of the Union Address. Don't you think you should 
directly address that matter during your speech?
    The President. I think the American people have heard about that 
quite extensively over the last year. My instinct is that I should do 
their business. I think they would like it if somebody up here were 
putting their interests first, their business first. And I think that's 
what they expect me to do. They know the Senate has a job to do; they 
expect them to do it. There is nothing else to be said to the House 
about it. The Senate has to deal with it.
    And my position is that, in addition to that, we have to deal with 
the problems of America, the challenges of America, the opportunities of 
America, and that's what I intend to do in the State of the Union 
Speech.

[[Page 47]]

    Q. Mr. President, your lawyers are arguing that the charges against 
you don't amount to high crimes and misdemeanors. Do you personally 
believe that perjury and obstruction of justice are not impeachable 
offenses?
    The President. I believe that it's not necessary for me to comment 
further than our brief. The important thing I think you should be asking 
yourself is, why did nearly 900 constitutional experts say that they 
strongly felt that this mater was not the subject of impeachment?
    My opinion is not important here. My opinion is that I should be 
doing my job for the country, and other people should be handling the 
defense and dealing with this issue. And that's what I intend to do.

Brazilian Currency Devaluation

    Q. Mr. President, on Brazil. Do you--[inaudible]--harmful effect on 
the U.S. economy? We send a lot of exports to Latin America.
    The President. Well, as you know, we have worked hard to keep the 
financial crisis in Asia, which engulfed Asia last year, from spreading 
to Brazil. Latin America is our fastest growing market for American 
goods and services. And Brazil is the largest country in Latin America. 
So obviously, we hope that the situation will be resolved in a 
satisfactory way not only for the people of Brazil but for all of the 
people in the Americas that want to continue to enjoy the good progress 
that all of us have enjoyed in the last several years. And we're working 
hard to that end and will continue to do so.

Note: The President spoke at approximately 10:30 a.m. in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House.