Dole Raps Clinton On Missile Defense

By Bruce Morton/CNN

SUNNYVALE, Calif. (June 18) -- On his second day of campaigning in California, Bob Dole came to high-tech Silicon Valley to talk defense -- and the harm he says Bill Clinton's defense policies have inflicted on the state's economy (128K WAV sound).

Workers at the Lockheed plant where Dole spoke produce the THAD missile, a more sophisticated version of the Patriot anti-missile used in the Gulf War. But employment is down to about 10,000, compared with 25,000 in 1986.

Dole accused President Clinton of dragging his feet on missile defense.

"Clinton's opposition to missile defense is one of the most negligent, short-sighted, irresponsible and potentially catastrophic policies in history," Dole said. It encourages terrorists to think about missile attacks, he said.

"In North Korea and elsewhere, a rogues' gallery of terrorists and aggressive anti-American regimes, I believe are, in effect, being encouraged by the administration's attitude," the presumptive GOP nominee said.

Dole made it clear he would speed development of the Lockheed plant's THAD and missile defense in general.

He also noted that people often don't believe what politicians say, and linked that to his decision to leave the U.S. Senate (160K WAV sound).

"I decided that I should put my career on the line, because I think America's future's on the line," he said. "That's how important it is. So I decided to roll the dice, and I rolled the dice, and now it's up to you."

What did people in the audience think?

"The guy has some ideas," one man said. "I think that's part of the problem with a lot of politicians today. They want to be president, but they don't really seem to have an idea of what they want to do when they get there, except be president."

One woman called Dole's speech "very down to earth, and I thought it was very true to what the American people really want. They want to have security in their lives."

Earlier, Dole stopped to visit a volunteer fire station, noting that his father and grandfather had been firefighters.

Dole used the Sunnyvale stop to say that Clinton's defense policies had hurt California, and, at other stops on this tour, he will say other Clinton policies have done the same thing in other areas, including agriculture.

This story originally appeared on CNN's "Inside Politics."

Dole Raps Clinton On Missile Defense

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