Gingrich Goes On Offensive Against Clinton

WASHINGTON (July 24) -- House Speaker Newt Gingrich has outlined what he says will be the thrust of the Republicans' direct attack against President Bill Clinton during the upcoming campaign.

At a breakfast briefing, he described the president as "a charming character of almost zero credibility." He said Clinton runs a "scandal-ridden White House" that is "incapable of being a role model for children." And he said he was right in December 1994 when he first suggested that White House officials were having problems getting security clearances because of their use of illegal drugs.

"I had a senior law enforcement official tell me that, in his judgment, up to a quarter of the White House staff, when they first came in, had used drugs in the last four or five years," Gingrich said on NBC's "Meet the Press," in December 1994.

At the time, White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta and senior adviser George Stephanopoulos blasted Gingrich's comments as reckless. Now the speaker, citing recent Secret Service testimony, says they engaged in "deliberate falsehoods," although the testimony cited only 21 cases.

White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry is shooting right back, telling reporters today that Gingrich's beef "borders on the pathetic."

On other issues, Gingrich says he expects the Congress to send legislation to the president by early August on reforming welfare, increasing the nation's minimum wage, reforming health insurance, and banning same-sex marriages.

If the president vetoes welfare reform, Gingrich says, "we'll make it miserable" for him. But White House officials predict Clinton will sign the welfare bill, barring some surprise when the bill comes out of the conference committee.

The speaker also accused the administration of being soft on national security. Without linking the recent TWA plane crash to terrorism, he blasted the CIA for underestimating this threat. And he said CIA Director John Deutch is "frankly not doing a very good job anticipating the future."

"He's clearly unleashed a barrage of garbage today," McCurry told reporters. "The speaker has within his capacity the ability to get well briefed on this, and I suggest in the future he get a little better briefed before he shoots his mouth off."

Finally, the speaker offered his personal favorites for Dole's vice presidential short list: Michigan Gov. John Engler, Ohio Gov. George Voinovich, California Attorney General Dan Lungren and Florida Sen. Connie Mack. One common thread: all four are opposed to abortion rights.

Related Stories:

• President May Launch Plan For Federal Downsizing -- July 23, 1996
• Gingrich Pounds On Drug Use Issue -- July 23, 1996

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