Clinton's Low Profile With Olympics And Crash

By Bill Schneider/CNN

WASHINGTON (July 26) -- Sometimes in politics, you can earn points, not for what you do, but for what you don't do. The rule is: don't exploit an occasion of triumph or tragedy for polticial advantage, i.e. don't grandstand.

It's kind of hard not to grandstand at the Olympics. After all, they're a great sporting event. The President of the host country is supposed to show up and say a few cermemonial words, as Clinton did: "I declare open the Games of Atlanta, celebrating the 26th Olympiad of the modern era," he said opening night.

Then he's supposed to get out of the way and let the athletes take center stage.

Well, OK, he can also be cheerleader-in-chief for the home team.

"I want you to win all the medals you can," Clinton told the American athletes. "I want you to mop up and do great."

The same rule applies to a terrible tragedy like the TWA airline crash. It's a non-political event. Don't grandstand. A lot of politicians didn't follow that rule. They rushed into the spotlight created by the tragedy, and sometimes added to the confusion.

New York Gov. George Pataki (R) was one of them. "I don't want to raise any false hopes but perhaps as many as a hundred additional bodies can be brought to shore, we hope over the course of the next few days," he told the victims' family members.

But Robert Francis, vice chairman of the National Transportation and Safety Board, then told reporters another story. "I'm telling you what I know, that there are no bodies that we have discovered that have not been recovered," he said.

President Clinton behaved cautiously. He stayed away for a week. He did not allow the tragedy to overshadow the Olympic celebration. He did not let it monopolize his agenda.

"We are working very, very hard to get to the bottom of this," said Clinton. "We will do that, and we will give them the answers they seek as soon as we possibly can."

The President's response was measured and reasonable.

[Clinton balances between Pataki and
Carter]

"We do not know why TWA flight 800 crashed," he said. "If it was a mechanical failure, additional safety measures may be required. If it proves to be a criminal act, other security steps may be required. Whatever needs to be done, we will do it."

In late 1979, President Carter allowed the seizure of American hostages in Iran to become a major crisis. It dominated his agenda through. America was held hostage.

President Clinton didn't make that mistake. In fact, he was criticized for keeping too low a profile in the airliner tragedy. The nation's mourner-in-chief was conspicuously absent from the memorial services.

Finally, on Thursday, the President went to New York and met with the families of the victims.

"It's a wonderful thing -- I'm amazed by this, it makes me feel very good," said Richard Penzer, who lost a family member in the crash. "And it's not for any real personal gain. I don't think it's for a political agenda. I think it's just because he's a kind-hearted person."

It was also politically shrewd. If President Clinton had elevated the tragedy into a crisis, it would have increased the pressure on him and paralyzed his administration. It would have left Americans feeling more anxious and vulnerable.

And it would have invited criticism. The country has had two major airline crashes this year. And three previous incidents of terrorism during his presidency. Is the administartion doing enough to protect Americans?

[Clinton with the US Women's Gymnastic
team]

In this case, prudence was good politics -- and the political play of the week.

The President resisted the temptation to grandstand. Except maybe a little at the Olympics.

"When I was walking through the crowd, a very tall, fine looking man from Croatia came up to me and thanked me for what our country has done for Croatia," Clinton told American atheletes this week. "When I was walking down the sidewalk, a man who is a part of the Palestinian team came up to me, and a man from Ireland came up to me, and paused with tears in his eyes, saying that he remembered when Hillary and I went to Ireland last year."

Yesterday, the president went to New York to meet with the families of the disatser victims, then to Atlanta to cheer the Olympics. It was a day of presidential non-politics. And it was very good politics.

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

Clinton's Low Profile With Olympics And Crash

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