Clinton Rolls Through The South

ATLANTA (Oct. 25) -- President Bill Clinton continued his campaign swing through the South, beginning his day in New Orleans' French Quarter with strong coffee and beignets, a local delicacy of fried dough with lots of powdered sugar and calories.

When asked by reporters to comment on rival Bob Dole's unsuccessful last-minute appeal to Reform Party nominee Ross Perot to drop out of the race, Clinton simply shrugged his shoulders in apparent disbelief.

With his strong front-runner status firmly entrenched, the president and his aides were more than happy to let the Dole-Perot flap take center stage. The Clinton campaign theory is don't interfere when your opponents are engaging in self-inflicted political wounds.

Clinton is anxious to reclaim much of the South. His aides insist there's an opportunity for a long-term Democratic comeback. Later in Atlanta, he unveiled a federal proprosal to enlist 100,000 college students in work-study programs to to tutor elementary school children in reading.

Clinton told the rally, "I want you to support that. I want you to tell me that you will help to teach a child to read, to help people in this community who need it, to make this community one."

Clinton carried Georgia four years ago but only by one percentage point. Polls currently show he has a slight lead over Dole.

Clinton was especially anxious to help Max Cleland, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Sam Nunn. Cleland is in a tough battle against Republican businessman Guy Millner.

After spending Saturday relaxing at the White House and quietly celebrating First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's 49th birthday, the president hits the campaign trail again on Sunday with visits to the battleground states of Virginia and Tennessee.

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

Clinton Rolls Through The South

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