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CANDIDATE CLINTON: MR. NIXON, DON'T GO TO RUSSIA
**FLASHBACK**
Just a little bit of history repeating?
Perhaps.
Two weeks after he admitted to lying to the American people about a sexual affair with a 21-year-old intern, Bill Clinton leaves for Russia to meet with President Boris Yeltsin on Monday. Ironically, in 1974, congressional candidate Clinton scolded President Richard Nixon for going to the Soviet Union in the midst of his troubles at home.
Candidate Clinton's reason: No Credibility!
1998:
As Clinton's troubles continue to grow, Clinton and Yeltsin are scheduled to meet and discuss arms control, nonproliferation issues, anti-terrorist efforts and regional issues during a two-day summit in Russia.
Last week President Clinton called Russian President Boris Yeltsin to set the stage for tougher anti-terrorist and nonproliferation action - especially against Iran - at the summit.
The WASHINGTON TIMES reported late week: "U.S. officials said they hope that the trip helps to jump-start the Duma's [Russia's lower house of parliament] consideration of the treaty and leads to a START III pact that cuts superpower nuclear arsenals further. However, Clinton aides said that the president's focus during the summit will be on nonproliferation issues and terrorism."
"A Clinton aide said that the summit will concentrate on 'three baskets' - arms control, nonproliferation issues and regional concerns. For the first time, the issue of terrorism will be added to the regional concerns 'basket.'"
1974:
However, in 1974 - in the midst of President Nixon's Watergate troubles - congressional candidate Bill Clinton chided Nixon's trip to the Soviet Union, claiming that Nixon's credibility was suffering because of his role in the Watergate scandal.
Clinton said that President Nixon should have delayed his trip until the matter was settled.
"In an interview [ARKANSAS GAZETTE, 7/2/74], Clinton, 27, said, 'I had grave reservations about him [Mr. Nixon] going there to negotiate under the cloud that he's under now."
"'It doesn't help ... for the president to be weak at home. My thought is that, perhaps, the trip should have been delayed a few months until the matter is resolved.'
"Clinton said the Russians might think they could get 'a better deal because of our own domestic upheaval.'"
Congressional candidate Bill Clinton of Fayetteville said he thought President Nixon was having difficulty reaching an agreement with the Soviet Union on nuclear arms limitation partly because of the Watergate scandal.
"'How strong you are at the bargaining table tends to determine the terms you get in an agreement,' he said." |
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