Quayle says Clinton administration most corrupt
06:09 p.m Mar 28, 1998 Eastern
By Jeff Franks
HOUSTON, March 28 (Reuters) - Former Vice President Dan Quayle blasted
the Clinton administration on Saturday as the most corrupt in U.S.
history and said the sooner it goes, the better.
Quayle, who said he is considering a run for the Republican presidential
nomination in 2000, said that the White House sex scandal had so
distracted President Bill Clinton that the United States was suffering
from weak leadership.
''I believe this is the most corrupt, most arrogant administration in
the history of our republic and the sooner they go the better for all
America,'' Quayle said in a speech to 1,500 Texas Republican activists.
''Clearly Bill Clinton has not told the truth on this. What does he have
to hide?'' he asked later when speaking with reporters. ''The whole
conduct of this administration had been absolutely outrageous.''
Clinton has been accused of having a sexual relationship with former
White House intern Monica Lewinsky and making sexual advances toward
former White House volunteer Kathleen Willey.
He has denied the allegations. But Quayle said the charges against him
were ''very serious'' and it was possible the president, currently
touring Africa, would not serve out his full term.
Quayle said Clinton was ''distracted'' by scandals. ''This is very
dangerous. America needs a full-time president,'' he said.
Quayle, who served as vice president under President George Bush, said
he would not decide until 1999 whether to stand for the presidency.
Polls have shown him running well behind Texas Gov. George W. Bush as
the favorite for the Republican nomination. Bush did not go to the event
on Saturday, billed as a forum on the Republican future.
No straw polls were taken at the event, but other possible candidates,
including magazine publisher Steve Forbes and U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft of
Missouri, showed up for early campaigning.
The favorite to win the Democratic presidential nomination is Vice
President Al Gore.
Quayle said it was too early to say whether Gore was being tainted by
the Clinton scandals.
''Clearly if Bill Clinton is still in office and is weak, that is not
going to help Al Gore. We'll have to wait and see what the circumstances
are in the year 2000,'' he said. ^REUTERS@ |
