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Politics : The Donkey's Inn -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Mephisto who wrote (560)	10/10/2001 5:15:38 PM
From: Mephisto	Respond to of 15516

Sen. Clinton: Airport Security Should Be Federalized By Charles Babington washingtonpost.com Staff Writer Wednesday, October 10, 2001; 4:27 PM Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), whose state was devastated in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, today said Republican lawmakers should drop their opposition to a federal takeover of airport security. The senator, at a luncheon with Washington Post reporters and editors, said airport security deserves the same type of federal involvement that marks border patrols, interstate law enforcement and other endeavors handled by full-time government employees. An airport security bill remains tied up in the Senate this week in large part because lawmakers disagree on whether airport security workers should remain in the private sector or become civil servants. GOP opposition to the federalization proposal "is surprising," Clinton said, "because one of the challenges we face is how to restore confidence in flying." Currently, airlines hire the people who check for weapons, bombs or other dangerous materials among passengers preparing to board planes. Last month's suicide hijackings of four jetliners triggered calls for more stringent operations. Many congressional Republicans oppose full federalization of airport security workers, prefering a more vigilant government oversight of private contractors handling the task. They say federal employees are more difficult to redirect or fire if they are not performing their jobs well. But Clinton said such proposals would prove cumbersome. "I don't know what 'federally supervised' means when it comes to law enforcement," she said. "Do you then hire a cadre of federal supervisors who go in and watch the people who are hired by private contractors? I don't know how that would work in practice." On a related matter, the senator said she supports key measures in the anti-terrorism package now before Congress. Some civil libertarians say the bill would invite abuses by significantly easing federal restrictions on tapping phones, holding immigrants for questioning and other controversial practices. The proposals are unlikely to lead to "Orwellian" government practices, Clinton said. But she said she may support a proposal to sunset the new guidelines after five years. "We are in unchartered waters," she said, and the nation needs time to see how new anti-terrorism measures will work out. The senator said little about her famous husband, referring to his presidency as "the previous administration." Asked about the former president's adjustment to private life, she said, "He's been thinking really hard and talking, both publicly and privately" about the ramifications of last month's terrorist attacks and where the nation goes from here. Bill Clinton, meanwhile, has been more expansive in praising his spouse. He delivered a speech Tuesday night at the Kennedy Center, and then took questions from the audience alongside his longtime political adviser James Carville. "Here's a question: Who do you most admire?" Carville said. "Well, the short answer is Hillary," the ex-president replied after hesitating briefly. "You had me nervous there for a second, boss," Carville said, prompting much laughter. Clinton took the cue. "I'd like to say a little more about that," he said. "I mean, that's also the true answer. I mean, I've never known anybody that had quite the combination of mind and heart and strength and tenderness that she does. I've worried about her a lot these last months. As well as I've worried for [New York City] Mayor [Rudolph] Giuliani and the other – Senator [Charles] Schumer, the other members of the New York congressional delegation, the governor, the leaders of the fire and police department." Washington Post reporter John F. Harris contributed to this report. © 2001 Washington Post Newsweek Interactive