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Time - Man of the Year
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1992-10-19
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NATION, Page 18COVER STORIESA Heated Exchange over Mudslinging
As the debate drew to a close, the issue of negative campaigning
was raised -- and so was the temperature
By MICHAEL KRAMER and JOHN F. STACKS/CHICAGO, Paul Tsongas and
Bill Clinton
Q. Let me make one observation. I have covered a lot of
presidential campaigns. You guys don't seem all that far apart.
The campaign has turned a little bitter, a little personal. Is
this the Democratic ticket, or is that impossible now?
CLINTON: They asked me today if I would consider him for
Vice President, and I said, "You bet I would."
TSONGAS: I answered the same question. I said anyone who
has run is a candidate for Vice President. You know, Bill, now
that we are face to face, why don't we agree that all the TV we
do from here on in, all the advertising is about what we stand
for and not try to define the other person. That's a fair
offer, isn't it?
CLINTON: Look, when you ran that ad talking about how you
were the truth teller, the only truth teller, that everybody
else is running based on polls, and I was trying to increase
the deficit with the middle-class tax cut, you knew it wasn't
so. [Nebraska Senator Bob] Kerrey and I paid for the
middle-class tax cut [by increasing the tax bite on the
wealthiest Americans]. So I don't know what your screaming
means.
TSONGAS: You don't want to take this? I make the offer
face to face.
CLINTON: Well, what do you mean? Are you willing to
concede that was a false ad?
TSONGAS: I will take off any ad you don't like. What could
be more fair than that?
CLINTON: Well, I don't want to get into that -- I think
the American people somewhere . . .
TSONGAS: You know that this negative advertising is
working.
CLINTON: No. I know what works.
TSONGAS: The offer is out there. Take it.
CLINTON: What worked was when I gave the American people
the different choice. Your choice was, "Here I am, a truth
teller against a middle-class tax cut that is going to increase
the deficit." My choice was, "I don't want more
across-the-board, something-for-nothing cuts in the capital
gains." I am for targeted benefits that people will already get,
so I get to characterize it.
TSONGAS: You want to continue what we are doing?
CLINTON: I want to continue sharpening the differences for
the American people.
TSONGAS: That's pretty clear.
CLINTON: I don't want to do anything that is unfair. If
you have abandoned your position on COLAs [cost of living
allowances], then I will say that, you know, we will change
that. You have a right to change. I have changed my positions
over the years. I wanted to change.
TSONGAS: You knew what my position was. It didn't stop you
from doing the . . .
CLINTON: No, I didn't. I thought your position was in the
book. You are still printing up that book and sending it to
everybody, so I didn't know that you changed your position from
the book.
TSONGAS: You . . .
CLINTON: And, you know, on the gas-tax thing, I just don't
think that's the only way. I have raised the gas tax. I am not
against the gas tax, but a nickel a year for a decade is too
much for people who don't live in urban areas and ride mass
transit.
TSONGAS: Let me ask you for a lesser concession. When you
put out the literature on my vote on aid to Syria, why don't
you also mention that six of the seven Jewish members of the
Senate voted the same way I did, as well as Ted Kennedy and
Scoop Jackson who were adamant supporters of Israel? That would
be fair.
CLINTON: I will give you that. That was put out by [my]
local people, and when I saw it, I didn't like it when I heard
your explanation.
TSONGAS: Did you say anything about it?
CLINTON: Yes, I said, "Let's don't put that out anymore."
Let me remind you of how this got started. The first big ad
there was -- the thing that got you the kudos from all the
thoughtful people -- was here are Bob Kerrey and Bill Clinton
out there pandering on how the middle-class tax cut is going to
increase the deficit when it was absolutely revenue-neutral, and
it was never the centerpiece of his or my economic plans. It was
a part of them. You had a right to position us and characterize
us in any way you wanted to, but when I took your book and your
specific statements, you didn't like that; but at least I
didn't say that you were trying to increase the deficit, which
was not true.
Q. Sounds like it's too early to talk about the ticket.