Gov. Clinton Urges Leadership

Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton laid out his plan for reviving the country last night at the Kennedy School of Government.

Speaking before an enthusiastic crowd of approximately 800, the Arkansas governor attacked President Bush's domestic policies, outlining where he feels the country needs redirection.

"We need to establish communication between the people and the President," he said. "Over the last 11 years, Presidents Reagan and Bush have tried to say that the nation's problems are not the president's problems."

"I'm just the president,' they said. Let the governors and mayors and the thousand points of light take care of the country."'

Saying that he cannot stand by and "let the country literally unravel by the seams," Clinton asked, "Do you want a national leader with a vision who will work for the people?"

"To me, the answer to this is clear, and that is why I am running for president."

Clinton said that many Americans are dissatisfied with the state of the nation but also feel that Bush is an unbeatable candidate.

People today are worried about their jobs, their futures, their children's education, the quality of their cities, and yet do not look to President Bush for leadership on these issues, he said.

"President Bush has been sending out the message that American politics cannot have a positive effect on people's lives," Clinton said.

"That is absolutely not true. We're going to change that."

Throughout his 80-minute presentation, in which he spoke and answered questions, Clinton pointed out where the U.S. has fallen behind.

"We're 10th in the world in eduction. We're 12th in literacy rates. We're 19th in bringing in babies alive to the world. Japan and Germany are both booming economically, and we're still in decline."

Saddens Me

"It saddens me that this is the country we might give to our children to inherit," he said.

Some of the changes Clinton said he hopes to make if he is elected include:

* A tax cut for the middle class

* Stronger quality control in the federal government and the private sector

* More attention and funding for AIDS research

* Abolishing the Pentagon ban on gays serving in the armed forces