NYDailyNews

Al Was Most Popular, Hil Reminds W

By TIMOTHY J. BURGER Daily News Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton tweaked President Bush yesterday for losing the popular vote to Al Gore.

In some of the former First Lady's most pointed remarks in a recent series of attacks on the President, Clinton (D-N.Y.) reminded members of the powerful American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union that more Americans favored Gore than Bush.

"More people voted for that agenda than the other agenda," the junior senator from New York said, slamming Bush's plans for Medicare, Social Security and HMO reform.

"I still kind of wonder what year we're living in, what decade we're living in, what century we're living in," she told the friendly crowd. "Because these are all issues that we as a nation, I believe, have spoken on."

Bush remains sensitive to the fact that he lost to Gore by more than 550,000 ballots in the national popular vote and was named President only after a controversial 40-day legal battle handed him crucial electoral votes from the state his brother governs: Florida.

The White House did not immediately respond to Clinton's remarks, but in recent days — and in Bush's speech yesterday — it has increasingly blamed current economic and energy woes on her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

The senator's office insisted that she is taking no particular pains to position herself as a party spokeswoman.

"She's speaking for her constituents, Republicans and Democrats alike, and the things they care about, like investing in child care and cleaner drinking water," said press secretary Karen Dunn.

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-Manhattan) said "it's too early" to say how Clinton will do as a national party mouthpiece because "she's a lightning rod right now."

But he said her potential is boundless: "Why are people talking about her as a candidate for President? Because she's qualified, eloquent, smart. That's Mrs. Clinton."

Original Publication Date: 3/28/01

-- Anonymous, March 28, 2001