NYDailyNews

Rare Clintons Sighting
First time together on public stage since White House exit

By TIMOTHY J. BURGER
Daily News Washington Bureau

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The nation's former First Couple took the stage together yesterday for the first time since Bill and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton made their stormy departure from the White House.

The Clintons used their appearance at a teachers union convention to criticize President Bush's education budget but were confronted instead with questions about why they are rarely seen together in public.

"He has a lot of responsibilities, and so do I," the senator later told reporters.

Yesterday was one of only a couple of times since January that the two have been photographed together. They managed a brief vacation in the Dominican Republic last month, but for most of the time in recent weeks, the former President has been in India, Mexico and Canada. He is about begin a speaking tour of Europe.

Sen. Clinton insisted they're merely a busy two-career couple.

"We have both very busy schedules," she said, adding that they try "to spend as much time as we can together privately. ... [If] there's an opportunity [to appear] publicly, you know, we will, but he has a lot of responsibilities, and so do I."

In her speech, the senator hammered Bush's education plan, adopting state Controller Carl McCall's quip that described the new administration's education proposal as an "am-Bush."

Her husband argued that the Bush administration wants to pass a hefty tax cut but will shortchange schools.

"We've got a $115 billion shortage in school construction and repair," he said.

Clearly ready to say more, he said he was trying to observe the unofficial rule "that former Presidents are not supposed to make any political statements for a year or so after they leave office."

"Don't get discouraged. Politics is never final," he urged. "Hold on. It'll be all right."

The New York State United Teachers lured the Clintons here by choosing the former President to receive the Al Shanker Award for Distinguished Service, the same award Hillary Clinton received two years ago as First Lady.

The Clintons' conduct onstage underscored the senator's status as the family's new politician. Serenaded by Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow," they strode onto the stage and hugged and kissed folks on the dais. But the former President stayed at least 5 feet behind his wife the whole time.

She was still working the dais of officials of a union that had endorsed her Senate bid when the former President sparked cheers by waving and saluting the crowd.

Also following the Clintons, as usual, were protesters bearing signs, including one that read: "Is this a sex education award?"

Original Publication Date: 5/5/01

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2001

Answers

"but were confronted instead with questions about why they are rarely seen together in public."

geez, leave well enough alone. doesn't shrub provide enough entertainment for these guys?

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2001

I'm just thankful that there were no pictures in this thread. :)

-- Anonymous, May 06, 2001

Do the arithmetic: $115 billion in additional federal money for school construction and repair, and let's assume 100 million people pay federal income tax, that's an average of $1150 federal funds per taxpayer, for this one purpose. Screw that.

-- Anonymous, May 06, 2001