Exchange With Reporters in Lexington, Kentucky

Elections and NAFTA

Q. Mr. President, isn't it going to be a lot tougher to get NAFTA votes from Democrats after the election results?

The President. No.

Q. Why not?

The President. What in the world would that have to do with anything?

Q. Well, Members are going to say that you can't get the numbers.

The President. That's ludicrous. That's just a Washington story. That's ridiculous. What about all the mayors that walked in with no opposition that were active in my campaign in the primaries? That's ridiculous. I'm proud of the showing that those two guys had, Florio and Dinkins. They came back from the dead. Everybody wrote them off. Besides that, NAFTA wasn't an issue in any of those races. I just think it's ridiculous. The only thing they need— [inaudible]—is doing the right thing for America. And I think they will.

The real evidence is that if people think you're for change you get elected, and if they think you're for the status quo that's not working, you're—[inaudible]—and the proper change this time is to support NAFTA.