Bill Clinton: “Good morning. Governor Voinovich, Governor Carper, Mr. Scheppach, and to the members of the administration that are here…”

“Good morning. Governor Voinovich, Governor Carper, Mr. Scheppach, and to the members of the administration that are here and all the Governors, let me welcome you back to the White House. Before I begin, let me say what I know is on all of our minds: Our thoughts and prayers are with the people in central Florida where tornadoes have now killed 28 people. Governor Chiles is going to visit with our FEMA Director, James Lee Witt, the area today, and they will have our concerns with them. I'd also like to say I'm sorry we're starting a little late, but I've been working on the situation in Iraq. The Vice President and I met with National Security Adviser Berger this morning. Last night, just before our dinner, I spoke with the Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, and I have called Prime Minister Blair this morning; we had a long talk about the situation. I still have to talk to President Yeltsin and President Chirac, and I may have to leave the meeting and then come back. But that's all I have to say now, but I'm sorry we're starting a little late. I'd like to confine my opening remarks--and I'll try to truncate them since we're starting late--to education. For 20 years now, Governors have been in the forefront of education reform in the United States.…”