Bill Clinton: “Well, I believe that most Cuban-Americans want us to be very firm. The Cuban-Americans that I know, without regard to…”

“Well, I believe that most Cuban-Americans want us to be very firm. The Cuban-Americans that I know, without regard to their party, supported the Cuba Democracy Act, and they remember how awful it was for the United States when the Mariel boatlift occurred. They remembered what it did in this country and the feelings it engendered in this country. And I do not believe they want another Mariel boatlift. And I do not believe we can afford to do that. And so my own view is that most Cuban-Americans will support what we're trying to do and wish us to be firm. I would remind you that the Attorney General, who is in charge or oversees the INS, who has done a lot of work on this, and who will have a press conference, I think, when I finish to answer some of the details of this policy, was the prosecuting attorney in Dade County. I talked to the Governor last night at some length about this--of Florida. I think my own feeling is--and I've talked to Cuban-Americans, of course, exhaustively for years now, and we've been in touch with them and with the Florida congressional delegation--I believe this policy will have broad support. I will be surprised if it does not have broad support. Yes, Cragg [Cragg Hines, Houston Chronicle].”