Bill Clinton: “Well, first of all, most American women, even with young children, are in the work force now. More than half of them…”

“Well, first of all, most American women, even with young children, are in the work force now. More than half of them, even with children under 6, are in the work force. That presents us with a great source of wealth and talent to strengthen America. It also presents us with challenges, providing adequate care for the children, trying to provide adequate time for the parents to be with the children. After all, raising children is still the most important work of any society, and it should not be minimized. But I strongly believe that women should have equal opportunities with men in all areas. We have many women in the United States Senate, we have many women Governors of States, and someday before long I think we'll have a woman President. As you noted, my wife is a lawyer. We're both lawyers, and most people who know us think that she is the real lawyer in our family. So I like it when she gives political speeches, when she works as she is now as the head of our task force to reform our health care system. I asked her to do it because I thought she had more ability than anyone else I knew to do that job. And if we get that done for the American people, that will be perhaps the most important social reform in America in a generation. And so I think I would be irresponsible as the President of the United States not to use the talents of someone I know can serve the American people. It's very simple to me; it's a straightforward thing. Now, having said that, this issue is still--it's not as controversial perhaps as in Japan, but it's still a controversial issue at home. There are still people who have some reservations about the role of women in various areas of our life. There are still people who have certain reservations about whether a spouse of a political leader should make speeches, have opinions that are expressed, and do this kind of work. I might say that most of the people who say that my wife shouldn't be doing this really disagree with our position. They're saying she shouldn't be doing this, but most of them just don't agree with what we're trying to do. So there is some controversy in the United States about it, but I think most people, and I know most women, respect the fact that the First Lady is functioning as a full citizen and as a partner, as a part of this administration. I am ultimately responsible for the decisions that the President must make. There are all kinds of things that we never even talk about. But to ask her to do something she is clearly competent and able to do seems to me is the right thing to do for America. If you look at the population trends in Japan, your rather low birthrate but your phenomenally high life expectancy, so that most Japanese couples will have literally decades after their children have left the home, it seems to me that your country will have to take advantage of the brains and the education and the skills and the capacities of women in order to be what you ought to be and do what you have to do. I think you will have to do that. Do I have to leave, Mr. President?”