Bill Clinton: “Absolutely. I strongly favor it. I think it ought to be done. Nothing is clearer to me than when you see the Congress…”

“Absolutely. I strongly favor it. I think it ought to be done. Nothing is clearer to me than when you see the Congress still trying to make up their mind what the domestic policy of the citizens of the District of Columbia in non-Federal matters ought to be. I think that the District of Columbia should chart its own course. And I still believe all the concerns are very compelling. I have to tell you that there has always been substantial opposition in the Congress. And a lot of Members who might ordinarily be strongly for statehood are nervous about whether their own citizens are going to be taxed by the District of Columbia if it becomes a State. I think the question now is, since this is going to be a major debate that will require an awful lot of concentration on the part of the Senators and a lot of focus to work through the issues, when is the appropriate time for it to be brought up to guarantee that it will be seriously considered? Because unless you get serious consideration, it won't pass. That is, the easy thing for a lot of the Members of Congress will be is just to vote no. The only way it can win is if we can bring it up in a relatively calm atmosphere where people can really focus on the practical problems the people living in the District of Columbia face and on the contribution the District of Columbia makes to the country in terms of taxes, people in military service, and in many other ways. So I still very much believe that this ought to be done. But we have to bring it up at a time when we've got a fair shot to prevail. I mean, I could bring it up and make a speech for it and let it go down. If we want it to pass, we have to bring it up at the right time where people can really focus on it. President's Priorities Mr. Levey. Sir, you said the night before you took over, that you did not want to be allowed to become a captive of the White House. You wanted to be the kind of President who got out. Do you think you've succeeded in that?”