George H.W. Bush: “No, not totally. I think it's ridiculous to start throwing in special legislation just before a trip to kind of look…”

“No, not totally. I think it's ridiculous to start throwing in special legislation just before a trip to kind of look like the macho trying to dictate the foreign policy of this country. It's crazy. But they have their own constituents, and I've got mine. But it's all good-spirited, and we'll do our thing, keep it on broad international principles, and then take my case to the American people. And the American people do not want to go back into isolation, cutting off foreign markets. They want to expand them. And they remember, some of them are old enough to remember the thirties with decreasing world trade. And some of them are not old enough, but they've studied enough about it to know that protectionism begets shrunk markets and further unemployment. And so, I can understand it when a Congressman gets up and, ``Well, if you don't get x commitment here in this district, why, I'll introduce legislation.'' That's fine. They don't have the responsibility for conducting the policy, and I do.”