Transcript of Clinton Remarks

FAS | Space Policy Project | Life on Mars ||||| Index | Search | Join FAS

   WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is a transcript
of remarks made by President Clinton today upon his departure
this afternoon:

                         The South Lawn

  1:15 P.M. EDT

     THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon.  I'm glad to be joined by my
science and technology adviser, Dr. Jack Gibbons, to make a few
comments about today's announcement by NASA.

     This is the product of years of exploration and months of
intensive study by some of the world's most distinguished scientists.
Like all discoveries, this one will and should continue to be
reviewed, examined and scrutinized.  It must be confirmed by other
scientists.  But clearly, the fact that something of this magnitude
is being explored is another vindication of America's space program
and our continuing support for it, even in these tough financial
times.  I am determined that the American space program will put it's
full intellectual power and technological prowess behind the search
for further evidence of life on Mars.

     First, I have asked Administrator Goldin to ensure that this
finding is subject to a methodical process of further peer review and
validation.  Second, I have asked the Vice President to convene at
the White House before the end of the year a bipartisan space summit
on the future of America's space program.  A significant purpose of
this summit will be to discuss how America should pursue answers to
the scientific questions raised by this finding.  Third, we are
committed to the aggressive plan we have put in place for robotic
exploration of Mars.  America's next unmanned mission to Mars is
scheduled to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center in November.  It
will be followed by a second mission in December.  I should tell you
that the first mission is scheduled to land on Mars on July the 4th,
1997 -- Independence Day.

     It is well worth contemplating how we reached this moment of
discovery.  More than 4 billion years ago this piece of rock was
formed as a part of the original crust of Mars.  After billions of
years it broke from the surface and began a 16 million year journey
through space that would end here on Earth.  It arrived in a meteor
shower 13,000 years ago.  And in 1984 an American scientist on an
annual U.S. government mission to search for meteors on Antarctica
picked it up and took it to be studied.  Appropriately, it was the
first rock to be picked up that year -- rock number 84001.

     Today, rock 84001 speaks to us across all those billions of
years and millions of miles.  It speaks of the possibility of life.
If this discovery is confirmed, it will surely be one of the most
stunning insights into our universe that science has ever uncovered.
Its implications are as far-reaching and awe-inspiring as can be
imagined.  Even as it promises answers to some of our oldest
questions, it poses still others even more fundamental.

     We will continue to listen closely to what it has to say as we
continue the search for answers and for knowledge that is as old as
humanity itself but essential to our people's future.

     Thank you.

     Q Mr. President, Republicans right now are going through a
wrenching abortion debate.  At the same time, pro-choice advocates
have created the pro-choice public education project, they're calling
it.  They say abortion rights are under a very grave danger.  Would
you agree with that assessment?  And what do you think of the
Republican's troubles?

     THE PRESIDENT: Well, they are only under grave danger if the
election results in a change in the occupant of the White House.  But
what I think about the -- I'd like to just compare it with what we
did in the Democratic Party.  Some of our pro-life members asked for
a conscience clause in the Democratic platform.  And I thought it was
a good idea.  I recommended it.  The platform committee unanimously
embraced it.  And the Democratic Party was proud to do it.  We
believe this is a matter which should be left to private conscience.
And we believe that people who have pro-life convictions should be
respected.

     What you see here in the Republican Party is more of the
extremism that we saw manifested in their budget proposals, their
environmental proposals, their opposition to sensible crime proposals
in the previous two years.  And it's lamentable.  It's not good for
the country.  And I would just say that in this convention season, we
would welcome thoughtful, moderate, concerned Republicans,
independents, to join our party this year and to help keep moving
America forward and bringing America together.

     Q You do not feel the rights are under grave danger at this
point?

     THE PRESIDENT: Well, right now we have a Supreme Court decision
and an administration committed to the pro-choice position and
committing to doing whatever we can to keep the government out of
that decision, but to take initiatives that would reduce the number
of abortions in America, including the recent tax credit for adoption
that we strongly supported that will be part of minimum wage bill
when it comes to me for signature.

     So I'm determined to protect those rights and to keep the
government out of it.  But it is fair to say that in this election
that is one of the matters at issue.  Yes, it is fair to say that.

     Thank you.

     Q Where did you get that tie?

     THE PRESIDENT: It's an Olympic tie.  I got it down at the
Olympics.  Do you want to trade?  (Laughter.) Thanks.

     THE PRESS: Thank you.

            END          1:20 P.M. EDT

 -0-