1992 Presidential Debates
1992 Presidential Debates
National televised U.S. Presidential debate between U.S. President George Bush, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, and billionaire industrialist Ross Perot, held in St. Louis, Missouri, and moderated by Jim Lehrer.
1992 Presidential Debates
(DO NOT USE THIS SEGMENT) ABC News Correspondent Jeff Greenfield introduces program.
1992 Presidential Debates
(DO NOT USE IMAGE OR AUDIO OF JIM LEHRER) Reform Party candidate H. ROSS PEROT says the separating characteristic between his campaign and that of the other candidates is "that 5 1/2 million people came together on their own" to put him on the ballot; "I was not put on the ballot by either of the two parties. I was not put on the ballot by any PAC money, by any foreign lobbyist money, by any special interest money. This is a movement that came from the people." "I go into this race as their servant. I belong to them. So this comes from the people."
1992 Presidential Debates
(DO NOT USE IMAGE OR AUDIO OF JIM LEHRER) Governor of Arkansas WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON (Bill Clinton) says, "I represent real hope for change." Governor Clinton turns to President George H.W. Bush and says, "For 12 years you've had it your way, you've had your chance, and it didn't work. It's time to change. I want to bring that change to the American people." U.S. President GEORGE BUSH (George Herbert Walker Bush) says, "We've dramatically changed the world... the changes are mind-boggling. Kids go to bed at night w/o the fear of nuclear war. And change for change's sake isn't enough..." President George Bush says experience separates him from the pack. Governor Bill Clinton responds by promoting his state record statistics; "We have got to have the courage to change... I think the American people deserve better than what they're getting... We're living in a new world after the Cold War..."
1992 Presidential Debates
(DO NOT USE IMAGE OR AUDIO OF JIM LEHRER) U.S. President GEORGE BUSH (George Herbert Walker Bush) says, "This country is not coming apart at the seams, for heaven's sake! We're the United States of America! In spite of the economic problems, we're the most respected economy in the world... we've been caught in a global slowdown... We can do much better but we ought not to try to convince the American people that the country is falling apart at the seams... Yes, there are big problems, and yes, people are hurting, but I believe that this agenda for America that I have is the answer to do it..." Reform Party candidate H. ROSS PEROT says, "Well, they're right, I don t have any experience is running up a 4 trillion dollar debt. I don't have any experience in gridlock government. I don't have any experience in creating the worst public school system in the industrialized world... but I do have experience in getting things done... I've got a lot of experience in not taking 10 years to solve a 10 minute problem..."
1992 Presidential Debates
(DO NOT USE IMAGE OR AUDIO OF JIM LEHRER) U.S. President GEORGE BUSH (George Herbert Walker Bush) says, "I think character is a very important question... I think it's wrong to demonstrate against your own country in foreign soil. I just think it's wrong. Maybe they say it's a youthful indiscretion. I was 19 or 20, flying off an aircraft carrier, and that shaped me to the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces... Bill's gotten on me about, Read my lips, but when I make a mistake I'll admit it..." Reform Party candidate H. ROSS PEROT says character is a subjective issue best left up to the American people; "The party is over and it's time for the clean-up crew."
1992 Presidential Debates
(DO NOT USE IMAGE OR AUDIO OF JIM LEHRER) Governor of Arkansas BILL CLINTON (William Jefferson Clinton) says he honors the WWII military service of President George Bush but he takes offense to the President taking on his sense of patriotism, going so far as to invoke the ghost of Prescott Bush and his standing-up to Joe McCarthy; "I was opposed to the war but I loved my country. We need a President who will bring this country together, not divide it. We've had enough division. I want to lead a unified country." Applause. Ann Compton asks Governor Bill Clinton about tax cut guarantees for middle class families; Governor Clinton says his tax increase plan starts with the $200,000 + tax bracket; "In addition to that, with the money I raise from upper income people, and by asking foreign corporations to pay the same income tax as American corporations do will be used to give incentives back to upper income people." "I'd like to create more millionaires than were created under Mr. Bush & Mr. Reagan but I don't want to have 4 yrs of no growth in the private sector."
1992 Presidential Debates
(DO NOT USE IMAGE OR AUDIO OF JIM LEHRER) U.S. President GEORGE BUSH (George Herbert Walker Bush) reiterates briefly an earlier debate regarding the Vietnam-era patriotism of Governor Bill Clinton, then attacks Clinton's proposed "tax and spend" economic plan. "It always ends up being the working man paying the bill. I have a different approach, I believe the way to get the deficit down is to control the growth of mandatory spending programs." Applause. Reform Party candidate H. ROSS PEROT says, "We've got to have a growing, expanding job base to gives us a growing, expanding tax base... we've got to rebuild our job base... we cannot pay off the 4 trillion dollar debt, balance the budget, and have the industries of the future and the high-paying jobs in this country w/o having the revenue. We're going to be going through a period of shared sacrifice..."
1992 Presidential Debates
(DO NOT USE IMAGE OR AUDIO OF JIM LEHRER) John Mashek asks H. Ross Perot about his proposed gasoline price increase; Reform Party candidate H. ROSS PEROT says the increase is incremental, and that he didn t create the problem, instead he's trying to fix it; "I know it's not popular. But the people who will be helped the most by it are the working people who will get the jobs created b/c of this tax... We've got to collect the taxes to do it. If there's a fairer way, then I'm all ears." Get it? Ross Perot has big ears! Joke intended, audience laughs. "I'm not playing Lawrence Welk music tonight!" Governor of Arkansas BILL CLINTON (William Jefferson Clinton) says there are two deficits in the U.S., one being a federal budget deficit, and the other an investment - jobs - income deficit: "People are working harder for less money than they were 10 yrs ago... we've got to invest and grow... it offers the best hope to put America back to work & get our incomes rising instead of falling." U.S. President GEORGE BUSH (George Herbert Walker Bush) says Ross Perot's gasoline tax is unfair & unnecessary, then says Bill Clinton's "tax and spend" plan is wrong; "... control the growth of mandatory spending & get taxes down... I've been talking about getting a capital gains tax cut forever..."
1992 Presidential Debates
(DO NOT USE IMAGE OR AUDIO OF JIM LEHRER) Ann Compton queries H. Ross Perot on his economic plan & how he would use his Presidential powers to immediately get the American economy rolling again; Reform Party candidate H. ROSS PEROT says he would form economic teams to deal with existing federal plans, and send out task forces to deal with small and large business problems; "Convert from 19th to 20th century capitalism; You see, we have an adversarial relationship between government and business... put together your plans by Christmas, be ready to go when Congress goes..." Audience applauds. Governor of Arkansas BILL CLINTON (William Jefferson Clinton) says his first priority would be to pass a "jobs program," then to deal with health care costs and provide blanket health insurance for all Americans (universal health care); Gov. Clinton then touts his state record. U.S. President GEORGE BUSH (George Herbert Walker Bush) says he's already working on reviving the U.S. economy, and promises that James Baker will be put to work on domestic affairs.
1992 Presidential Debates
(DO NOT USE IMAGE OR AUDIO OF JIM LEHRER) Sander Vanocur queries U.S. President George Bush on the issue of drugs, but not before joking about his the incessant references to former U.S. President Harry S. Truman during the campaign, saying, "So much so that I think I'll wake up tomorrow & see him named as the next commissioner of baseball." U.S. President GEORGE BUSH (George Herbert Walker Bush) says legalization of illicit drugs is not the answer, that we must continue to fight the war on drugs; President Bush says cocaine use among teenagers is down, but while saying this he curiously touches his nose and wipes it... ?! "We're using the military more now in terms of interdiction. Our funding for recovery is up..." "Legalization of narcotics... would be totally counter-productive." Reform Party candidate H. ROSS PEROT seconds President Bush's anti-legalization position, says crack babies cost the American taxpayer $125,000; "We went on the Libyan raid b/c we were worried that Quaddafi might be building up chemical weapons. We've got chemical warfare being conducted against our children... talk won't do it, folks." Governor of Arkansas BILL CLINTON (William Jefferson Clinton) says he's held crack babies in his arms, then says he has a brother who's a recovering drug addict; "If drugs were legal I don't think he would be alive today. I am adamantly opposed to legalizing drugs." Gov Clinton says more law enforcement, more on-demand treatment is needed.
1992 Presidential Debates
(DO NOT USE IMAGE OR AUDIO OF JIM LEHRER) Reform Party candidate H. ROSS PEROT delivers closing remarks: "... I love this country. I love the principles which it was founded on... I don t like to see the country s principles violated. I don't like to see the people in a deteriorating economy & a deteriorating country b/c our government has lost touch with the people... We got to change the system... we got to put our house in order... Aren't you sick of being treated like an unprogrammed robot?... I'm doing this for your children... the greatest repayment I can give is to recreate the American dream for your children & grandchildren..."
1992 Presidential Debates
(DO NOT USE IMAGE OR AUDIO OF JIM LEHRER) Governor of Arkansas BILL CLINTON (William Jefferson Clinton) delivers closing remarks, thanks the Sun Valley computer & electronics executives, as well as business executives inclined for a change; the woman who adopted an AIDS baby; the woman whose husband lost his job. Gov Bill Clinton attacks the record of President George Bush. "I want the future of this country to be as bright & brilliant as its past, and it can be if we have the courage to change."
1992 Presidential Debates
(DO NOT USE IMAGE OR AUDIO OF JIM LEHRER) U.S. President GEORGE BUSH (George Herbert Walker Bush) delivers closing remarks: "Let me tell you a little what it s like to be President. In the Oval Office you can't predict what kind of crisis is going to come up. You have to make tough calls... and then you need a philosophical underpinning. Mine for foreign affairs is democracy & freedom. And look at the dramatic changes around the world. The Cold War is over. The Soviet Union is no more... Take a look at the Middle East. We had to stand up to a tyrant. The U.S. came together and we kicked this man out of Kuwait... We now have ancient enemies talking peace in the Middle East... We are less afraid of nuclear war... On the domestic side we must have change that empowers people... and we need to strengthen the American family. I hope as President that I've earned your trust..."