BY TERENCE HUNT
The Associated Press
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Nervous and excited "like a kid at his first Christmas," President Clinton watched John Glenn's liftoff Thursday from a rooftop shaking with rocket thunder. He saluted Mr. Glenn as "a genuine American hero."
Mr. Clinton was the first president to witness a space launch since Richard Nixon and his wife, Pat, sat in pouring rain for the liftoff of Apollo 12 in November 1969. Mr. Clinton was accompanied by his wife, Hillary, who said she dreamed years ago of being an astronaut but was turned down.
"I got a letter saying they weren't taking women back in the dark ages," the first lady remarked.
Five days before the midterm elections, the visit to the Kennedy Space Center allowed Mr. Clinton to share some of the media limelight and wrap himself in the nostalgia of Mr. Glenn's return to space 36 years after becoming the first American in orbit.
Mr. Clinton said he unexpectedly got a call from the 77-year-old Mr. Glenn during the Mideast peace talks on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
"I thought, oh my goodness, something happened, he can't go," Mr. Clinton said. He said Mr. Glenn told him, "I just called to make sure you're not going to chicken out on me. I want you down there when I go up."
The Clintons were speechless for about a minute and a half and reached for binoculars as Discovery roared out of sight. Mr. Clinton said he was "absolutely thrilled." Mrs. Clinton said it was amazing.
Mr. Clinton thanked NASA and added, "And of course I want to thank John Glenn, my good friend and a genuine American hero."
"It's an important day for the space program. But it's a great day for America, a great day for our senior citizens, and I hope that all Americans share the exuberance that I feel today," Mr. Clinton said.
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