Thursday, January 27, 2000
Tristate split on Clinton's place in history
BY PAUL BARTON
Enquirer Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — When Tristate residents view President Clinton's final State of the Union speech tonight, they are likely to be split into two camps:
A good many will stand convinced that because of the Monica Lewinsky scandal and other episodes in his presidency, he is headed toward an inglorious rendezvous with the history books after he completes this last year in office.
Still others will see a man whose record on the economy and other issues will eventu ally overshadow the personal problems that have been so much in the news over the last seven years.
One thing's for sure, Cincinnati-area residents tend not to mince words when talking about the 41st president.
Mr. Clinton delivers the State of the Union to a joint session of congress at 9 tonight.
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ECONOMIC INDICATORS
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How some key economic indicators for the Cincinnati metropolitan area have fared during the Clinton years. All figures are the latest available.
• Per capita income: Increased from $20,760 in 1992 to $25,855 in 1997.
• Total employment: Increased from 847,700 in 1992 to 985,500 in 1998 (figures rounded).
• Value of goods and services produced in Cincinnati (Gross Regional Product): Increased from $45.7 billion in 1992 to $57.6 billion in 1999 (estimated).
• Welfare recipients, Hamilton County: Declined from 33,800 in 1996 to 21,300 in 1999. Sources: Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce; University of Cincinnati; Ohio Department of Human Services.
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“The first word that comes to mind is that it's been embarrassing to the country,” Steve Hampson, 32, of Pleasant Ridge said in evaluating the Clinton presidency.
But Kathleen Cox, 51, of Cincinnati said, “I believe he has brought some issues of equality to the forefront. Our country is in good shape fiscally. More people own their own homes and are employed.”
Those are typical of the range of attitudes uncovered when asking Tristate leaders, officials and average voters to evaluate the impact of the Clinton presidency on the region and the nation.
“Certainly, the reactions to Bill Clinton around the Tristate are rather visceral. You rarely run into someone who doesn't feel strongly one way or another,” said George Bishop, political scientist at the University of Cincinnati.
Residents of Southwest Ohio have generally given Mr. Clinton lower approval ratings than the state as a whole.
“Cincinnati tends to run a little below the statewide approval rating for Clinton, but in 1999 it started to fall well below the statewide approval rating,” said Eric Rademacher, co-director of the Ohio Poll.
Mr. Clinton's statewide numbers in 1999 ranged from 54 percent to 59 percent. The most recent Ohio Poll, in October 1999, gave him a 46 percent approval rating in Southwest Ohio.
Much of the approval is for his handling of the economy. The Tristate economy, mirroring the national economy, has been robust under Mr. Clinton. Employment in the Tristate has grown by close to 250,000 jobs in the 1990s, while per capita personal income has increased 25 percent.
Who should get the credit for that economy is a matter of dispute among Clinton watchers.
Stanley Chesley, a Cincinnati lawyer and fund-raiser for Mr. Clinton, has little doubt that the president deserves praise for the economy, reducing welfare rolls and crime and improving a wide range of other social indicators.
“All you have to do is look at the stock of Ohio corporations,” Mr. Chesley said. “It will probably go down in history as a remarkable eight years.”
Rep. Ken Lucas, D-Richwood, also said there is no denying the success of Clinton's economic policies.
“I think the Northern Kentucky area has really boomed and prospered,” he said. “The greatest thing the federal government has done for us is to control interest rates, balance the budget and start paying off the debt.”
Others give the credit more to the Federal Reserve, which controls monetary supply and interest rates, than to the White House.
“I am not sure I would call them the Clinton years. I would call them the Greenspan years,” said Joe Kramer, vice president for economic development at the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce. His reference was to Alan Greenspan, the chairman of the Federal Reserve.
But the economic performance, Mr. Kramer said, has been stunning almost anyway you look at it.
“From '93 on, the metro economy just roared back,” he said. “We have been averaging over 20,000 net new jobs for years.”
GOP members of the area congressional delegation insist it was Congress that prodded Mr. Clinton in the right direction on economic policy.
“Some of the credit has to go to the Republican Congress for forcing Washington to put the lid on spending,” said Rep. Rob Portman, Terrace Park.“We are the ones who forced the fiscal discipline.”
Economic growth is just one of several ways that Cincinnati-area minorities have benefited from the Clinton years, said Milton Hinton, president of the Cincinnati chapter of the NAACP.
“When the economy is generally good, it is helpful (to African-Americans)” he said.
Mr. Hinton said Mr. Clinton has been sensitive to minority concerns on other issues as well, including appointments to his administration.
“When you look at his cabinet and the executive branch, it is probably more reflective of the country than at any time I can remember,” Mr. Hinton said. “There is a will to do something about diversity, rather than just mouth it.”
But whenever they are discussing Mr. Clinton, Tristate residents have a hard time avoiding the Lewinsky scandal.
“I voted for him both times,” said Caleb Faux, 47, a Northside Democrat. “As a president he has done a relatively good job. In terms of his personal performance, it has been less than impressive.”
Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Cincinnati, goes much further in terms of criticizing the president's sexual relationship with Miss Lewinsky, a former White House intern.
“I think the lack of respect he showed for the highest office in the land was repugnant and offensive to most of the people in our area,” Mr. Chabot said.
Mr. Clinton's personal prob lems also cause regret among religious leaders.
“The Clinton years have provided a very mixed set of results with regard to the issues that are important to the church,” said Andy Figueroa, spokesman for Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio.
“The administration's sponsorship of legislation that is generally helpful for people in their personal and work lives, such as the Family Medical Leave Act, is notable.”
But he added, “We reflect with regret (on) the sexual misconduct of the president, which mitigates against any significant positive role model he may have served in that office.”
Elected Democrats, such as Mr. Lucas, express similar thoughts. “What I think was a major weakness in his presidency was the lack of moral leadership,” he said.
But others, such as Ms. Cox, contend that should not be part of evaluating his performance as president.
“I don't think you should judge people's professional life on their personal life,” she said, adding, “I think other presidents have had similar issues that were never brought out. Everybody has skeletons in their closet.”
Mr. Bishop, the University of Cincinnati professor, predicted that future historians may come to a similar conclusion regarding the Lewinsky matter.
Said Mr. Bishop, “I think they will more than likely set that aside in evaluating his administration.”
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