6/25/96
PRESS RELEASE

STATEMENT BY ANN LEWIS
DEPUTY CAMPAIGN MANAGER

President Clinton welcomes the endorsement of jazz legend Lionel Hampton. Mr. Hampton has been a loyal Republican for over fifty years. In fact, the last Democrat Mr. Hampton supported was President Harry S. Truman.

Mr. Hampton, in a statement that he gave to the President in New York last night, said the following:

"I originally joined the Republican party because it was the party of Abraham Lincoln. Over the years I became personally friendly with and supported Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Prescott and George Bush, as well as John Lindsay, Nelson Rockefeller and many others who are still friends. But it seems the Republican party of today doesn't recognize the views of moderate Republicans like me."

President Clinton and Vice President Gore appreciate the support of Mr. Hampton.

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