PRESS RELEASE
September 26, 1996

STATEMENT BY JOE LOCKHART
NATIONAL PRESS SECRETARY

In his new ad, Bob Dole is resorting to insults over ideas.

The Truth about the Clinton Record: he's the first President to cut the deficit for four consecutive years since before the Civil War. Under 3 and 1/2 years of President Clinton, the deficit has been cut by 60 percent. The President's 1993 Economic Plan cut federal spending by $255 billion -- one of the largest spending cut packages in history. Spending as a share of the economy has declined from 23.3% to 21.7% of GDP and is lower than at any time during the previous two Administrations -- lower than any year since 1979. The federal workforce has been reduced by nearly 250,000 workers to its lowest level since President Kennedy.

President Clinton’s CBO certified balanced budget cuts spending by an additional $500 billion more over the next six years and protects our values. Also, he has signed a welfare reform bill that will save $60 billion.

Now let’s take a peek at Bob Dole’s record. Bob Dole voted for over $900 billion in new taxes over 35 years in Congress. When Bob Dole was a Republican Leader -- as Senate Finance Committee Chairman and Senate Majority Leader -- from 1980 to 1986, the deficit tripled. Worse, his risky $548 billion economic scheme would blow a hole in the deficit and actually raise taxes on nine million working Americans.

Bob Dole had an interesting idea with his ad today. Too bad, it’s the ad Republican Steve Forbes ran about Bob Dole in the 1996 Republican Presidential primaries.

Recall: "A choice for Republicans in wasteful spending. Should Congress have spent six million dollars of taxpayers money for an Idaho ski resort? ...Bob Dole voted Yes. Should Congress have spent 2 1/2 million dollars of taxpayers' money to build bicycle paths in North Miami Beach? Bob Dole voted Yes. ...Bob Dole -- Washington values."

# # #

Steve Forbes Television Ads

"Wasteful Spending"
:30
Television

"A choice for Republicans on wasteful spending. Should Congress have spent six million dollars of taxpayers' money for an Idaho ski resort? Steve Forbes says No. Bob Dole voted Yes. Should Congress have spent 2 1/2 million dollars of taxpayers' money to build bicycle paths in North Miami Beach? Steve Forbes says No. Bob Dole voted Yes. Two men -- different values. Bob Dole -- Washington values. Steve Forbes -- Conservative values." [Forbes release, 1/3/96 as quoted in Hotline, 1/4/96]

Senate Subway
:30
Television

"A choice for Republicans on wasteful spending. Should Congress have spent $18 million for a new subway to run three blocks from senators' offices to the Capitol? Steve Forbes says no, it was wasteful spending. Bob Dole says yes. Bob Dole voted for a new subway to run three blocks from senators' offices to the Capitol. Two men. Different values. Bob Dole -- Washington values. Steve Forbes -- conservative values." [Associated Press, 12/13/95]

Dole’s Taxes
:30
Television

Announcer: "Since 1982, Bob Dole has voted for tax increases, raising income taxes, taxes on phones, gas, even Social Security. A total of 962 billion dollars in tax increases."

Steve Forbes: "I'm Steve Forbes. I disagree with Bob Dole. We need a flat tax that's a tax cut. It's simple. It's honest. And that's a big change for Washington."

Announcer: "Steve Forbes for President."[Transcribed from video, NBC, 11/5/95. First aired, 11/2/95]