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Remarks at a Meeting With Doug Luffborough and an Exchange With Reporters

July 01, 1993

The President. Hello, everybody. Those of you who travel with me regularly will, I think, recognize the young man on my right, Mr. Doug Luffborough. He was the student speaker at Northeastern University in Boston the other day. This is his mother, whom I introduced from the audience; got a big hand. He's here with President John Curry of Northeastern and Senator John Kerry, his Senator. I invited him and his mother to come visit me in the Oval Office, so they didn't wait long to take me up on the invitation. [Laughter] I'm glad to see them here today.

You may remember also that he brought the house down. He not only gave a great speech, but he sang at the beginning of his speech. I thought to myself, if I could sing like that I wouldn't be giving speeches today. [Laughter]

Mr. Luffborough. Well, it was a wonderful opportunity for me and a wonderful opportunity for my family and especially for my mother. I've been waiting for an opportunity like this, and I'm just really thrilled. And I'm really glad that Northeastern was the place you decided to come. It's been a pleasure and an honor to be here today. Thank you.

Q. Mr. President, what was it about Doug that impressed you so much?

The President. First of all, that he had come from such humble circumstances to go to college and to stay in college and that he had made the most of it. He obviously never felt sorry for himself. He obviously had a mother who helped him to believe in himself, as many others do. And the fact that his fellow students picked him to be the spokesperson for their class showed that they identified with the values and the inner strength and drive that took him to the success that he enjoys. I was very impressed. And I just thought it would be neat if they could come down here and see me.

Vietnam

Q. Sir, what signal do you hope to send by lifting U.S. opposition to international loans to Vietnam?

The President. I haven't made an announcement on that. When I do, I'll be glad to discuss it.

Iraq

Q. Mr. President, Tariq Aziz seems this afternoon to be holding out some type of an olive branch, saying that Iraq will not avenge the attack the other day and also that he hopes for better relations with your administration. What response do you have, if any?

The President. I don't know. I need to be briefed on what he said. But of course, they shouldn't act in revenge. We have evidence that what was done was wrong, and the United States had to respond.

NOTE: The President spoke at 5:03 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these remarks.

William J. Clinton, Remarks at a Meeting With Doug Luffborough and an Exchange With Reporters Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/220879

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