Remarks on the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum in Seattle

I've been—when I gave my statement over there, one of you asked me a question—and I left—about Mr. Gingrich's charge that it was hypocritical for someone to have a memo which speculated about the recommendations that the Kerrey commission and others might have.

Now, I've told you what my position is. And my position is, I haven't and don't support cuts in Social Security, and I would support savings in the Medicare program only if they're used to advance the cause of health care.

Now, Mr. Gingrich has leveled a charge which is not right. It doesn't have anything to do with how the list came about. But he can solve this whole problem if he would say what I said. So just ask him if he and Senator Dole will say what I said. Will they say they support— they don't support cuts in Social Security, and they won't support using Medicare savings for anything other than helping health care?

If they have the same position, they can make this issue go away. Then they have to answer, what about their trillion dollar contract, because they will explode the deficit by a trillion dollars and start sending jobs overseas again.

The answer to this is for him to say what I have said to you today. So ask him if he'll take the same position. And then the only question is whether he's going to abandon his contract for all these tax cuts and spending increases.

Thank you.