RNC Chair Extends 'Hand of Cooperation'

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Jan. 20) -- The newly elected chairman of the Republican National Committee, Jim Nicholson, congratulated President Bill Clinton on his second inaugural today.

In a prepared statement, Jim Nicholson said: "On this inauguration day, Republicans join in congratulating President Clinton and in extending a hand of cooperation as we work toward our mutual goals of balancing the budget for our children's future, cutting taxes for working families and making government smaller and smarter."

"As the president said in his speech today, we need a 'new government for a new century,' a government that is 'smaller' and 'lives within its means,' " Nicholson said. "Republicans welcome the president's embrace of this Republican goal and stand willing to help achieve it."

Nicholson, who was elected last week to succeed Haley Barbour, didn't put partisan politics completely aside, though. He also said Republicans "look forward to four years from today when we plan to celebrate the inauguration of a Republican president to work with a Republican Congress entering the next millennium."