July 7, 1999
Web posted at: 6:04 p.m. EDT (2204 GMT)

ONEONTA, New York (AllPolitics, July 7) -- Sounding a great deal like a Senate candidate, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton launched a "listening tour" Wednesday in upstate New York, kicking off an important phase in her attempt to be the first wife of a sitting president to run for political office.

After meeting with retiring Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan on Wednesday morning, Mrs. Clinton said the issues facing New York are issues that she has been working on all her adult life. "What's new to me is being on this side of the microphone," she told the reporters questioning her. (400k wav file)

She acknowledged that "the question on everyone's minds" is why she is considering running for the Senate from New York.

Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan and his potential successor, Hillary Rodham Clinton, met with reporters Wednesday

"You know, the Senate when it's at its best, is really there to represent what the people need and how best that it should be accommodated, so I would be, if I run and am honored to be elected, a strong and effective advocate on behalf of the people of New York," she said.

Mrs. Clinton said the question of whether she is a "carpetbagger" is a fair one and fully understands why people have raised it. The first lady never has lived in New York and currently is looking for a home there.

"I think I have some real work to do, to get out and listen and learn from the people of New York and demonstrate that what I'm for is maybe as important, if not more important, than where I'm from," she said.

Mrs. Clinton deflected a question about how the White House scandals that have shadowed her husband -- and her -- will affect a potential candidacy.

"I have no illusions that it will not be a very difficult and challenging race, but that's what should happen in a democracy. I think that is to be expected. We need that kind of back and forth and exchange of ideas from people," she said. "So I'm very anxious to get out and listen to New Yorkers and learn from them, and I'm very excited figuring out ways we can work together."

While Mrs. Clinton has traveled to New York several times this year, Wednesday's trip comes after she filed papers Tuesday creating an exploratory committee for a possible Senate run. The committee enables her to raise and spend money for campaign expenses.

Her candidacy is drawing intense attention. About 200 reporters and cameramen were on hand to record her remarks at Moynihan's farm.

Moynihan, whose relationship with the Clinton Administration has not always been smooth, said he supports Mrs. Clinton and said he hoped she would "go all the way." She said it was "only proper" to start a listening tour by "listening to probably the wisest New Yorker that we can know of at this time."

And when asked about a New York-specific question about trade with Canada, she deferred to Moynihan, saying, "Well, I'm going to let the expert speak on that."

She said she did not see a contradiction in a first lady running for office, comparing it to a congressman or governor running for another office.

"I have some obligations in my present responsibilities that I intend to fulfill but I'm going to spend as much time as a possibly can meeting with and listening to New Yorkers, and learning about the issues facing New York," she said.

President Bill Clinton, called his wife after her news conference to ask about her campaign debut and to wish her well, her aides said.

Mrs. Clinton has already come under fire from Republicans for using Air Force jets to fly to New York.

"She has been using a U.S. Air Force jet to fly around running for Senate. She should stop that," said Republican National Committee chairman Jim Nicholson.

The Secret Service has insisted that Mrs. Clinton continue to use Air Force jets on her travels for security reasons. Her new exploratory committee can now raise funds to reimburse the government for those expenses, but the government will continue to cover the cost of her security.

Aides to Mrs. Clinton also like to point out that Vice President Al Gore continues to use a government jets during his campaign for president, as George Bush did when he campaigned for the presidency when he was vice president in 1988.

Asked if it takes "chutzpah" to run for office in a state where she hasn't lived or worked, Mrs. Clinton said that thought crossed her mind when the idea of her candidacy was mentioned. But she also said: "I'm told that characteristic is not all bad in certain parts of New York. I may need a little of that, I think."

After stopping at Moynihan's farm in Oneonta, she will travel over four days to travel into the heart of GOP strength in the state, the upstate area north of New York City and the suburban counties surrounding it, including stops in Albany, Cooperstown, Syracuse and Utica.

She held her first listening session Wednesday afternoon at Oneonta College, part of New York's state university system, with education as the topic. She also paid a visit to the National Soccer Hall of Fame where she shook hands and chatted with supporters.

The reception to Mrs. Clinton may not always be warm. There were supporters waving signs as Mrs. Clinton arrived at the Binghamton, New York, airport Wednesday and was greeted by a group including state Democratic Chairwoman Judith Hope and former state Democratic Chairman John Burns. But traveling away from the airport, Mrs. Clinton could see a tractor-trailer carrying a sign that read, "Go Home Hillary" in large letters.

She likely will face no major competition in the Democratic primary. On the GOP side, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and two congressmen from Long Island, Rick Lazio and Peter King, could make the race.

Republicans are playing up the carpetbagger issue. Lazio cited it during an appearance's on CNN's "Late Edition PrimeTime" Tuesday evening.

"Well, It's an interesting thing ... that when she travels to New York, she calls it a tour. When I come back to New York from Washington, I call it coming home," Lazio said.

Giuliani also drew a contrast between himself and the first lady. "I have a very significant knowledge of the whole state. I've spent a lot of time in different parts of the state throughout my life, vacationed in all different parts of it, used to love to go to Saratoga and play the horses," he said during a Tuesday news conference.

Giuliani formed a Senate exploratory committee in April. Lazio already has a federal political action committee that could pay for campaign expenses before a formal announcement, expected within the next two months.

The latest Quinnipiac College Polling Institute poll of New York voters shows Mrs. Clinton and Giuliani in a statistical dead heat with Mrs. Clinton at 46 percent and Giuliani at 44 percent. In a matchup of Mrs. Clinton and Lazio, Mrs. Clinton gets 50 percent with Lazio at 34 percent.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Wednesday, July 7, 1999

• First lady sets off on 'listening' tour
• Buchanan, other Republicans hope for 'two-man' race with Bush
• Bradley makes serious run for 2000
• Clinton focuses on poorest of poor, American Indians
• Transcript: Clinton addresses Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
• House GOP proposes new capital gains cut
• Managed care evaluators to look at less-structured plans
• New snags for Holbrooke and ambassador to China nominations
• Cleland allows stark photographs of Vietnam War wounds
• Massachusetts governor announces prescription drug plan for elderly

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