European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 17, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Or president Clinton whispers to wife Hillary As she and vice president Al Gore Lead the applause after the president introduced the administration s health care  / to or of rvs ,153% 7 a a if Eva if my Clinton s first year controversy Compromise and Celebration by Terence Hunt the associated press member the old movie where the heroine was tied Down on the Railroad tracks and the train was coming and at the very last second she was saved Bill Clinton s first year As president was something like that. Both stories have the same ingredients lots of action suspense ups and Downs near death rescues and a Happy ending. The jury s still out on the Happy ending but Clinton has endured 12 Rocky months filled with controversies criticism and compromises and emerged with a string of victories. He s also Wiser to the ways of Washington. My biggest Surprise coming Here was that you can read All the books you want to about the presidency you can talk to All the people. But until you be operated in this environment you cannot possibly mentally prepare for it the president said. You just can t do  i was amazed at How much More intense the decision making environment was even much More than i imagined the president said. He also was surprised that the words of a president carry so much weight. At the one year Mark Clinton has an impressive legislative record on bitterly fought issues a $495 billion deficit reduction package the North american free Trade agreement the Gatt world Trade Accord and after a seven year Battle the Brady handgun control Law. The margins of Victory were so slim at times that White House officials spoke facetiously about Clinton  a round of year end polls showed that the legislative successes helped offset personal image problems that continue to plague his presidency. Clinton signed a family leave Bill allowing workers to take time off for childbirth adoption or illnesses of loved ones. The motor voter act makes it easier for americans to Register to vote. A National service Bill will allow some students to repay College Loans with Volunteer work though the program was drastically reduced in size from what Clinton wanted. Republicans demanded some of the credit. Republicans made a difference boasted Senate cop Leader Bob Dole. Indeed republicans provided a solid base of support for Naftal while democrats abandoned Clinton in droves. In a year end interview Clinton said one of his greatest fears was that the old demons that have plagued the american political system the last several years will somehow Rise up and keep us from having a year next year that builds on this year s record  the improvement in the nation s Economy gave his presidency a boost even though he could t claim All the credit for the change. So did the popularity of Hillary Rodham Clinton whose poll ratings consistently outperform her husband s. Yet As Strong As Clinton was on Domestic programs he had far less Success on the foreign policy and National Security front. North Korea remained recalcitrant on its suspected nuclear program. Despite repeated us. Warnings of air strikes against aggressors in the former Yugoslavia the death toll there continued to mount. In Somalia Clinton was forced to Retreat. In Haiti  diplomacy failed. The setbacks and growing criticism of Clinton s foreign policy team resulted in the forced resignation of defense Secretary Les Aspin and his replacement by a Washington establishment figure Bobby Republican backing the gop s Bob Dole of Kansas left and Bob Michel of Illinois watch Clinton sign letters implementing Naftal. Ray Inman a retired Admiral and former Deputy director of the Cia. In foreign policy no country is More important than Russia and suddenly its future is a huge question Mark. Unyielding in his support of Boris n. Yeltsin Clinton embraced the russian Leader As his country s Best Hope for democracy and fortified him with billions in economic Aid. Yet average russians fed up with economic reforms delivered a 26 the stars and stripes monday january 17,1994