Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 24, 1993 TAG: 9303240099
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
MILITARY MIGHT LIMIT GAYS' JOBS
President Clinton said Tuesday at his first formal news conference that it is probably constitutional to restrict the duty assignment of homosexuals in the military.He also sharply criticized Japan on trade.
His 40-minute session with reporters in the White House East Room began with a flurry of questions about Boris Yeltsin and the Russian political crisis. But before long the emphasis turned to other matters, including qualifications for his Supreme Court nominee to his plans for allowing openly gay people in the military.
Brought back to the gays-military topic that threw him off stride in the first weeks of his administration, Clinton said he would not rule out limiting homosexuals' military assignments "depending on what the grounds and arguments were."
Clinton has taken the first steps toward allowing openly gay people in the military. He delayed his policy for six months as the Pentagon examines whether it would cause problems.
He said Tuesday it is probably constitutional to restrict the duty assignments of homosexuals.
Clinton said that if the military can discriminate against people based on whether they say they are homosexuals - the current situation - "I would think you could make appropriate distinctions on duty assignments once they're in.
"The courts have historically given quite wide berth to the military to make judgments of that kind in terms of duty assignments," he said.
His comments were sharply criticized by gay leaders. "Any suggestion that gays and lesbians should be discriminated against either in terms of entering or staying in the armed forces, or in terms of the job they get, is ridiculous," said Tim McFeeley, head of the Human Rights Campaign Fund.
Clinton also said, in answer to other questions:
In replacing Justice Byron White, he would want any Supreme Court nominee to support the constitutional right to privacy - the underpinning of legalized abortions - but would not specifically ask candidates how they would vote in abortion or other cases.
Chances for selling American goods to Japan on an equal basis are "somewhat remote" in view of the huge and persistent trade surplus enjoyed by Tokyo. He renewed his support for higher tariffs on foreign-made minivans, saying he was "astonished" that the Bush administration "gave a $300-million-a-year freebie to the Japanese for no apparent reason. And we got nothing - and I emphasize nothing - in return."
Clinton promised to propose a campaign-finance reform bill soon that would eliminate "soft money" - large donations to political parties by wealthy individuals, labor unions and others.
He said he has not decided whether to replace FBI Director William Sessions, and is awaiting a recommendation from Attorney General Janet Reno.