
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, May 4, 1993                   TAG: 9305040068
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

DOLE BALKS; CLINTON BACKS OFF

Accused of playing "petty political games," the White House backed down Monday from President Clinton's statement that Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole was trying to spend $23 million in taxpayers' money on a boathouse project in Kansas.

The about-face came after Dole said the White House was guilty of a "$23 million lie," and he declared: "If the White House wants to play hard ball, I'm ready to suit up."

Beating a retreat, White House Communications Director George Stephanopoulos said, "The president regrets the misunderstanding that may have been caused by any hyperbole in his jokes" Saturday night at dinner with White House correspondents.

Stephanopoulos acknowledged that the potential cost to taxpayers "is not as high as stated in the president's joke." In mostly humorous after-dinner remarks, Clinton had cited a figure of $23 million for the boathouse. In response, Dole said the project would not require any money from Washington.

The flap started last week when administration and Democratic Party officials accused Dole of hypocrisy during debate over Clinton's failed economic stimulus bill.

During that debate, Dole was harshly critical of what he called "embarrassing pork" projects in the legislation, including proposals to use Community Development Block Grant money for golf courses, swimming pools and shopping malls.

In taking on Dole, the Clinton supporters cited a letter he sent federal housing officials in March supporting a boathouse project in Wichita. The building originally was purchased with block-grant money for a senior citizens center that moved last year, so the city needs permission from federal housing officials to convert it to a boathouse.

At a dinner Saturday night, Clinton said Dole was seeking $23 million in aid for the boathouse project at the same time he was criticizing the stimulus bill for its grant projects.

But there is no new federal money involved in the boathouse project. The renovations - expected to cost $850,000, not $23 million - would be paid for with private funds, provided the government approves changing the purpose of the building.

"The White House lied," Dole said in a harshly worded statement. "There's no $23 million boathouse, no deficit spending, no new money, no connection with the president's deadbeat `stimulus' bill, and no truth coming from a White House staff that is ill serving the president with these sophomoric attacks."

Dole went on to say "another ploy from the never-ending Clinton campaign has backfired. It may be a joke to the White House, but the American people aren't laughing at the Clinton administration's petty political games."

by CNB