THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 13, 1995 TAG: 9507130398
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
President Clinton has decided ``reluctantly'' to accept a military base closure list despite the heavy blow it would deal to politically important California, officials said Wednesday. But the White House said Clinton was still pondering how to save jobs in that state and in Texas and would make his decision today.
Clinton spent the afternoon with aides in the Oval Office examining a plan to shift jobs at two major Air Force bases in those states to the private sector. Both states, particularly California, are major prizes in next year's presidential election.
Gen. Josue Robles Jr., a member of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission, said senior defense officials had informed the commission staff that Clinton would approve the list.
``The basic thrust was he reluctantly will forward the list to the Congress,'' Robles said. ``That although he didn't agree with all the decisions, as a package, as a whole, he had no choice because of the impact on the Department of Defense.'' His account was confirmed by another defense official who declined to be identified.
But White House spokesman Mike McCurry suggested Clinton wanted to look at the figures a little longer.
``He's got to work through it,'' McCurry said. ``We'll wrap it up tomorrow.''
Of concern was whether the military could convert some of the aircraft maintenance jobs at the California and Texas bases to the private sectors in those states.
``The main issue is privatization,'' McCurry said. ``You've got to be able to prove it. . . . He wants real employment numbers.''
Of Robles' statement that Clinton would ``reluctantly'' accept the base closure list, McCurry said: ``Reluctance is an accurate characterization'' if Clinton accepts the list.
KEYWORDS: BRAC BASE CLOSURE by CNB