Clinton salutes 'six very good years' on Election Day            Full Coverage Search Clinton in Crisis The Trial Trial Guide Evidence Guide Transcripts Video Discuss the Trial The Starr Report and Rebuttals Video Index Documents Starr Investigation Jones v. Clinton Whitewater Jones v. Clinton Whitewater Updated November 3, 1998 4:21 p.m. ET WASHINGTON (AP) -- Planning a small, private election-night party, President Clinton marked the anniversary of his own election with talk of "six very good years -- very good years for our country." He deflected suggestions that Tuesday's vote was about him. "I think this election is a referendum on all the hopes of the American people for the future and their assessment of the present condition, and how we get from here to a better tomorrow," the president said. Clinton and his wife, Hillary, were inviting a few friends to the White House to watch TV coverage of the election returns. His spokesman said he would not comment on the outcome until Wednesday. Clinton capped about 10 months of fund raising and stumping for Democratic candidates -- taking place during his own personal and political crisis -- with an intense weekend of get-out-the-vote activities before settling in for a low-key Election Day. He spoke with reporters at the start of a meeting with his economic advisers but had no other appearances on his schedule. Clinton played the predictions game very cautiously. "In large measure it will depend upon who makes the effort to vote," he said. "None of us know what is going to happen." The president was watching election results with a list of names and numbers in hand -- all the candidates he campaigned for this season. The ones who win get a phone call, said one White House political aide. And the losers? "They get a nice typed letter," the aide said. As part of his effort to rally traditionally Democratic voters in recent days, Clinton cast the balloting -- and how it might alter control in Congress -- as critical to what he can accomplish in his remaining two years as president. Next week, a House Judiciary subcommittee holds a hearing on the history of impeachment, a step in the proceedings against Clinton for his handling of the Monica Lewinsky matter. But on Tuesday, the president was looking back as much as he looked ahead. ``It is my sixth anniversary, isn't it? They have been six very good years -- very good years for our country," he told reporters. "Even the bad days are good. It's an honor to serve, and my gratitude today is immense to the American people for giving me two chances to do this."

top of page

Copyright© 1999 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.