Clinton Has Nothing but Praise for Tsongas After He Ends Drive : Democrats: Arkansas governor says the ex-Massachusetts senator made an ‘extraordinary contribution.’

After Paul E. Tsongas told him by telephone that he planned to end his presidential quest, Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton praised his former opponent for his “extraordinary contribution” to the Democratic debate and vowed to keep campaigning hard against former California Gov. Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown Jr.

Clinton is now the prohibitive favorite to win the nomination. Nevertheless, “I am going on as planned. I still have an opponent in this primary process,” Clinton told reporters before leaving for a campaign swing in Connecticut.

Regarding Tsongas, Clinton said: “I applaud him and what he has done.

“He was very generous in his remarks, and he reaffirmed his commitment to trying to win the White House in November and trying to defeat George Bush. I was very impressed with what he said and how he said it.”

Clinton praised Tsongas for entering the presidential contest when Bush was “still at 90% approval, because he knew the country was going in the wrong direction, which is something that should endear him to the people of this country forever.”

Clinton said that “by engaging in a serious debate over economic issues, and by taking the economy seriously, (Tsongas) proved in the debate we had that the Democrats want somebody who can restore economic growth.”

“And that unless you have real growth and opportunity, unless there are more jobs, you cannot achieve social justice. We had our differences of opinion, of course, about how best to do that, but I think that it was remarkable that, in the end, the race involved two people . . . who were the most serious about economic growth, something the Democrats have not been identified with in a very long time.”

Clinton said: “I was very grateful for the call today, and I look forward to the opportunity to visit with him personally. . . . We had a very good talk.”

Then, as the reporters hurried away, someone in the crowd shouted a final question at Clinton as he walked by: “Are you relieved?”

“Yes,” the governor answered.

Clinton and his top aides took pains to let it be known that he takes nothing for granted.

“Half the states have yet to speak in this primary process, and we’re going to go on and try to win their votes,” said Deputy Campaign Director George Stephanopolous.

Clinton added that he has no plans to cancel his appearance with Brown in Buffalo on Saturday.

“The people of New York have a right to a campaign,” said Bruce Lindsay, a top Clinton aide. “We’re not afraid of Gov. Brown and we intend to carry on.”

Yet Clinton and his staff seemed to share a collective flush of barely contained excitement at the prospect of taking on George Bush in November.

Clinton, for example, entertained a question about whether he would consider Tsongas as a running mate in November, even though Clinton said he has, in the past, “studiously avoided” such vice presidential speculation.

“It’s certainly something that should be considered,” Clinton said of Tsongas. “He has a major contribution to make . . . all the way through the general election and then afterward, if we’re victorious. What that contribution should be, I think it’s too soon for anyone to gauge.”

Separately, a former Miss America denied Thursday that she had an affair with Clinton, whose campaign has been dogged by an allegation of marital infidelity.

The Clinton campaign released a written statement from Elizabeth Ward saying: “Although I have met Bill Clinton and his family, at no time did any romantic relationship exist between the governor and myself.”

Playboy magazine spokesman Bill Page said an article on Ward due to appear in the next issue “is not harmful to Clinton.”

The issue is expected on the newsstands April 7, the date of a major Democratic primary in New York and primaries in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Kansas.