COMMENTARY ON CLINTON PRESIDENCY : Summit Was an Inspirational, Grass-Roots Exchange of Ideas : What a thrill to witness a forum full of intellectual challenge. There were diverse voices, but no note cards.

I felt a tingle of excitement as I became a participant with the rest of America in the Clinton/Gore economic “teach-in.” The 1992 election marked 40 years in which I have been active in partisan politics, the last 12 having been years when our country’s economic and social fabric became frayed and torn.

Perhaps one reason I was an early supporter of Bill and Hillary Clinton, at a time when neither was popular in Southern California, is because I thought they would repair that fabric. Another is the fact I have lived 33 years in Orange County, where social problems have been allowed to fester in the midst of affluence, where a Democrat is often suspect, where discussions of national politics take a back seat to discussions of sailing and quarterly profits.

So, I guess in a perverse way, I feel that Clinton’s initial sojourn to Orange County was like Nixon’s trip to Communist China. Both he and Nixon, by entering the “enemies’ ” camp, wooed and captured their opposition. What poetic justice!

Although my personal contact with the Clintons has been limited, I am convinced that they are concerned about important issues ignored by the Reagan/Bush administrations.

These are issues which until recently didn’t directly impact those who profited mightily from the go-go years of the 1980s.

It is ironic, but not surprising, that Kathryn Thompson and Roger Johnson became beacons of light from Orange County in the recent election--and as representatives from Orange County at the economic summit. Both are longtime Republicans in industries that today feel the pain of restructuring. They probably wondered why the rest of us were so convinced that the Reagan/Bush Administrations were taking us down the wrong path.

Fortunately, Thompson and Johnson had the guts to raise their voices and give some credibility to the voices of Democrats who were not heard. What surprises me is how long it took for Orange County Republicans to see the light!

Until late in the game, I didn’t think Bill Clinton would win the nomination or the election. However, I remained a supporter.

I felt he offered this country something we have not had for some time--an intelligent, compassionate leader who wanted--and knew how--to govern.

The very attributes that many found troublesome in Bill Clinton--his lifelong interest in public service, his tendency to explain too much, the inclusion of his wife and non-traditional voices in policy decisions, and his lack of black-and-white answers--are the attributes that made him attractive to me. It is these very attributes that made his economic teach-in such an inspiring experience.

President-elect Clinton has exposed Americans to a real economic forum, not a Perot-type town meeting where communication is controlled and (is) one-way. The forum has facilitated a thoughtful, provocative, constructive exchange of ideas between professionals and non-professionals, between workers and executives, between elected officials and voters. It has been an exchange full of intellectual challenge, emotional outpouring, and expression of hopes and dedication to change.

What a thrill to see our new President and vice president listen and respond in a way that illustrates their concern about domestic issues. No note cards, no looks to staffers for answers, no hesitation to acknowledge new ideas. What a thrill to see and hear the voices of women and people of color given the same status of those of white males. What a thrill to hear education, child care and criminal justice linked to the economic well-being of our country. What a thrill to see representatives of small business, rural towns, community-based organizations, and self-help programs treated the same as Fortune 500 executives and members of Congress.

I would be less than candid not to worry about: What happens when the thrill is gone? What happens if raised expectations are not met? What happens if the willingness to share sacrifice becomes traditional interest-group conflict? What happens if foreign policy problems crowd out domestic concerns? What happens if Clinton and Gore become overwhelmed by the participation of citizens they have so graciously encouraged?

In essence, what happens if we expect too much too fast and forget that the democratic process is frequently slow and full of unanticipated consequences?

Only the passage of time will reveal answers to these questions.

However, if the goodwill generated by this first Clinton/Gore initiative is any indication, a broad spectrum of citizens is ready to do its part.

How exciting to think about a country coming together rather than splitting apart! How exciting to think about Republicans and Democrats working together to get things done! How exciting to think that perhaps once again America will become the land of opportunity! How exciting to see family values reflected in a partnership in the White House! How exciting to be exposed to public debate about the great issues of our time!

To paraphrase one of the speakers at the economic teach-in, how exciting to once again be in “love with our own possibilities.”