Koop to Clinton: May I Butt In?

Small world. President Clinton’s motorcade was slowing to a stop outside Alley’s General Store when it passed a church where former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop was leaving Sunday services.

While Clinton and his family ducked into the store for coffee and blueberry muffins--a chalkboard outside advertised “Free coffee for all presidents, ID required”--Koop and two friends found a White House aide, asked to see the president and were ushered inside.

“I encouraged him to stay tough on tobacco,” Koop later told reporters. Did the anti-smoking health advocate win any assurance from Clinton? “The look in his eye said he’s going to stay tough.”

One task ahead for Clinton when his three-week vacation ends Sept. 7 is finalizing a recommendation on the proposed settlement between tobacco companies and state attorneys general suing them for reimbursement of smoking-related health care costs.

The first family had just come from Sunday services at Chilmark Community Church. Later Clinton headed to the Farm Neck Golf Club for his third round of golf in as many days.