Clinton Takes Time to Spread His Message

Melding theology, politics and policy, President Clinton delivered a Christmastime lecture Wednesday on nothing less than the meaning of life--and the federal budget.

Alternately buoyant and nearly prayerful during his first post-impeachment public appearance, Clinton said he would seek $1.125 billion for homeless assistance in the budget he will unveil next year. That would amount to a 15% increase in federal spending for the homeless.

“If we can persuade the Congress to enact it,” he said in a speech to residents and local officials in a renovated Baltimore neighborhood, “it will be the largest effort to combat homelessness in the history of America.”

It would be that--but barely.

Clinton sought $1.15 billion in the current budget, and Congress approved $975 million.

Under the president’s program, California would receive $141.5 million.

The president’s announcement was the first of a series in coming weeks likely to highlight the policy issues on which he intends to focus next year. The appearances also are likely to reinforce the administration’s post-impeachment strategy of presenting Clinton concentrating on the nation’s business while his enemies try to drive him from office.

Speaking in the gymnasium of a Boys and Girls Club, Clinton presented his homeless-aid program in the context of the message of the Christmas season. Indeed, he devoted a large measure of his 20-minute speech to highly personal interpretations of biblical lessons.

“Along toward the end of the Book of Matthew, there is a great sermon where Jesus says--and I won’t go through the whole thing--but basically, ‘Even as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me,’ ” Clinton said.

“Now, what that really means is not what most people think. It doesn’t really mean, go out and give a bunch of money to poor people so you can feel righteous,” he continued.

Rather, he said, it means that “inside each of us there is a core that is the same, and not one person is better than another. That’s what it really means.”

That applies “whether you’re tall or short; whether you’re fat or thin; whether you’re black, brown or white; whether you look like a movie star or a person who had one boxing match too many.”

The bottom line, according to Clinton:

“Underneath it all, we have to know the real secret of life is that we have something that is no better than--but, thank God, no worse than--what anyone else has. And that is the gift we get from God--whatever our religious teaching and conviction and background, that is the gift we receive.”

As part of his announcement, Clinton said that the Department of Housing and Urban Development is awarding $850 million in grants, under the current budget, to help more than 330,000 homeless people pay for housing and obtain such social services as job training, child care and mental health services.

Housing advocates were generally enthusiastic about the president’s initiative, because it would represent the second year of increases in spending for the homeless after tight budgets in the wake of the Republican victory in the 1994 congressional elections.

“A lot of communities were scrambling to keep their programs going. This would allow us to maintain good programs,” said Sheila Crowley, president of the National Low-Income Housing Coalition.

As has been the case in nearly all his recent public outings as the House neared its vote last weekend on his impeachment, Clinton encountered little but signs of support.

Two people on the street outside the gymnasium displayed a sign reading: “Senators, do your duty. Convict Clinton.” But inside, the president was greeted by repeated rounds of applause, n1868854048of affirmation and approving calls of, “Yeah!” from among the audience of about 500 people.

Upon his return to Washington, Clinton made a 20-minute holiday shopping excursion. He visited the street-level boutique at the Peace Corps headquarters, taking his time to fill a brown bag with craft items, among them a mask and painted pottery.