Clinton Basks in Guam’s Enthusiasm

President Clinton capped a five-day trip to Asia with a visit Monday to a piece of America in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and was so taken with the azure sea and verdant hills that he suggested he might return after his presidency to run for governor of the island.

“Hafa adai!” Clinton said, using the greeting in the native Chamorro language.

“Hafa adai!” a crowd of several thousand people at an outdoor rally replied cheerfully.

Clinton was the first president to visit Guam since 1986, and the first whose visit was seen as something more than a refueling stop for Air Force One. Guamanians gave him a warm welcome, placing traditional leis of white and yellow flowers around his neck, kissing him on the cheeks and showering him with cheers. For his part, Clinton seemed to enjoy the chance to work the rope line and mingle with the crowd, pleasures in which he has rarely indulged since the Monica S. Lewinsky scandal broke last January.

After spending most of his time in Japan and South Korea talking about the security threat from North Korea and the Asian economic crisis, Clinton left those topics behind and gave a rousing, populist speech full of promises.

He pledged to expedite the return of 3,200 acres of land held by the U.S. military to civilian use--and work to turn over another 7,300 acres--and announced he was creating a special task force with officials from the White House and Cabinet offices to help address Guam’s problems. He also suggested that he would be open to Guamanians changing their political status.

“We will also respond seriously if the people of Guam seek a different political status,” Clinton said. “It is your decision to seek that. I will work to ensure that your voices are heard in Washington.”

As an unincorporated U.S. territory of 160,000 people, residents of Guam are U.S. citizens but do not vote in presidential elections. Their one congressional representative is a nonvoting member. For years, the island has been struggling with Washington to achieve commonwealth status, like Puerto Rico, but has made little progress. Residents will vote next year on a new status and have three choices--independence, free association or statehood.

U.S. Delegate Robert A. Underwood (D-Guam), one of the people who spoke before Clinton, complained about never having been able to vote for Clinton and said he would like to vote for him someday.

The suggestion seemed to give the president an idea of how he could fill his time after he leaves office.

“I was thinking, looking out at the ocean, looking at the bay, that I can’t run for president again and Gov. Gutierrez can’t run for governor again, and maybe I could come here and give Congressman Underwood a chance to vote for me for governor of Guam,” Clinton said. And the crowd roared its approval.

Clinton was referring to Gov. Carl T. C. Gutierrez, who coaxed Clinton into promising to visit the island.

The crowds were clearly delighted by the president’s four-hour visit, particularly because when previous presidents have visited the island they have focused their attention on the U.S. military, not on the broader population.

“For a very short visit he made a huge statement,” said Pat Cabrera, 35, the chief information officer of the government of Guam. “A lot of people have been waiting a long time to hear these things.”

Roque Aguon, 46, a retired Army soldier, added: “At least somebody is finally listening.”

And Clinton seemed elated to have a chance to mix with an adoring crowd of average folks. Since the Lewinsky crisis broke more than 10 months ago, he has all but stopped having such open rallies in the continental United States.

“I ask you to always remember that as much as you have enjoyed this day, I have enjoyed it more,” Clinton said. “I hope you will know that when I go back to Washington I will carry with me the rhythms, the energy, the smile, the realities of life here that I would never have understood so well had I not been able to come.”

Earlier in the day, Clinton placed a wreath at a memorial to the tens of thousands of Guamanians who suffered and thousands of U.S. military casualties on the island during World War II. Guam was seized in concert with the attack on Pearl Harbor, then occupied by Japan for 31 months until U.S. forces staged a three-week liberation.

“The people of Guam, though they had not yet been granted American citizenship, risked all to hide American soldiers during the occupation, defiantly sang American songs at home, secretly sewed their own American flags. Many paid for their patriotism with their homes, their liberty, their lives,” Clinton said at the rally. “Fifty years ago, this island gave the world a precious and enduring gift: the chance for freedom and peace to triumph. And 50 years later, I want to say on behalf of every American, thank you.”