Bush Deals Well With Latin America, Clinton Says

President Clinton gave strong praise on Thursday to George W. Bush as a man who will be “very, very good” in dealing with Mexico and other Latin American nations.

Bush has a strong understanding of the vital importance of the region and its close ties with the United States, Clinton told reporters on Air Force One during a return flight from a three-day trip to Ireland and England.

“I think it’s really important that the United States has a . . . 21st century view of what really counts in the world,” Clinton said. “Latin America has to count for us.”

“President-elect Bush will be very comfortable, he will be good with Mexico,” he said. “And I think it will lead him to an interest not only in the big countries of South America but I would hope the small countries of Central America too. I expect he will be quite successful in building on the outreach we’ve done in the Latin American countries.”

Clinton’s praise for Bush came during a wide-ranging discussion in the galley behind the press section of Air Force One.

Over the years, the President said, he had noticed and liked Bush’s pro-immigration policies in Texas.

“During all the years when I fought the Republicans in Congress and in California over immigration issues he never got over there with them,” Clinton said.

Immigration may be the “only issue” on which Texas Republicans “are more liberal or less conservative than California Republicans,” Clinton said. Texans are more favorable toward immigration because “of the whole history and culture of the Rio Grande Valley, which I love very much,” said Clinton, who first visited the region 30 years ago and has returned three times as president.