Clinton Makes Last-Ditch Plea to GOP on Pet Projects

President Clinton staged a pep rally Thursday with top Democrats to highlight a congressional agenda that even the White House admits may not see the light of day before the Nov. 7 election.

Standing in the White House Rose Garden, Clinton exhorted the Republican-led Congress to embrace his positions on tax cuts, a prescription drug benefit for the elderly and a host of measures concerning education, gun control and health care.

In particular, Clinton sought to revive a trade-off he offered the Republicans last month, when he said he would accept legislation eliminating the so-called marriage penalty if they agreed to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare.

“We’re here because we believe the congressional Republican leadership is leaving town with a trunk full of unfinished business,” the president told about 20 stalwart Democratic lawmakers and about 70 guests.

There have been few signs that the Republicans are ready to negotiate with Clinton ahead of the election. Instead, they have passed a series of tax cuts that Clinton is all but sure to veto because he believes they are skewed toward the rich and would eat up projected federal budget surpluses.

The Republicans argue that, in an era of budget surpluses, citizens should get some of their money back through tax cuts.

In a publicity stunt, the Republicans had a couple dress up as a bride and groom to bring their version of marriage penalty legislation to the White House.

Clinton prefers his version of the bill, which the White House says is narrowly targeted to end the marriage penalty without offering further tax relief, and he is all but certain to veto the legislation.

House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.) and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) joined Clinton in the Rose Garden, painting the Republicans as captive to special interests.

“We’ve finally gotten rid of the deficit, and they’re hellbent on bringing it back,” Daschle said. “How many more children do we need to lose in our streets before we put safety locks on the guns?” added Gephardt, referring to gun control legislation that has been stalled for more than a year.

Congress broke for its summer recess Thursday and won’t return until September, when there are only about 21 days on the calendar before lawmakers fan out across the country to seek reelection.

White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart said he sees little chance of the Republicans moving in Clinton’s direction on the proposed trade-off on prescription drug benefits and the marriage penalty.