    RECORD TYPE: PRESIDENTIAL  (TRP NOTES MAIL)

    CREATOR: Ron Klain ( CN=Ron Klain/O=OVP [ OVP ] )

    CREATION DATE/TIME:26-SEP-1996 09:00:36.00

    SUBJECT:  Updates

    TO: Albert Gore ( CN=Albert Gore/O=OVP [ OVP ] )
    READ:UNKNOWN

    CC: Heather M. Marabeti ( CN=Heather M. Marabeti/O=OVP [ OVP ] )
    READ:UNKNOWN

    TEXT:
    A few items this morning:

    1.  Bill Signing.  This is on track, still; we basically traded the role

    we prefer for you (introducing the POTUS) to get this slot for MEG.  I

    think it will be nice.

    2.  Income Stats.  As I told you on Tuesday, there is some very good news

    out of the Census Bureau today:  a startling annual report on incomes and

    poverty.  Among the highlights:  the largest one year jump in family

    income since 1985; the lowest black poverty rate in history; the lowest

    senior citizen poverty rate in history; the biggest drop in child poverty

    in 20 years.  Typical family income is up $1,630 since Bill Clinton's

    economic plan passed -- and income inequality scored its largest drop in

    27 years last year.  (My new debate one-liner:  "America is on the right

    track, Jack.")  POTUS will hype these stats in his bill signing statement

    (which occurs after 10:30am, the embargo time on the figures) and in his

    post-caucus statement on the Hill.

    3. Parks.  Katie has a lunch memo item on this; Panetta and Hilley

    reassured me this morning that we are pushing a veto threat on this hard,

    and they will consult w/Katie if there are any changes or negotiations.

    4.  Immigration.  We continue to push privately to have Title V (which

    contains all the noxious provisions about legal immigrants) dropped, as a

    price for putting this in the CR.  But the fact is that our leverage is

    slight, and the bill INCLUDING THESE BAD PROVISIONS passed the House

    yesterday 305-120.  Also, Bill Carrick is urging the President to sign the

    bill no matter what, saying that Calif comes back in play if he vetoes

    it.  (Note that DiFi was the only Dem Conferee to sign the Conference

    Report.)

    5.  FAA Auth Bill.  This is very dangerous, and I will talk to Elaine

    about it.  But this Bill, which contains some good Gore Commission

    recommendations and language, is now in trouble because Hollings added the

    labor fix that Fred Smith had wanted for Fed Ex, and now labor is putting

    a hold on this bill.  Obviously, the conflict between Fed Ex and Labor is

    a very delicate one for us.

    6.  Dole Ad.  He's up with his new spot today, which attacks us for

    proposing 484 new government programs at a cost of $2 trillion over the

    past four years.  There is some sentiment to attack this by picking at

    Dole's methods and Dole's math, but to me, that risks a reprise of the

    1992 debate with the Bush campaign over whether Clinton had raised taxes

    117 times in Arkansas (or just 116, as was later calculated by Betsey

    Wright).  Instead, we should stick with our core message:  under

    Clinton-Gore, the deficit has been down four years in a row; it is down

    60%; and the government is the smallest since JFK.  PERIOD.