    RECORD TYPE: PRESIDENTIAL  (TRP NOTES MAIL)

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

    CREATION DATE/TIME:12-NOV-1997 10:31:47.00

    SUBJECT:  Re: Updates

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

    TEXT:
    I don't know about Brown being a "supporter;" he certainly has been

    friendly enough to you and our operation in the past.

    There is no underestimating the extent to which the President's comments

    about "no brainer" and "secret ballot" really fried the folks up there.

    First, it questioned the sincerity of their views;  thus, it leads the

    Dems to respond more vigorously in defending how important opposing Fast

    Track really was.  This produced some of the more highly charged

    comments.  Second, the President's remarks "outs" some of the Dems as

    wholly-owned subsidiaries of organized labor -- that may be no big deal

    for some Congressmen (e.g., Bonior, Maxine Waters, etc.)  but in

    district's like Brown's and Pascrell's, that is not a great place for them

    to be.  That is, the irony here is that these Congressmen -- who are in

    fact dependent on labor money -- don't want to be seen as such -- and

    certainly not labelled as such by the President.

    I actually do not think that that many of your relationships were hurt by

    this -- and I have had a number of conversations to this effect.  That

    does not mean that this had zero impact -- of course, we will need to do

    some repair work.  (And that repair work will be accelerated if we can

    come to closure on the issue of fast track, as my lunch memo suggests).

    Of course, I still think that this was a stupid and needless fight, which

    you urged the President to avoid -- advice he rejected.  But there are

    three good things we can milk out of it:  (1) an end to the elite

    columnist buzzing that you had gone into the "tank" for the party left to

    tie down the Democratic nomination; (2) a quick response when you are

    asked the Walter Mondale question (Name five things you disagree with

    labor on) during the 2000 campaign; and (3) a powerful anecdote when asked

    if you are willing to support the President on his agenda even if that

    agenda is not always the best politics for you.