Clinton Says Administration Is Off to ‘Pretty Good Start’

WASHINGTON —  President Clinton told a friendly audience of Democrats on Monday night that he did not think a few rough moments tarnished “a pretty good start” for his Administration and said he relished the vigorous debates of his early days in office.

“If you just wanted me to do things that are easy, you should have elected somebody else President,” Clinton said at a Democratic Governors’ Assn. fund-raising dinner, his comments no doubt a reference to the firestorm caused by his steps last week toward ending the military’s ban on gays.

“I think this is exciting,” Clinton said of his early days, which in addition to his being forced into a compromise on lifting the gay ban have also included the withdrawal of his nominee for attorney general and criticism on some fronts for ideas floated as possibilities for his economic plan.

“We need to shake things up in this country and have a debate again,” Clinton said to applause. “Let people argue.”

As evidence of a good start, Clinton said Congress was quickly moving to send him family-leave legislation and a National Institutes of Health spending bill that will allow fetal tissue research. Clinton said that research could help find treatments for diabetes and other illnesses.

“I know it defies the momentary conventional wisdom, but I think we’re off to a pretty good start,” Clinton said.