Clinton, Gore Here April 25: White House Moves To Isu Campus


by Steve Jones
On Tuesday, 2229 Lincoln Way will substitute for 1600 
Pennsylvania Ave.

President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore are 
scheduled to visit Iowa State's Memorial Union Tuesday to 
participate in the National Rural Conference. The meeting 
caps a coast-to-coast series of rural forums led by Secretary 
of Agriculture Dan Glickman to gather opinions on issues 
facing rural America and gain input for the 1995 Farm Bill.

Clinton, Gore and Glickman will meet with more than 200 White 
House-selected rural leaders, social service providers, 
farmers and other agribusiness people in a "town-hall" 
meeting in the Great Hall. The conference will focus on a 
wide range of issues, including rural health care, production 
agriculture, the environment, family farms and international 
markets.

Also expected at the rural conference, co-hosted by ISU and 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, are other administration 
officials, members of Congress and more than 100 members of 
the national and local news media.

"We're thrilled and honored to host President Clinton, Vice 
President Gore and Secretary Glickman at Iowa State 
University," President Martin Jischke said. "The National 
Rural Conference is a wonderful opportunity to focus national 
attention on rural development and agricultural issues and on 
Iowa State's efforts in these areas."

Glickman said the forums and the ISU conference are important 
because the 1995 Farm Bill, which will set U.S. agriculture 
policy for the next five years, is now under development.

"Much of our nation's strength is grounded in our rural 
roots," Glickman said in a released statement. "Rural 
America, which includes 83 percent of our land and 21 percent 
of our people, yields an abundance of ideas, food and fiber 
that helps to keep our country globally competitive. 
President Clinton and I know we need to ensure that we keep 
rural America strong to keep our nation strong."

The trip marks the first visit to ISU by a serving U.S. 
president since Gerald Ford spoke outside the Iowa State 
Center and toured the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1976.

The White House literally will move to Ames on Tuesday. In 
addition to Clinton and Gore, many of their staff members 
also will be on campus. White House, USDA and ISU officials 
must coordinate transportation, communication, the news 
media, security, parking, dining and other activities. A 
portable White House of sorts, with all of its office 
equipment and communication needs, will be set up. 

A media center, containing dozens of telephones, will 
accommodate the needs of writers and broadcasters. The White 
House press corps could bring more than 50 national media to 
ISU, including the cable network C-Span, which may televise 
the conference live. 

Security, as always when the president is involved, will be 
tight. Admission to the Great Hall will be restricted to 
those with proper credentials. Access to other parts of the 
Union also may be restricted. There will be numerous Secret 
Service agents on campus because Clinton and Gore have 
separate protective staffs. 

Crews will begin altering the Great Hall this weekend to 
accommodate the conference. A custom-made, horseshoe-shaped 
table for President Clinton and the other participants will 
sit on a 16-inch-high platform. At least a couple hundred 
chairs will be arranged theater-style to accommodate the 
attendees and additional lighting and sound equipment 
temporarily will be used. Carpet squares will cover the 
entire Great Hall floor. 

Four regional rural conferences leading up to the ISU event 
were held earlier this week at Davis, Calif.; Abilene, Texas; 
Reading, Pa.; and Fort Valley, Ga. A conference is under way 
today (April 21) in Bismarck, N.D., and another will be held 
April 24 in Edwardsville, Ill.

New developments about Clinton's visit will be available on 
the World Wide Web at this address: http://www/iastate.edu/.

_____
contact:  Steve Jones, News Service, (515) 294-4778
updated:  4-21-95