Clinton's Contentious Week

Things have really been cooking in Washington. This was one of the most intensely partisan weeks of the Clinton presidency. Saturday, the president is in Chicago, and so is CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller.

The president gave a speech to the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Conference Saturday morning - a group that represents an increasingly important political block.

Not since his impeachment has the president had as tough a time as he did he this week with the Republican Congress, although he did score an unexpected victory among the defeats.

A top aide says he's never seen the president madder than when he learned of the Senate's rejection of Ronnie White to be a federal judge.

Speaking in the Rose Garden, the president said, "It was a disgraceful act of politics."

The president also thinks the Senate is being unfair about the nuclear test ban treaty, which is scheduled for a vote on Tuesday.

"This is about America's future. The future of our children and the world," he said.

But the president had to split his lobbying between the treaty and the so-called Patients' Bill of Rights being voted on in the House.

"The fact is, Americans who are battling illness shouldn't have to battle insurance companies for the coverage they need," said Mr. Clinton.

And the president accused Republican leaders of doing the bidding of the health insurance industry.

"The House leaders concocted a process filled with enough poison pills and legislative sleights-of-hand to practically guarantee the defeat of this bill," he said.

But much to his surprise, the version of this bill he wanted passed.

"It shows America is no longer going to have unfeeling practices of some health plans added to the pain of injury or disease," he commented.

Of course, the bill is still far from law. It has to be reconciled by the bill proposed by the Senate. He fears he will still not get the legislation he wants.

Mr. Clinton is also threatening to veto the education funding bill passed by the Senate. The president says it doesn't provide enough money for hiring new teachers and the new education programs he wants.

The president and congress still have just 12 days left to reach agreement on eight appropriations bills, otherwise we could get another government shutdown.
The president also had to apologize this week for making a faux pas.

It's very rare that the president has to offer an expression of regret for something he said. But after he compared the parties in the northern Ireland peace process to drunks in a bar, he realized it was an improper thing to say. He issued a statement saying it was inappropriate and he expressed regret.