Perhaps the biggest philosophical difference between you and the President is over the role of the federal government itself and whether national problems really have national solutions. Can you explain your view?
Ritchie:
Well, first, let me say good evening and thank you. It's a privilege to be here. My view of this is simple--we don't need a Federal Department of Education telling us our children have to learn Esperanto, they have to learn Eskimo poetry.
Reporter:
Eskimo poetry?
C.J.:
Shh!
Ritchie:
Let the states decide. Let the communities decide on health care, on education, on lower taxes, not higher taxes. Now, he's going to throw a big word at you-- "unfunded mandate." He's gonna say "If Washington lets the states do it, it's an unfunded mandate." But what he doesn't like is the federal government losing power. But I call it the ingenuity of the American people.
President Bartlet, you have 60 seconds for a question and an answer.
President:
Well, first of all, let's clear up a couple of things.
"Unfunded mandate" is two words, not one "big word." There are times when we're fifty states and there are times when we're one country, and have national needs. And the way I know this is that Florida didn't fight Germany in World War II or establish civil rights.
President:
You think states should do the governing wall-to-wall. That's a perfectly valid opinion. But your state of Florida got $12.6 billion in federal money last year-- from Nebraskans, and Virginians, and New Yorkers, and Alaskans, with their Eskimo poetry. 12.6 out of a state budget of $50 billion, and I'm supposed to be using this time for a question, so here it is: Can we have it back, please?
And the partisan bickering. Now, I want people to work together in this great country. And that's what I did in Florida -- I brought people together -- and that's what I'll do as your President. End the logjam, end the gridlock, and bring Republicans together with Democrats, 'cause Americans are tired of partisan politics.
Moderator:
Mr. President?
President:
Actually, what you've done in Florida is bring the right together with the far right. And I don't think Americans are tired of partisan politics; I think they're tired of hearing career politicians diss partisan politics to get a gig.
President:
I've tried it before, they ain't buying it. That's okay, though. That's okay, though, 'cause partisan politics is good. Partisan politics is what the founders had in mind. It guarantees that the minority opinion is heard, and as a lifelong possessor of minority opinions, I appreciate it.
President:
But if you're troubled by it, Governor, you should know, in this campaign, you've used the word "liberal" seventy-four times in one day. It was yesterday.
