President Clinton has assured the American people on at least 130 separate occasions that Russian nuclear missiles no longer threaten the United States. On dozens of those occasions--including his October 6, 1996 debate with Senator Bob Dole--he said that no nuclear missiles of any kind threaten America. The following quotes are excerpted from his 1994 speeches, interviews, and radio addresses, as downloaded from the "White House Virtual Library" on the World Wide Web and other electronic databases.
"I was proud to go to Russia and sign an agreement where we agreed that for the first time in decades we would no longer even point our missiles at each other."
--President Clinton, Remarks to the Citizens of Atlanta, May 3, 1994.
". . . there are no nuclear missiles pointed at us from the Soviet Union [sic], but there are other countries trying to develop nuclear programs."
--President Clinton, Remarks at the Small Business Person of the Year Announcement, Old Executive Office Building, May 4, 1994.
"And now, for the first time, our nuclear missiles are no longer targeted at Russia, nor theirs ours [sic]."
--President Clinton, Remarks on CNN Telecast, "A Global Forum with President Clinton," May 4, 1994.
". . . the nuclear arsenal in Russia is no longer pointed at the United States, nor are our missiles pointed at them."
--President Clinton, Remarks to the People of Warwick, Rhode Island, May 9, 1994.
". . . the United States and Russia at last no longer aim their nuclear weapons at each other."
--President Clinton, Speech at the U.S. Naval Academy Graduation Ceremony, May 25, 1994.
". . . for the first time since the dawn of the atomic age, the United States and Russia no longer have nuclear missiles pointed at each other."
--President Clinton, Remarks at Swearing-In Ceremony for the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Rose Garden, May 31, 1994.
"We are reducing nuclear stockpiles, and America and Russia no longer aim their nuclear missiles at each other."
--President Clinton, Address to the National Assembly, Paris, France, June 7, 1994.
"For the first time since World War II . . . . Russian and American missiles no longer target each other's people. Three of the four nuclear members of the former Soviet Union have agreed to remove all nuclear weapons from their soil."
--President Clinton, Address to the 49th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, September 26, 1994.
"Our missiles no longer target each other's people for destruction; instead they are being dismantled."
--President Clinton, Remarks at arrival ceremony for Russian President Boris Yeltsin, South Lawn, the White House, September 27, 1994.
"We've got Russian missiles that are no longer pointed at the United States for the first time since World War II."
--President Clinton, Radio interview with Eileen Ratner, October 7, 1994.
". . . Russian President Boris Yeltsin came to further the partnership between our two nations so well expressed by the fact that now Russian and U.S. missiles are no longer pointed at each other's people, and we are working to reduce the nuclear threat even more."
--President Clinton, Address to the Nation, The Oval Office, October 10, 1994.
". . . for the first time the missiles of Russia are no longer pointed at the American people. . . ."
--President Clinton, Speech to the Citizens of the Bridgeport Area, Stratford, Connecticut, October 15, 1994.
"The United States and Russian missiles missiles are no longer targeted at each other."
--President Clinton, Saturday Radio Address, October 15, 1994.
"Russian missiles are no longer pointed at the United States."
--President Clinton, Speech to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 17, 1994.
"I know that this country is a safer and more secure place because Russian missiles aren't pointing at us and we're making peace in Haiti, the Middle East, Northern Ireland."
--President Clinton, Interview with WLIB radio, New York, October 18, 1994.
"We also clearly are working to make the world a safer and a more democratic and a freer place. For the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age, Russian missiles are no longer pointed at the United States."
--President Clinton, Remarks to the Governors Leadership Conference on the Future of the Economy, New York, October 19, 1994.
"Is the fact that Russian missiles are not pointed at your children for the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age an abnormal thing? I think that' s pretty good."
--President Clinton, Remarks at dinner honoring Kathleen Brown, San Francisco, October 22, 1994.
"I wanted you to be safer. And that's why I'm so proud of the fact that these little children are the first generation of Americans since the dawn of nuclear power that do not have Russian missiles pointing at them. I'm proud of that."
--President Clinton, Remarks at the Washington State Coordinated Campaign Rally, Seattle, October 23, 1994.
". . . we've had the success in no Russian missiles are pointed at American children for the first time."
--President Clinton, Interview, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 24, 1994.
"For the first time since nuclear weapons were developed, no Russian missiles are pointed at the children of Ohio and the United States this year."
--President Clinton, Reception honoring Congressman Thomas Sawyer, Akron, Ohio, October 24, 1994.
"Russian missiles aren't pointed at Americans for the first time since the beginning of the nuclear age."
--President Clinton, Interview, KYW radio, Philadelphia, from Pittsburgh, October 31, 1994.
"For the first time since nuclear weapons came about, there are no Russian missiles pointed at our people."
--President Clinton, Interview, WDIV-TV, Detroit, October 31, 1994.
"The Russian missiles aren't pointing at us for the first time since we've had nuclear weapons."
--President Clinton, Interview, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 31, 1994.
". . . we've increased trade and reduced the nuclear threat--for the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age, no Russian missiles are pointing at your children or grandchildren."
--President Clinton, speech to Senior Citizens, Portuguese Social Club, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, November 2, 1994.
"Here's what the Contract [With America] says--now, pay attention. The contract says, vote for the Republicans, put us in charge in Washington, and here is what we will do. We'll give everybody a tax cut, but mostly people in upper-income groups--they'll get 70 percent of it. We will increase defense; we will bring back Star Wars; and we will balance the budget. Well, how much does that cost? A trillion dollars. How are we going to pay for it? We'll tell you after the elections. (Laughter.) . . . . We [in the administration] have reduced the nuclear threat. For the first time since nuclear weapons were developed, there are no missiles pointed at the children of Iowa and the United States."
--President Clinton, Remarks to the People of Des Moines, Iowa, November 3, 1994.
"And for the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age there are no Russian missiles pointed at the children of Iowa. This is a great country."
--President Clinton, Remarks at Reception for Democratic Candidates, Des Moines, November 3, 1994.
"Here's what they [the Republicans] promise. . . . we're going to increase defense and we're going to bring back Star Wars. And then we're going to balance the budget. (Laughter.) And how much does that cost? . . . . I want you to think about this--we're also moving forward overseas. No Russian missiles are pointed at the children of Minnesota and the United States for the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age."
--President Clinton, Duluth campaign rally, Duluth, Minnesota, November 4, 1994.
"I think it makes a difference that for the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age, there are no Russian nuclear missiles pointed at these children here."
--President Clinton, "Rally for Victory," Oakland, California, November 5, 1994.
"And we're a lot closer toward having a safer, more democratic, more free world. Russian missiles aren't pointing at us. . . ."
--President Clinton, Interview with Larry King, CNN, November 6, 1994.
". . . there are no Russian missiles pointed at these children for the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age. . . ."
--President Clinton, Speech at the Delaware Democrat Rally, Wilmington, Delaware, November 7, 1994.
"So I think it matters that for the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age, there are no Russian missiles pointed at these children here."
--President Clinton, Speech at "Get Out the Vote" rally, Flint, Michigan, November 7, 1994.
". . . for the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age there are no Russian missiles pointed at the people of the United States."
--President Clinton, Speech on the 75th anniversary of the Edmund J. Walsh School of Foreign Policy, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., November 10, 1994.
"For the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age, no Russian missiles are pointed at Americans."
--President Clinton, Radio Address to the Nation, Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage, Alaska, November 12, 1994.
". . . getting the nuclear agreement between Russia and Ukraine which led to no Russian missiles pointed at the United States for the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age."
--President Clinton, Remarks at Press Conference, Jakarta, Indonesia, November 15, 1994.
"For the first time since the dawn of the nuclear age, no Russian missiles are pointed at the children of the United States."
--President Clinton, Remarks to U.S.-Pacific Business Community Members and Leaders, November 16, 1994.
". . . if you look at the fact that in Russia for the first time since nuclear weapons came on the face of the earth, there are no Russian missiles pointed at American children, you'd have to say we're on the move."
--President Clinton, Remarks to Military Personnel and Families at Hickam Air Force Base, Honolulu, Hawaii, November 16, 1994.
"This is the first Thanksgiving since the dawn of the nuclear age when parents can tuck their children into bed at night knowing that no Russian missiles are pointed at the children of the United States."
--President Clinton, Radio Address from Camp David, November 26, 1994.