John Chaffee, Welder, Bellevue

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"I'm not supportive of the Clintons too much. I just don't think that as a Democrat, he has the leadership capabilities. Bosnia, the Whitewater investigation, the budget, all the things he hasn't done -- who knows how many other things... She's got something to do with Whitewater and I think she should clear things up if there's nothing to hide. She should do what the investigative counsel says. They should both come clean... I hope we don't re-elect him. He's not the way a president should be."

George Robertson, Architect, Mercer Island

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"I admire Hillary enormously. She reminds me a lot of my mother who was the first female executive at General Electric in the 1930s. I think Hillary is an example of what a lot of American women are -- she's effective and finally getting an opportunity to make a difference, despite the enormous resistance she's getting in some quarters. She probably isn't perfect, but she's taken a lot of abuse and taken it with a lot of grace."

Jeroen Olthof, Engineer, Kirkland

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"I think that she is taking a lot more active role than most First Ladies before her, and she's getting a lot harsher treatment than a lot before her. I think she can take it. She's a grown-up and she knows she's going to get abuse and I support her. She shouldn't be silenced because she's the wife of the president... She's a big girl. She's chosen to take an active role and she's going to get criticism from certain elements. That's part of the way public life works... But I don't think she should outshine the president. And I don't want to get into where we vote for a couple."

Xina Marlow, Student, Bothell

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"I don't really like her. I just thinks she's too big for her britches. I'm not really into politics but I just feel that way about her as a First Lady. She's running Bill too much. And with some of the things going on, I think she has a lot of this coming... She didn't do her homework when it came to health care -- she didn't put herself in the average person's shoes... Now, I don't think she's innocent, and I think she ought to think before she leaps and maybe not leap so often."

Jason Merryman, Student, Medina

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"I don't know -- I think she's handling everything that's going on pretty well. I like her. In these new times, I think she's a good change. She's going to have to fend for herself, and I don't think the criticism is fair, but that's politics. It's too bad that she's not able to voice what she thinks. She's in a no-win situation."

Renée Wissbrod, Student, Redmond

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"I like her. I think she really knows what she's talking about with health care and different topics. Whenever she speaks, I listen... I think a lot of the press has been really unfair and that she's being used as a tool to get at her husband... People have a stereotype of a First Lady and she's totally different. She's intelligent and she has ideas and she's not afraid to open her mouth and say things. She's not quiet, so they use that against the president. If she just sat back and said nothing, most people would probably like it. The minute you open your mouth, you get in trouble."

Copyright © 1996 by the Bellevue, WA-based Journal American newspaper.

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