"Republicans, blur,blur,blur" says Clinton

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), left, watches as President Clinton carries 10-month old Rachel Cross during an unscheduled stop to greet residents in Barrington, RI., Friday, July 28, 2000. Clinton was in town for a clambake that was bringing in $450,000 for Kennedy's re-election campaign. (AP Photo)

BOSTON (AP) - Egged on by an appreciative audience of Democrats, including a large complement of Kennedys, President Bill Clinton mocked Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush's privileged background and the political tactics of congressional Republicans.

He summed up the Bush campaign message this way: '"How bad could I be? I've been governor of Texas, my daddy was president, I own a baseball team, they like me down there, everything is rocking along hunky-dory."'

The crowd of about 450 political supporters of Rhode Island Democratic Rep. Patrick Kennedy chortled as Clinton continued to parody Bush.

'"Their fraternity had it for eight years, give it to ours for eight years because we're compassionate and humane,"' Clinton said. '"We're not like what you think about us from watching the Congress for the last five years."'

In his weekly radio address, Clinton also chastised congressional Republicans for failing to act on his proposal to raise the minimum wage by dlrs 1, to dlrs 6.15 an hour.

"As recently as last week, the majority in Congress was still talking about raising the minimum wage, but they couldn't bring themselves to actually do it," Clinton said, noting that Congress is now taking a summer recess.

Some Republicans back an increase in the minimum wage, although legislation to do it has been bottled up in Congress.

The increase could affect about 10 million people who are at or just above minimum wage, the White House said. The dlrs 1 raise would increase the annual earnings of a full-time worker by dlrs 2,000 annually, the White House estimated.

At the close of his radio address, Clinton noted that Republicans gather this weekend for their presidential nominating convention in Philadelphia.

"I hope they'll stop a moment to think of Americans outside that hall - Americans working in the restaurants, the shops, the hotels of Philadelphia, working hard for the minimum wage," Clinton said.

At the Kennedy clambake, Clinton said there is no need for negative campaigning, but clearly relished the opportunity to throw some sharp, partisan elbows.

He accused the Republican Party of trying to "blur, blur, blur" its record, which Clinton calls extreme.

Republicans, he said, hope that voters satisfied with the rosy economy will tune out the differences between Bush and Vice President Al Gore.