Clinton bows out with new pledge

President Clinton said goodbye to America with a TV appeal last night to internationalism, fiscal responsibility, and racial harmony.

Speaking in a networked address to the nation, he pledged that although retiring now from the most important job he had ever held, he would not leave the public stage where he was committed to continue to serve - at what, he did not specify.

He wished President-elect Bush well.

But the message, although couched in general terms, was highly political.

In appealing for fiscal responsibility Mr Clinton clearly had in mind Mr Bush's controversial programme of swingeing tax cuts and Democratic demands that the priority should be reducing the national debt.

And there was a note for posterity. He reminded the US of its record continuous growth, and that he had turned record government deficits into record surpluses for the first time since 1835.

In the face of a globalising world and new forces of destruction ranging from terrorism to the drugs threat, he said, the US "cannot and must not disentangle itself from the world.

"We must assume our shared responsibilities . . . and embrace boldly and resolutely our duty to lead."

And he urged a strong continued commitment to free trade.

Internally the US had to grapple with its racial differences to "weave the coat of many colours into one America".

Meanwhile in the Senate, the hearings on Mr Bush's nominees continued with a black judge accusing the Attorney General-designate, Mr John Ashcroft, of unfairly branding him as "pro-criminal." And Senator Ted Kennedy threatened to try to block his anticipated confirmation as the nation's top law officer.

On the third day of the confirmation hearings, a parade of witnesses testified for and against Mr Ashcroft.

The Missouri Supreme Court Justice, Mr Ronnie White, said: "John Ashcroft seriously distorted my record" in helping deny Judge White a place on the federal bench in 1999.

"I believe the question for the Senate is whether these misrepresentations are consistent with fair play . . . that you all would require of the attorney general," Judge White said.

Senator Kennedy threatened to try to block confirmation with a filibuster.

"Senator Kennedy has not ruled anything in or out . . . (but) he is signaling a possible filibuster," said his spokesman, Mr Jim Manley.

In the hearing on her nomination, the equally controversial nominee for Interior Secretary, Ms Gale Norton, defended her environmental credentials, assuring senators that she will enforce the nation's laws protecting public lands and endangered species.

Ms Norton reached out to Democrats and environmentalists who accused the former Colorado attorney general of favouring logging, grazing and mining interests over land conservation, telling her Senate confirmation hearing that she was "fully committed" to enforcing the Endangered Species Act and other laws, and to preserving the national park system.

But in a bow to her backers in business, Ms Norton said the incoming Bush administration would review a wide range of regulations and conservation actions taken over the last eight years by the Clinton administration to protect public lands and reduce industrial emissions.

"We will be looking at what needs to be changed," Ms Norton told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

The hearing was expected to continue today.