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Clinton visit still `a go’

John Colson

Despite warnings earlier this week that President Bill Clinton might not be coming to Aspen this month after all, it looks like the presidential visit is still “a go,” authorities said Thursday.

Clinton is scheduled to touch down in Aspen late on Saturday, July 15, and stay through some time on Monday, July 17, according to Pitkin County Deputy Sheriff Joe DiSalvo.

“As far as I know, everyone’s saying it’s a go,” said DiSalvo, who is in charge of coordinating the details of the visit.



As late as Wednesday afternoon, DiSalvo had said he was not sure if the president would make the trip because of his commitment to be present at the Middle East peace talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yassar Arafat at Camp David.

According to news reports published Thursday, the Camp David talks are scheduled to begin on July 11, with no ending date named.




Clinton said in a news conference Thursday morning that he would stay on hand at the meetings “for as long as it takes.”

DiSalvo said Thursday that he had no information on where the president will be staying or what his itinerary will be while he is here.

Camilla Auger, head of the local Democratic Party, said Thursday that she, too, is “going ahead on the assumption that he is still coming.”

She said Clinton’s itinerary has not yet been set, but that it is likely to involve lunches and dinners with major supporters – “sort of a thank you rather than a fund-raiser.”