President Clinton has declined an invitation to speak at the dedication of the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy in December.
President Nan Keohane invited Clinton this summer to attend the Dec. 1-3 ceremony. The White House chief of staff's office contacted Terry Sanford, president emeritus of the University and former North Carolina senator and governor, more than a week ago with the decision, Sanford said.
Scheduling conflicts prohibited the president from accepting the invitation, Sanford said.
"He had expressed interest in coming for a long time," he said. "He just couldn't work it in."
Planners of the dedication ceremony will not search for a speaker to replace Clinton, said William Ascher, director of the institute, because Eugene Patterson, former publisher of the St. Petersburg Times and a former University trustee, and N.C. Gov. Jim Hunt are already scheduled to attend.
"[Clinton] was to be an additional speaker," Ascher said. "This puts no damper on our plans."
Clinton's decision has nothing to do with comments made last week about the president by N.C. Sen. Jesse Helms, Sanford and Ascher both said.
Last week in an interview with the Raleigh News and Observer, Helms said, "Mr. Clinton better watch out if he comes down here [to North Carolina]. He better have a body guard."
Sanford said the chief of staff's office informed him of the decision the day before Helms made his comments.
"When I heard about [Helms], I said, `Well, now you're going to have to come,'" Sanford joked.
University officials had been optimistic that Clinton would come to speak last summer.
"Clinton has commented on many occasions about Terry Sanford's influence as a progressive Southern governor," said John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs at the University, in July. Clinton had campaigned for Sanford during his 1992 senatorial bid.
This is not the first time a Clinton has declined a University invitation. In the spring, First Lady Hillary Clinton declined an invitation to speak at commencement for the Class of 1994.
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