CLINTON'S ROSE GARDEN VETO

President Clinton made good on a threat to usehis first veto to rescind $16.4 billion in spending cuts, prompting Republican cries that he had abdicated fiscal responsibility. At a Rose Garden ceremony celebrating the Drug-Free Schools Program, which the bill would have halved, the President said: "I cannot in good consciencesign a bill that cuts educationto save pet congressional projects." Clinton last monthhad asked Congress to restore $1.4 billion in proposed cutsin education, crime prevention, environment, housing and job training programs, and to offset them with cuts in construction and government overhead.TIME White House correspondent James Carneysays Clinton's veto grates against a recent presidential promise to balance the budget within 10 years. Now, Carney says, "he runs the risk of looking like he's not really for deficit reduction. It increases the pressure on him to become a player in the deficit-cutting game."