Laying out goals for the final six months of his term and expressing gratitude to the nation's governors, President Clinton addressed a wide variety of topics in his address to the National Governors' Association yesterday at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel.

The speech, which lasted about a half an hour, touched on a number of subjects but focused primarily on the state of health care, the federal budget surplus, this fall's elections and a farewell and thank-you to the governors.

Clinton, the former governor of Arkansas who has attended every NGA meeting since 1979, began his speech by thanking the governors for working with him during his presidency to accomplish their shared national goals.

"Our country's come a long way in the past seven or eight years," he said. Clinton specifically emphasized improvements made in health care, particularly for children and the elderly, and economic responsibility, as demonstrated in a reduction in welfare recipients.

Some governors, particularly Republicans, prickled at the suggestion that the Democratic administration helped the states improve health care or played a role in limiting government spending and improving social programs.

New Jersey Gov. Christine T. Whitman said, "I had to smile a little on welfare, because it took three times to get it through," referring to the difficulty of Congressional Republicans to move welfare reform past Clinton's veto pen.

Whitman said although she appreciated the sentiment of bipartisanship expressed in Clinton's speech, she doubted whether he would follow through on the financial and social plans he outlined.

Several other Republican governors, including Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland, Massachusetts Gov. Argeo Cellucci and Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer all agreed that the current administration has been more partisan than cooperative.

Among the economic problems Clinton discussed was the dispute about the current federal budget surplus. Clinton recommended leaving a large portion of the projected $1.9 trillion surplus, as much as $400 billion, aside for a safety net and discouraged spending the entire surplus on tax cuts or new federal programs.

"Dealing with good fortune is just as good a test . . . as dealing with adversity," Clinton said of the expected budget surplus.

Clinton used the analogy of spending all of one's projected earnings over the course of the next several years, based on projections of what that income would be.

The example struck home with some attendees, including actor/director Rob Reiner, of This is Spinal Tap fame, who described Clinton as, "brilliant as always. So eloquent, so on target, and so clear."

Clinton called on the governors to help those who haven't been included in the nation's recent economic growth.

He said he hoped to "keep expansion going and spread its benefits to those who have been left behind."

Gov. Tom Ridge said he thought the sentiment reminded him of the ideas expressed by Republican presidential hopeful and Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

With the presidential campaign about to heat up following the upcoming nominating conventions, Clinton called on the governors to, "help ensure an election season that's honest, open and vigorous."

He asked for public debate between candidates, without the mudslinging and personal attacks that have characterized the past several presidential campaigns.

Although Clinton did not explicitly endorse or criticize either presidential candidate, some governors said he clearly did some campaigning for Vice President Al Gore.

"It was the most partisan speech I've heard him give," said Whitman, adding she thought Clinton took many implied shots at Bush, as well as the tax cuts proposed by the Republican majority in Congress.

In the end, Clinton made a final pitch to the governors, and others listening, to help him accomplish some goals in the final six months of his term instead of waiting for the next president.

"I truly think the greatest days of this country are in the future."