Upbeat About Economy, Clinton Defends Himself But President Admits Many Workers Discontented About Jobs, Wages

President Clinton, presiding at an economic conference in a region where he is politically vulnerable, conceded Wednesday that worker discontent lurks beneath generally upbeat statistics.

But he defended his policies, his priorities and his presidency, telling handpicked participants from 12 Southern states: “There is a lot more room for hope than for doubt.”

Speaking in a campus chapel lighted like a television studio at Emory University, the alma mater of House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Clinton said he feels “under a great responsibility to try to keep this economic recovery going.”

The daylong conference was the first of four the White House plans around the country, re-creations of the December 1992 economic gathering in Little Rock, Ark., just before he took office.

Conferences, speeches and other appearances over the next few months will take Clinton to crucial 1996 battleground states: Georgia, Florida, California, Iowa, New Hampshire and Michigan.

While publicly denying political motivations, White House aides and Democratic advisers said they hope for a lot of mileage out of the exposure.

Later Wednesday in Tallahassee, Fla., for instance, Clinton announced good economic news for the state: The Pentagon will relocate its Southern Command - now based in Panama - to Miami.

Clinton told the Atlanta conference of business and labor leaders, public officials, educators and economists - many return guests from the three-day Little Rock session - that “the news is not all good.”

“Even when times are good, people think things are changing so fast that their level of security … is more fragile than it has been in the past,” he said, alternating between listening intently and lecturing in professorial tones.

After closing the 7 1/2-hour conference, Clinton told Emory students, “Our job is to lift the incomes and the sights and the aspirations of the American people.”

But hecklers supporting the homeless and opposing his plan to help pay for 100,000 new police interrupted the closing address.

“Why are you shouting at me? Sit down. I heard you,” Clinton said before issuing a lengthy response to the hecklers.

As witnesses talked on - and some audience members seemed to nod off - Clinton took part with gusto hour after hour. He even canceled the scheduled lunch break, as he had done in Little Rock, so participants could continue talking over boxed lunches.

He cited upbeat statistics: 6 million new jobs since he became president, the lowest combined rate of inflation and unemployment in a quarter decade, three years of declining budget deficits and continued strong growth.

But he acknowledged that many workers are unhappy with their jobs and stagnant wages.