Koop, Clinton Talk Tobacco

Small world. President Clinton’s motorcade was slowing to a stop outside Alley’s General Store when it passed a church where former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop happened to be leaving Sunday services.

While Clinton and his family ducked into the store for coffee and blueberry muffins - a chalkboard outside advertised “Free coffee for all presidents, ID required” - Koop and two friends found a White House aide, asked to see the president and were ushered inside.

“I encouraged him to stay tough on tobacco,” Koop later told reporters. Did the anti-smoking health advocate win any assurance from Clinton? “The look in his eye said he’s going to stay tough,” Koop said.

One task ahead for Clinton when his three-week vacation ends Sept. 7, is finalizing a recommendation on the proposed settlement between tobacco companies and state attorneys general suing them for reimbursement of smoking-related health care costs.

He did not address the issue when he emerged from the store to shake hands with a crowd of tourists.