PRESIDENT MAKES SPEECH, FRIENDS AT SIU

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Brian Bird of Carbondale didn't expect to shake Bill Clinton's hand, but the president sprang from his limousine and greeted Bird and dozens of other people in front of Mugsy McGuire's Food & Drink at Glenview and Route 13 in Carbondale.

The presidential motorcade was returning Monday afternoon to the airport after Clinton's speech on the Southern Illinois University campus when he decided to stop and shake a few hands before boarding Air Force One.

"This is the first time I've ever shaken a president's hand," said Bird, 27. "I thought I was just going to watch him go by."

Clinton, U.S. Rep. Glenn Poshard and U.S. Sens. Paul Simon and Carol Mosley-Braun all stepped out of the presidential limousine, shook hands and chatted with sightseers.

"Thank you for your stance on education," an SIU faculty member said to the president as they shook hands.

"Well, I really appreciate that," the president said.

Rob Saunders, clad in a T-shirt featuring a Van Gogh print, took a break from work at Mugsy McGuire's just before the motorcade stopped.

"I didn't get to go to the speech," he said. "So I was really surprised about this. I shook his hand and he said he liked my shirt."

After 15 minutes of hand-shaking and thanking people for their support, the president waved to the crowd that lined both sides of the street and returned to the limousine. Several businesses along the motorcade route displayed signs greeting the president

Many who traveled to Carbondale were excited about the president's visit regardless of whether they heard his 20-minute speech. Students from several elementary schools in the region attended and a bus from Illinois State University took students to the event.

Paying special attention were the 20,000 SIU students who use the school's financial aid office. Many of those students were present for the president's speech outside Pulliam Hall. The president delivered the speech following an hourlong round-table discussion about financial aid with SIU student leaders.

"I wouldn't be here without financial aid," said Corki Hobson, 19, a sophomore from McHenry, Ill. "This means a lot that the president came here and spoke. It means that we matter."

University officials said a president hasn't visited the campus for 48 years.

It's Clinton's second visit to the campus, though. He made a stop at the campus during his 1992 presidential campaign.