With respect to foreign policy, Weld said he favors using U.S. troops in missions where national security issues are at stake but using multinational forces for humanitarian missions.

"The trouble is to make sure you don't fudge the focus between the two types of missions," the governor said.

Just as Governor Christine Todd Whitman (R-N.J.) did last month in her response to President Clinton's State of the Union Address, Weld alluded to the successes of many Republican governors, including Whitman, Wilson, John Engler (R-Mich.) and Tommy Thompson (R-Wis.).

But Weld chose not to respond to a question connecting Wilson to a plan to end affirmative action in California.

"Particularly given that it's Pete Wilson, I'd rather read it before I comment," he said.

Editor's note: This story should have run on the front page of yesterday's edition but did not due to a production error. The story is reprinted above in its entirety.