New Jersey governor blames Clinton for budget showdown

TRENTON, New Jersey (CNN) -- Blaming President Bill Clinton for the budget showdown, New Jersey's governor on Saturday urged voters to back Republicans in the November elections.

"The president has threatened to veto expanded IRAs and health-care tax deductions for working families in a last-ditch effort to help Democrats regain control of Congress," said Gov. Christie Whitman, during the Republican radio address.

"I think we're ready for a change, and the difference between parties is striking."

She said Republicans "work with people to accomplish results."

Whitman praised the record of Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush, the Texas governor.

"Governor Bush delivered the two largest tax cuts in Texas history, put welfare recipients to work and saw the creation of more than 2 million new jobs," Whitman said.

She said Bush has made education his priority, setting the goal that every child should be able to read by the third grade. Under Bush's leadership, she said, Texas "raised the bar on education standards" and "is closing the achievement gap between minority and non-minority students."

She said Bush instituted school reform "in partnership with his Democratic legislature."

Republican governors, Whitman said, have been tackling issues such as high taxes, education and health care for years.