Clintons tango with Argentine visitors

WASHINGTON -- Inspired as he watched Robert Duvall effortlessly glide across the floor of the White House's East Room, President Clinton gave up his sideline seat and showed the Argentine delegation that he can tango with the best of them. The president and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton capped off a state dinner tribute to Argentine President Carlos Menem Monday night by indulging in a few rounds of the sensual dance form. Menem escorted the U.S. first lady to the dance floor, while the president perfected his tango technique with Amanda de Fernandez, the wife of Argentina's minister of the economy. Duvall, who became smitten with the dance after seeing it performed 12 years ago and has honed his abilities in more than 15 visits to Buenos Aires, dazzled the 170 guests who watched him glide across the makeshift dance floor. "I'll never look at you the same way again, Robert!" exclaimed the president, after watching Duvall with his partner, Luciana Pedraza. The chamber ensemble QuinTango provided the music as the pair and another couple, Pablo Veron and Victoria Vieyra, performed. Menem, in his official toast, pointed to Duvall's chairmanship of the U.S. Tango Academy as an example of the strong ties that connect the people of the two nations. "Of course the bonds of friendship between the presidents are very deep," Menem said through a translator. "But as deep are the bonds of friendship that bring together the people of Argentina and the people of America." In his salute, Clinton described some of the values held by both countries. "We share aspirations old and new, to deepen democracy, to strengthen justice . . . to give other people the chance to live as peacefully and as positively as possible at the dawn of this new century," Clinton said.