23:40EDT
By CLAUDE R MARX
Associated Press Writer
09/26/00
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Clinton had a night out at movies on Tuesday. But instead of fighting traffic and standing in line, he arrived by motorcade and got a standing ovation.
Clinton then sat with the crowd, sipped Diet Coke and watched a preview of "Remember The Titans,'' the story of a racially integrated high school football team that won the Virginia state championship in 1971.
"I only wish we could learn again the things that these men learned everyday from each other,'' Clinton told the crowd outside the Uptown Theater afterward seeing the movie.
The film, which opens nationally on Friday, tells the story of the 1971 championship season of the football team at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va., a suburb of Washington. The team, which was known as the Titans, was one of the few racially mixed teams in the state. Its head coach was black and his assistant was white.
"They won a victory of the human heart,'' Clinton said.
Clinton said he had visited the high school twice during his presidency and noted it is the nation's most religiously and ethnically diverse school. He said there are students from more than 80 countries who speak 50 languages.
He added that stories like those in the film inspire him to try to end fighting throughout the world.
The movie, which stars Denzel Washington, depicted a season in which the team won the state championship after an undefeated season.
Washington attended the premiere and said the film is "about these young men who came together at this very difficult time.''
About two dozen members of the team attended the showing and presented Clinton with a team jersey.
Herman Boone, who coached the team and was portrayed by Washington, was at the preview as was Bill Yoast, his assistant. Will Patton, who portrayed Yoast, was also there but did not speak.