The President said, "I have got to be careful, because I don't want to tell the voters of Louisiana how to cast their ballot."

Yet he said: "When someone has a long record, an ugly record of racism and of bigotry, that record simply cannot be erased by the glib rhetoric of a political campaign. So I believe David Duke is an insincere charlatan. I believe he's attempting to hoodwink the voters of Louisiana, I believe he should be rejected for what he is and what he stands for."

Mr. Duke insists that he has undergone a Christian conversion that steered him away from his past bigotry. But he continues to make comments that distinctly echo the views he espoused when the swastika and the burning cross were his favorite political symbols.

In an appearance on the CBS interview show "Donahue," which was broadcast in most of the country today, he was asked by Phil Donahue, "Do you think the Holocaust is exaggerated by Jews?"

Mr. Duke replied: "Of course there were terrible atrocities in Europe and I condemn that and there were terrible atrocities as well in the Soviet Union. And, I oppose any oppression of people. And I think there is a lot of ----. The closest thing that I know to the policies of Germany in this country is the so-called affirmative action or quota systems. They had quotas in Germany as well on the basis of race. I don't think you should have racial preferences."

In a televised debate this evening Mr. Duke said: "Of course I apologize for things that I have said that have been intolerant and improper. And I do repudiate the Klan or any other racist organization or intolerant organization that exists in this state or in this country. I think we have to all work together, but you don't make up for past discrimination by putting new discrimination on people with these affirmative actions programs and policies."

Mr. Edwards responded: "Mr. Duke has given us 20 years of hate and hurt. If he is really reformed, let him go back into the community and give us 20 years of healing and help and then come back and ask to be Governor."