European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 26, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                This la a new experience Tor me this  Haig trying to shed in charge image by Mike Glover associated press confronted by a group of tiny feeder pigs in Des Moines Alexander m. Haig or. Former Secretary of state and presidential chief of slain. Did what Lowans expect their politicians to do. He scooped up a pig and cuddled in in the Midwest version of hissing babies. This is a new experience Tor me. This politics says Haig a candidate for the 1988 Republican presidential nomination. But Haig and his backers to Sis that electoral politics is the Only thing new to the retired general and they say a Rich lode of experience and exposure to the american people will sell Well in Iowa where Haig laces a crucial Early lest next february. He s go to make a major Florl in  said Steve Roberts a Des Moines lawyer and gop activist who backs Senate Republican Leader sob Dole of Kansas.  Haig " backers concede that voters Are reluctant to support a career military officer. There is also the image problem perhaps Best symbolized by Haig s statement that he was in charge following the 1981 assassination attempt on president Reagan Darlene 8iake. A consultant of the Haig Campaign notes i hat while Many party professionals voice concern about Haig. They sure do flock around when he s Here you Don l achieve the kind of leadership positions he has if you Don t pay attention to the people Blake said. I Don l care what Arena you re  Haig himself says face to face meetings with voters allows him to overcome the perceptions the in charge kind of an image is now becoming less of an Albatross Haig said he is working very hard to re Uspul the image of being a real Tough Guy said David Oman co chairman of the Iowa Republican party. Still Haig scores Only in the single digit in Public opinion polls. The latest Lov a foil conducted May 3 by the dts Moines Register showed vice president George Bush leading the republicans with 40 percent followed by sen Bob Dole of Kansas 33 percent rep. Jack Kemp of new York 7 percent Haig 5 percent and the Rev. Pat Robertson. 5 percent former gov. Pele Dupont of Delaware and former sen. Paul Laxalt of Nevada each had one percent while 8 percent were undecided in the Survey of 347 republicans the poll had a margin of error of 5.3 percent. Once the Soli professed vicar of american foreign policy Haig 62, is working to parlay a lifetime of working Tor others in the highest military and political circles Mlo the Republican presidential nomination. One of he first Steps in that process is Iowa where party activists who will participate in next february s precinct caucuses prefer to get to know the candidates on a one on one basis. Roberts said Haig must master the Campaign style of local politicians. It you want to win Iowa you be got to run like you re running for governor or senator Roberts said. Haig formally joined use gop presidential yield in March and he s begun building the nucleus of a political organization. We Are still in those first stumbling organizational Days sad Blake head of the Polk county Republican party an organization that includes Oes Moines and roughly 10 percent of the slate s registered republicans. I Pul my hat in the ring at the end of March Haig said. George Bush has been running for 12 years new York rep. Jack Kemp and Kansas son Bob dote for eight years  his theme is competence and he vows to take that message to Tho lunch counters and arms of Iowa. His crowds Are Good a sign aides say Means voters know him and want to see him regardless of their views. There Are not too Many people who Are right in the Middle Aboul  said Jay Semerad who runs his Iowa Campaign. They Are either one Way or the other about him. But they re willing to come shake his hand just to see this Man they have an opinion  some political activists see Haig taking savvy Steps fico telephoning Republican farm activists and scheduling a private meeting during a recent Towa swing. I m impressed said Graydon Anderson retired head of the state s agricultural stabilization and conservation service. I like whal i  let there be no doubt he has a lot of work Lodos and Oman his name identification is relatively High people know who to is but people have Check ered opinions of  Haig is not concerned by the tact that this is his first Stab at elective office. Voters arc ready for something new a says and he does t mid summoning up the image of Dwight Eisenhower the last military Olicer to win the presidency i think the american people Are going to be looking or something very different Haig said. Since i Don l know of a single Republican candidate who does t essentially support the Reagan revolution. I think 1988 is largely going to focus on the qualifications and the character of lha  on the Campaign Trail Haig espouses the traditional Republican conservative message but never strays far from his lifetime experience in foreign policy. Will our next Starddard Beare have the Qualli cations and the experience Haig asks. Does our candidate have experience in International affairs the reality is we Are not becoming a cocoon that can operate individually in a troubled  or. More bluntly Haig asks voters to compare the gop hopefuls and decide who we As a nation want to Sil across the table from Mikhail Gorbachev. I think i know something about the office and its requirements and i be been Over the years somewhat shocked by some of its failures which have been a product on occasion of putting men in these heavy responsibilities Haig said. "1 Haven t shied from my responsibilities. Friends told me when i was asked to be chief of staff of the White House during watergate thai it would destroy my military career my  Siat fers say they plan to take that message directly to rank and it e republicans. There Are vast untapped groups out there who have nol been Active  Blake said we re going to get a few Republican activists but a lol of them Are already committed Semerad said. They Are going with candidates they have been working with Lor eight or 12 years. We re working on other  Roberts said Haig May have one advantage because his message of family morality and Lough foreign policy plays Well in an Iowa Republican electorate that s grown More conservative Over the past decade. There Are no moderates any  Roberts said when you re preaching to that conservative choir these Days you re not really preaching to he choir you re preaching to the congregation " s Jit 26.1987 the stars and stripes Page 15