European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 17, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 columns the stars and stripes Tom Wicker Bush would be smart to get Dole on ticket supreme court Justice Sandra Day o Connor is George Bush a dream pick for his vice presidential running mate the Washington Post recently reported. Bush would do better in says Here to listen to Richard Nixon who s been on one end or another of five National tickets and who thinks Bob Dole would be the Best Choice. Never mind that Bush and sen. Dol had some harsh exchanges in the Early primaries and arc not considered fond of each other. Believe me Nixon said in Bis meet the press appearance i they win they d be bosom buddies there that s the kind of political Wisdom Bush needs to heed rather than moaning after o Connor in the first place if sheran for National office while still a Mem Ber of the court she d leave in Short handed for the fall term and politicize herself. If a Bush Oconnor Tickel lost she d have to return to the court As failed Republican politician More than As a supposedly objective Jurist. So Bush probably would have to persuade her to resign her seat and Noth ing suggests she d be that foolish. Old timers Lite me 5lil wonder How Lyndon Johnson talked Arthur Goldberg into giving up lifetime Leturc on inc court to become ambassador to the United nations. If o Connor left the court to run for vice president she would be giving upper pics Gigious position As the first woman Justice for the Uncertain possibility that she might become the first woman vice president. Not Only is that office inferior to a supreme court Seal save Only when a president Dies but in could prove a dead end in a Way thai service on the court never could. In inc unlikely event that Bush did persuade her to resign president Reagan could nominate a successor but for the few remaining months of his irm democratic Senate surely would refuse 10 confirm. The court needs neither Lopp Fralc again Wilh Only eight justices As 11 did for so Long owing to the unsuccessful Bork and Ginsburg nominations nor to be in the Middle of that kind of Politi Cal Ballac. And Why should the re Public George f. Will at mine of can nominee open up a court seat that a democratic president might gel to fill if it were certain that o Connor would bring Victory to the Bush ticket or at Leas some guaranteed electoral votes All thai might be worthwhile. But she has no real experience running for office and no one knows what kind of campaigner she might make. There is much to be said however for Dole As a running mate. Regardless of How they feel about each other the Bush Dole combination should be no More difficult to arrange Nan the Reagan Bush ticket of 1990, both pulling together the major contenders for the presiden tial nomination. In also would Echo the successful i960 democratic ticket of John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson both of whom competed for the top spot. Putting together the Winner and loser we people search k reassurance. Of he nominating struggle can heal party wounds and draw together formerly opposed factions. In the Case of Rob Dole As Nixon pointed out he also would bring needed strength in the midwestern Arm states to the Bush Campaign hav ing him As vice president would be an effective Way for Bush to Deal with o potential party rival and Dole might rather Gamble on placing himself a heartbeat away from the White House than on continuing to be the Senate minority Leader under a democratic presi Dent. Bush does not Lack for other useful choices gov. George Dukmejian of the Mes populous state is an obvious possibility particularly to counter the eth Nic Appeal of a Michael Dukakis Nomi nation by the democrats. Bui California political buffs do not consider Dukmejian a charismatic Leader or a Strong Cam Pai Grcar. If the Republican nominee though he needed to reach out to his parly s right Wing he could Climou another of Hiiri Vals in the primaries rep. Jack Kemp of new York. Or if he hints he s already placated the conservative faithful height turn to inc moderate Ana Able gov. Tom can of new Jersey. For strength in the South he could hardly Doelter than the Young former governor of Tennessee Lamar Alexander but in Bush really would like to have a woman for a running mate what s wrong with sen. Nancy Kau Baum of Kansas who has Many of the same strengths As Bob Dott of the same state or Elizabeth Dole that Bush Dole ticket would be a real stunner. Dukakis needs to shed that dyspeptic image mayor Edward Koch who never has been of Naun As a disciple of lord Chesterfield in matters of manners has been presiding As the pyromaniac a the Bonfire of the democratic vanities in the run up Tonew York s primary. In that capacity he has said thai Al ii Jackson s programs would bankrupt the country in Liri a weeks and leave it defenceless in sin weeks. Aja Cwm spokesperson accused the mayor of Exa Gera that was an ambiguous retort. Should the tin iyar have said six and 12 weeks to Kun. Responding to the charge that his promises if implemented would bust the budget implied that my moralists do not do arithmetic he said Rosa Parks did t have a budget. She had a Mission and a no True. But Parks who Ign Ilid the Montgom Ery ala., bus boy col i 33 years ago was seeking a Sacaton 9 Hui. Not in Lincoln s chair. Jackson remains what he has always been a protest Leader Redse a 3 generic protest Leader. What s happen in a Lami foreclosure in Iowa a Plant closing in wis Consin a naval aviator held in Syria a who needs a talking to Jackson Call your office you do have an office Don t you. Many americans feel vaguely nostalgic about past plot cols and vaguely tolerant of protesting As a Voca Tion but today the nation has nothing much on its mind to protest about. Prates leaders an gifted Lulu illion on Clear particular wrongs As they ice la Tom thai need righting a Law to be repealed a War to be ended. Jackson s business is protesting not inv Liru modulating responsibilities of govern Ance which Call for different skills and temperaments. Skill and temperament Are Michael Dukakis is Selling. The primary eve evidence Here is that this year unlike i to new York s electorate will cast a serious sorting out vote rather than a merely message sending vote. In 1980, Ted Kennedy won Here after a series Oll Osses in the nomination contest with j Immy Carter. Ken Nedy won partly because the Carter administration had adopted an anti Israel stance at the United nations and partly because punishing Carter seemed Safe in already being reasonably Clear that Kennedy would not win inc Nom mation. This year the nomination contest is Noi scaled and new yorkers can Settle in with a Dukakis , and the endorsements from Many of the 645 that a Dukakis win would trigger would Send him sailing toward California. There in Early june he will have three advantages California has a Large jewish Community. California is just 7 percent Black. And California has a Large his panic Vole. Hispanic audiences Are the Only audience that Dukakis who Speaks Spanish fluently brings to something like a boil or Al least a simmer furthermore Dukakis anti ideological ideology Lei s Call it olym ironically militant manager Alum May suit California s current mood. Not Long ago California politics put a Premium on Charisma two consecutive two term governor were Ronald Reagan and Jerry Brown the former was a 76-Trombonc marching band he latter Wai a Modem jazz quartet of political Cool. Today s iwo Lerm governor George Deu Lulejian a Republican is a political Lawrence Welk. And califor Nia s two senators Democrat Alan Cranston and re publican Pete Wilson reflect California s current preference for plodding competence rather than color. There is however a slightly colourful Side la Dukakis and it hns been intermittently on display Here ii if related to his boast about his competence and it is unattractive. It is his icily impatience with criticism or even disagreement. When in a debate Here Albert Gore found Bull with aspects of Dukakis Massachusetts record Dukakis Athirst tended to treat the questions As not deserving to be dignified by answers. He preferred instead to say what governors generally say about senators that Gore has never run anything Dukakis will have to find anew line when he meets George Bush the former ambassador and Cia director when pressed to answer Dukakis did so with an impatience team singly intended to indicate that such questioning is an impertinence. Presidents like Hie world generally Only even More so Are too much with us. The first is president could Pasi through the streets unrecognized by their today presidents arc in our living rooms every Day. Reagan has accustomed the Public to feel ing comfortable with the person who drop in at dinnertime each Day via network news Cali. If Duksil begins in seem like tiresome company Dukakis the dyspeptic he will not be issued a four year invitation to drop in
