European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 10, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Tuesday May 10, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 3 Jesse Jackson a Point for focusing on the problems of american society and polities while Michael do lulls and George Bush get Points for putting Rosy pictures. Optimism is key to election study says Philadelphia a in nine of the past 10presidential elections the candidate who avoided Dis cussing problems and offered sin optimistic Outlook was the Winner according to researchers. They Are saying those results arc being borne out this year because of the pack of Niesi denial hopefuls who begun the race democratic front runner Michael Dukakis Anil apparent Republican nominee George Bush offered he Rosie St messages. In analysing nomination acceptance speeches of the two major party candidates since 1948. Martin Selig Man Ond Harold Zullow psychologists a the univer sity of Pennsylvania found Lite candidate who avoided dwelling on National and Persona problems and characterized troubles with an optimistic Outlook ended up in inc while House a Cut in 196b. That year Hubert Humphrey whose message rated slightly More upbeat than Richard Nison s. Came fro behind in the polls to a narrow defeat on election Day Zullo said. The danger is it tells a politics candidate that if you shape statements to what they want to hear you Llwin. An unscrupulous candidate can move farther away from what he really Means Seligman said. The correlation Between the candidates ratings in the analysis and their actual margins of Victory or de feat came almost As close As is possible in social Sci ence Seligman researchers applied their theory to the 13 major candidates running at the beginning of the year for the democratic and Republican nominations by analysing texts of i hair speeches As published in the new York times in january and february. The results of the study Ore due for publication inthe journal american psychologist later this year the researchers counted the number of references to bad events or problems then had people who were unaware of the source of the sentences Rale them for pessimism and inc democratic Side. Dukakis came in As the optimism Winner followed by rep. Richard Gephardt and Jesse Jackson. Bush was the Winner for the republicans with former Delaware gov. Fete Dupont and sen. Bob Dole behind to la High ratings for Bush and Dukakis Zul Low said was the Low number of references to bad events. But also a major Factor in the equation was heir tendency to View problems optimistically citing forces outside the country or painting them As Tempo Rary troubles that would be overcome by a vote in their favor he Jackson s Campaign has been punctuated by a theme of Hope his speeches frequently have focused on the problems of american society and politics Zul lows id Dukakis tends to shy away More from discussing the country s problems he instance a passage from a Jackson speech about defense has him firmly blaming the Cagan administration but using Strong language in describing perceived troubles Zullow said Reagan put out inc Deal that we arc weak militarily. Thai s not True. We re the strongest military in the , he adds our boys got killed in Lebanon. Our boys Are vulnerable m the persian Gulf going up and Down that River every Day being looked at Dow the gun barrel of american made guns sold to the Ayatollah illegally. We be got a Strong military and a weak commander in loses Points in the analysts by rekindling the trauma of the 14 marines and sailors killed by a car bomb in Beirut and the current threat to the Navy in the persian , like Dukakis scored higher than the Oiler party candidates by not dwelling on a problem and quickly looking to an optimistic american voters seem to have a stable preference for candidates who arc More hopeful Zul now said. New Book profiles Bush Dukakis Jackson Washington a jews Jack son has a Strong desire to prove that he is the Best. Michael Jukaku pursues Suc Cess with a fierce determination. George Bush is an Ideal no. 2." Gail sheeny provides these character assessments of the presidential Candi dates in her new Book character America s search for the Book which will be published this week updates a series of profiles so achy did for vanity fair Magazine during the past two years. Here is a summary of so achy s pro files of the three remaining presidential candidates and Reagan. George Bush Bush has in fact the perfect resume for someone seeking appointive office. He has always been an Ideal no. 2 he does what he is trained to do never Chal Lenges never initiates Shehy wrote. If he reaches the White House in1989, it will not be through the process of political combat and Conquest but by polite succession to the she suggested that Bush rarely get fired up about ideas and has spent a life time avoiding confrontation despite his televised run in with cd Anchorman pan rather Over the vice president s role in inc Iran Contra affair. The vice Prei ident has difficulty Dis curing inc death of his Young daughter. Robin who succumbed to leukaemia. According to his wife Barbara Bush maintained a bedside Vigil at the new York Hospital where his daughter underwent chemo Heaphy resuming Lotc As every few Days to manage a new Oil business in Midland. But so achy writes Bush apparently can t synths ii he episodes of highest drama in his life and assign them Michael Dukakis stubbornness this above All Regis ters As the most consistent Mark of Michael Dukakis character. Monos Mou by myself if not his first words he admits were certainly the watchword of the second son bom to Panos and euterpe Dukakis. Was he always stubborn writer Gill sheeny in san Francisco a
