European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 20, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes columns William Safire Bush gambles on Quayle to show he s in charge what does the selection of Dan Quayle Tell us about the political judgment of George Bush first it tells us that taking Complete control of his party and his Campaign is of Central importance to him. The Little known sen. Quayle is now George Bush s creation wholly Beholden to him Junior enough to be his son As the vice president put it in his strongest press conference i m 64 and he s 41." the signal that comes across is that Bush is finished with being no. 2. It s no. 1 or nothing no reaching out for any of his primary opponents who would bring More stature to the position of running mate and perhaps a touch of Independence to the top level of the next administration. Conservatives cannot publicly Gripe. Quayle is a staunch and outspoken Man of the right passing All litmus tests with flying colors. The general reaction to him by right wingers is gulp hell be Fine. But legions of Good soldiers Whis per in the ranks if a Young vigorous non pragmatist was the Choice Why not Jack Kemp the answer is control. Bush s exposure to rep. Kemp for the past eight years has been in meetings Between the White Liz Carpenter House and Republican leadership in Congress and Kemp used those sessions to get through to the president with his Supply Side hawkish populist views. He rocked the boat but affected the direction of the ship of state. That is Why the Neo con intellectuals Bill though Quayle was immediately put on the defensive by the questioning of his absence from Vietnam. But do Young candidates really attract Young voters if the Bush Quayle ticket wins Geezer Hood will be anathema in running mates if it loses it s no More Are privately dismayed at the Choice of kids near the ticket for a generation. A Kemp without Kemp s  that baggage was his ideological leadership of the movement that Bush joined As Well As his attraction to six packers who Are out of touch with the world of dry Chablis. Second Bush s decision tells us that he prefers a Man Best equipped to help him win the presidency to the person Best equipped to step in As president. This is surely not unprecedented and the nation has been fortunate in the unexpected strength of such accidental presidents As Teddy Roosevelt and Harry Truman. But the recent trend has been toward men Well prepared to assume the top office. Bush s need for control has led him to Buck that trend to the nation s loss. Third it tells us that Bush judges generational politics to be big this year. An authentic baby Boomer fits that finally the Choice provides evidence that Bush intends for someone other than himself to go for the Throat of his opponents who have been busily Savag ing him As a kind of impish rambo. That insulation makes political sense Quayle already being described As a combination of Robert Redford and Robert Morse will be expected to take Media criticism for being a strident gut fighter As he rakes and rattles the liberals in their managerial clothing. The newly masterful Bush like Gen. Eisenhower with a scrappy Nixon out front will then be free to take the High Road of ideological Issue making. The Republican candidate s need to assert control is understandable. He must remember How Ronald Reagan under firestorm pressure in 1980 to choose former president Ford As his run Ning mate asserted personal control by choosing George Bush. Nor has this convention yet bestowed the Mantle of conservatism on the suspected moderate it has nominated. The party on its opening night did not use the reagans to celebrate the once controversial ideas that Bush will be carrying Forward instead the party indulged in an orgy of personal tributes to departing Royalty. The Torch was not passed it was retired. Small wonder that the vice president Felt the overpowering need to Gamble on a run Ning mate a netted by pitiless publicity. To conservatives he said you cannot com Plain i picked an authentic right Winger. To the party he said gel ready for a flock of new faces called Bush  to the nation he said this is How boldly i would run the country. It s a Gamble All right rooted in 20 years of self suppression. Like some other idea paddlers Here in new Orleans i will soon come around to defending Young Quayle As he smites the lefties. But at least until the acceptance speeches in memory of the very Brief tradition of choosing a Well tested rival i will have to join the legendary Johnnie Arm Strong and Lay me Down for to bleed  c new York times Choice of Quayle is no help with gender Gap new Orleans yes George there is a gender Gap and you did t do anything to narrow it with your veep Choice of sen. Dan Quayle. Various pre Quayle pollsters have been finding the democratic presidential ticket enjoying a 12 to 21 per cent Edge among women. A National poll by Lou Harris last year shows the vast majority of americans favouring passage of the equal rights amendment and the right of Choice on abortion. The poll asked do you favor passage of Era to ensure equal rights for women seventy five percent said yes. Do you favor a constitutional amendment to ban abortion sixty two percent opposed such a ban. The planned parenthood federation of America re ports Quayle voted Over a 10-year period 23 out of 24 times against family planning and abortion. In 1977, then congressman Quayle supported the Hyde amendment refusing medicare payments for abortion even in instances of rape incest or the endangered life of the Mother. Vice president George Bush at a wednesday news conference with Quayle at his Side cited the senator s Large margin of the vote in Indiana in 1986 As proof that Quayle would help close the gender Gap. That was a race in which Quayle won by 61 percent Over Jill Long a last minute entry after the democratic candidate Louie Mahern dropped out because of a heart attack. Records show Quayle spent $1.9 million and Long spent $ 125,000. So Are the Bush strategists under the impression that his Robert Redford Good looks comprise a Strong hunk vote Hogwash Ellie Smeal former head of the nation Al organization of women said. Polls show that women Don t even choose husbands because of their looks. It is demeaning to women to imply that we Don t vote on  in Austin Texas democratic state treasurer Ann Richards who will be a major voice in the Dukakis Bentsen Campaign said i Don t need to reiterate that it is absurd and insulting to suggest that women Are going to vote for someone just because he is Good looking. It does t Hurt if he s Good looking you just can t make a silk purse out of a sow s ear. Attractive and energetic and kind though he maybe his record is dismal she said of Quayle. Here in new Orleans amid the Small and beleaguered and of men and women who Are both republicans and feminists there is dismay Over the selection of Quayle. The National women s political caucus held forum tuesday to discuss How to be campaigners for the Republican party and still hang onto their souls As fighters for women s rights. Quayle and Kemp have Bent to the right Wing rep. Bill Green of new York said the Day before Quayle was picked by Bush. We would have been much better off with Baker Simpson or either  Green won the caucus s 1988 Good Guy award for his article to win republicans must be  these leaders recognize the gender Gap which has existed since the Reagan administration began. All had expressed Hope that Bush would leave an opening for moderates to come to the Republican party. Republican feminists do not require a straight pro woman attitude it was pointed out. They do insist on support of the equal rights amendment affordable child care and More appointments of women to High posts. Republican women who had served on the platform committee and tried to get moderate planks said their efforts had been a valiant but losing Battle from the beginning. You have no idea what it is to be up against Rabid people As we were rep. Nancy Johnson of connect Cut said. But we will win one  Green said the Republican party should look to the Success sen. Robert Packwood of Oregon has had with women voters As Well As men and take a hint for All Republican candidates for office. Packwood is Bot pro Era and pro Choice. The gender Gap is real and worrisome said Mary Louise Smith former National chairman of the Republican party and a Silver haired Veteran of 40 years in Republican politics. She suggested that Republican feminists not leave the party but stay in and fight. I believe George Bush understands the concept of full partnership for women. I know his family and their sensibilities. What we should stress is his position on child care and organize behind an Effort to get More women  Cox news service columnist Liz Carpenter was press Secretary or ladybird Johnson