European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 15, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 a the stars and stripes columns Tom Rau Panama was a Victory of substance for Bush president Bush who a few months Back was fending off charges of timidity is reaping foreign policy Ana political gains from the Success of a daring military operation in Panama. Quot Bush just knocked one out of the Park Quot one political analyst said. Quot the a we wimp word will not be heard again Quot said another. The . Intervention in Panama and subsequent surrender of dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega to . Forces is allowing Bush to bask in Praise from leaders of both parties a something rare for a president a full year into his term. Bush s Gamble May have left him in the strongest position since he took office As he awaits the return of Congress on Jan. 23 with his popularity soaring in Public opinion polls. And while analysis and political leaders differed on the Long Range payoff few disputed the Short term value to Bush and his party a particularly in this congressional election year. A the president goes into this session of Congress with enormous credibility whether on defense spending or Domestic policy Quot said Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole of Kansas. And no harsher a critic than sen. Edward m. Kennedy d-mass., proclaimed the surrender of Noriega Quot a Triumph for diplomacy and a Triumph for  at a news conference Bush dismissed an assertion by Lee Atwater chairman of the Republican National committee that the panamanian venture was a Quot political  a a president is called on to take certain actions. We re not going in to try to furbish a political image that s ridiculous Quot Bush said. But Leslie Goodman a spokeswoman for the inc said Atwater s a Basic Point was that anytime an american president does what he says he a going to do the Public approves wildly. That a what happened with Panama. And that a the political  most analysts seemed to agree. A Bush just knocked one out of the Park Quot said Stephen Hess a political analyst who specializes in the presidency at the Brookings institution a generally Liberal research organization. A and in International terms he reminded the rest of the world that they can to take him for  Quot this was a High wire act this was a big  Hess added. Quot think of All the ways he could have fallen off the wire and yet he got from one Side to the  Mitch Daniels political director in the Reagan White House and now a scholar at the conservative Hudson Institute in Indianapolis said Bush s Success in bringing Noriega to Justice a a can to be  a there Are defining events that tend to be remembered after the event itself has been forgotten. This was dearly a Complex operation and the president dearly was personally directing events. And it worked Quot Daniels said. A the a we word will not be heard again Quot he added. Although Bush has not been called a a wimp Quot since Early on in his presidential Campaign democratic critics. Including Senate majority Leader George Mitchell a Mainc were accusing him of timidity in foreign policy As recently As a few months ago. Bush was attacked for failing to stand up to the chinese government in the aftermath of the bloody Tiana men Square crackdown for reacting too slowly in promising Aid for Poland and other emerging new democracies of Eastern Europe and for failing to seize the moment during an abortive coup attempt against Noriega last october. A Over the Long run in retrospect it would have been much better to have intervened in that indigenous coup rather than to handle it this  said Norman Ornstein of the conservative american Enterprise Institute. A we would have been abetting rather than initiating and carrying out Quot Ornstein said. Quot and we would have been less responsible for Panama. Now panamanians Are going to look with some justification to us to bail them . Even so Ornstein said a a Bush a popularity has gone up Praise for him is across the spectrum. No one will be Able to take away from him the Victory that comes when you say a in a going to do this. And its  and when he is called weak impish and indecisive again As he will be it will have less  the president often has referred to himself As a cautious Man. Against the backdrop of this caution therefore. The bold Panama strike stands out in even greater Relief political analysts said. But Bush himself while dearly Savouring the Praise and Happy with the Success of the operation otters a More cynical assessment of How democrats in Congress will react once the initial glow has faded. At a recent news conference he was asked Quot is this the last time George Mitchell can Ever accuse you of having a timid foreign policy Quot Bush Quot knowing George hell find a reason hell find a Way. And that a his Job. Look we re going into an election  Tom Raum covers the White mouse for the Asi oseted press Walter Mear conservatives rank Quayle High Bush so so a panel of conservatives grading the administration s first year says president Bush is of a but he s no Dan Quayle. A conservative think tank issued that report card giving Bush a gentleman a c. The vice president got an a. That spells Success in one of Quayle a tasks a covering the conservative political flank for the administration. It has been handled with differences in tone and emphasis that leave both Quayle and Bush room to insist there is no disagreement on policy. There can t be a it is a fact of vice presidential life that the no. 2 Man does t have any policy options of his own. Quayle has said there is no Good Guy bad Guy strata a at work. But on such topics As East West relations c tends to emphasize the negative while Bush deals with the positive. That reassures the right still suspicious of soviet intent internal reforms notwithstanding. The White House describes that As a difference in  not in substance. Quayle underscores his Royalty to the president and his policies at every Opportunity and dismisses suggestions that they re not always in tune. A a it a the age old game that is played in trying to find some distinction Between the president and vice president a Quayle said in an interview with the associated press. Still there Are distinctions and they Register clearly with conservatives. That shows in the report card. The heritage foundation published the freshman year appraisal this month in its quarterly Magazine policy review. Grading was done by conservatives who were willing to put their names behind their marking system. Given the Magazine deadline. Bush s decision to intervene in Panama on dec. 20 did no to come within their grading period. Conservatives generally applauded him for it. And they unanimously applauded Quayle for his years work. Quot Quayle has proved to be a very effective advocate of conservative positions within the administration and As a Liaison with conservatives on Capitol Hill a said Paul Wyrich president of the free Congress foundation. Weyrich rated Quayle at a. Suggesting he ought to be More Independent of the administration to add to his own stature and build Quot a viable National political base for  that May sound Good to conservative republicans but Independence in policy or politics is not part of the Job description that goes with the vice presidency. Bush got a b from Wyrich. Ditto on the card of Pat Robertson the television evangelist who challenged him for the 1988 presidential nomination. Robertson chief executive of the Christian broadcasting network called Bush a steady competent unimaginative Quot and cautious. Quot he has not told the american people where he wants to go Quot Robertson said. A the has not outlined a cogent policy Agenda for them to  Robertson said Quayle merits an a As a a Superb vice  a whether he can rehabilitate himself politically after the vicious beating he took from the Media last fall remains to be seen a Robertson said. A i Hope he  Amy Moritz executive director of the National Cen terror Public policy research agreed on the a and on the complaint about Quayle coverage. Quot Quayle has done a tremendous Job under this pressure and it s time the american people told the bullies in the Media to Lay off Quot she said. She saw Bush As no better than a a saying he has delivered neither victories nor vision. Quot George Bush is not sure Why he wants to be president Quot she said so he reacts to events and compromises Between opposing viewpoints. Harsher still was Edward h. Crane president of the Cato Institute who gave Bush a d. Quot Bush is a creature of government no does not object to a single Federal program or department Quot Crane contended. Quot. His continued popularity among conservatives is a sad commentary on what s left of the Reagan  Witter r Meert. A Cote meet Lor Trie Aero Veteo preen. Rill reported on Wasington and National pout Ici for Mora wan 25 Waart