European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday. January 30, 1991 the stars and stripes Pago 11 t it. ,.1.,.,to,a a a a = a ,.w or Ltd i Quot Quot a a a i a v f. V f it it pm a i a Jfe t u Mil f h a  a. Jav 0% 7, i a a a 4v Ltd a a a a ? a a a Norman d. Sandle despite appearances War preoccupied Bush official pronouncements notwithstanding its hardly business As usual at the White. House. These Days. Make no mistake president Bush is preoccupied with the Gulf War though not to the total exclusion of other concerns. In the Early hours of the War against irate an operation of such size and risk As to place his presidency on the line Bush tried to set a tone for the events yet to unfold by noting that a life goes on even in times of crisis. It has since become a familiar refrain dramatized by his decisions to spend weekends at Camp David support sundays playing of the super bowl and deliver his state of the Union address As planned to a joint session of Congress. Through words and actions Bush has tried to stave off any appearance of a nation held hostage or paralysed by Saddam Hussein. Behind the scenes the situation is somewhat different. White House press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater estimates Bush spends As much As 80 percent of his Day consulting with members of his War Council and keeping tabs on the War Effort by television in meetings and from written reports 7 a even before the decision to go to War his daily schedule was pared with ceremonial political and social events Cut to a minimum. With the outbreak of combat the tension of the first 48 hours has Given Way to anxious waiting. The White House perhaps like the nation As a whole has difficulty juggling More than one crisis at a time. And Between the Gulf War and strains in  relations Bush a foreign policy team. Has had its hands full. On the Domestic Side White House officials report being distracted though not sidelined by the Gulf conflict. 7 7 the. White House made Ai Point last week of publicizing the fact that Bush had met with Republican congressional leaders to discuss his Domestic Agenda for the year issues like crime Energy education banking Reform and the environment. The sobering White Houise forecast of a War lasting not merely weeks but months led Fitzwater to Tell reporters that Bush dug in for the Long haul would be balancing management of the War with a other affairs of  within the White House policymakers Steven Komarow  continue to debate priorities and keep watch on the fragile state of an Economy in recession but with reduced personal involvement by Bush. The budget process has gone Forward almost unnoticed due not Only to the War but the fact that the severe constraints of last years deficit reduction agreement with Congress left Tittle mom for new or expanded programs and services. Budget director Richard Darmand a ability to just say no to the annual fiscal pleas of Federal agencies has been strengthened by the Cost of the War which could add $15 billion or More to a skyrocketing budget deficit. Interviewed sunday on the g is Pru Gram a a face the nation a Durr Liuti Dis closed the administration is forecasting a record $318 billion deficit for the current fiscal year because of the War the downturn in the Economy and the bailout of Banks and Thrift institutions. On a More hopeful note he said the financial Cost of the War a can be manage Abler with a very substantial foreign Ctm tribute ions that to Date stand at $45 Bil-7 lion. A a a a 7 a by the events of the last few months have All but obliterated the Bright Outlook Bush was Able to paint in his state of the Union address a year ago a nation at peace an emerging a new world order built on the collapse of communist and dictatorial regimes and an Economy still enjoying the longest peacetime expansion in history. All of that has changed the state of the Union traditionally a wellspring of Hope and new Jonii natives has become a report on and to a nervous nation facing a conflict of unknown Cost duration and consequences. War abroad7 in and recession at Home have turned last year s vision of America on its end. 7. A 7 7 a a. --7. A Bush is attempting not Only to keep a majority of americans rallied behind his Gamble in the Gull but Lay a foundation Abr its aftermath. A Quot a. A Umid press instr National a a a. A Gulf War destroying demos i the democrats May be praying a Little harder than everyone else that the War in the persian Gulf will end soon. Whatever effect bombs Are having on Iraq they re blowing apart the party a Liberal Wing a weekend conference of Liberal democrats had been planned As a Call to arms of a different Type. A your Core supporters feel no passion for our party a sen. Howard Metz Eilbaum a Ohio told the newly formed coalition for democratic values. A we need you to get off your  a no More firing squads in circles a said Lynn Cutler vice chairwoman of the democratic National committee. A a a. But the democrats unable to put aside their differences Over what is going on in the Gull shot at each other and Ith passion. Metzenbaum wanting to keep the focus of the conference on Domestic priorities on which the democrats a ree tried the most mild of statements on the War. A Quot we meet Here today United behind our forces in the persian Gulf a he said. But even that brought a few hisses from the audience. Similarly diplomatic remarks by others on the program including democratic National chairman Ron Brown and House majority Leader Richard Gephardt d-mo., also failed the . It had to be a depressing morning for democrats eager to regain the White House in 1992, and who see president Bush a conduct of the War winning 80 percent or More approval in Public opinion polls. Another trouble sign was apparently renewed antipathy Between two democratic Core constituencies Blacks and jews. Jesse Jackson spoke against the War in strident terms and defended those who opposed Bush a policies Asmi less on the Side of the soldiers. Quot How can it be that those of us who want to bring them Home Safe and walking in their shoes and not in body bags support them less a a the Black Leader said. He also pointed out that bus won his War authority from Congress with the help of democratic votes. But Hyman Bookbinder former Washington repro. Tentative of the american jewish committee called on democrats to support the Campaign to drive Saddam Hussein s army from Kuwait. Quot this is a just War a he said. Gephardt Brown and Sens Paul Simon d-u., and Edward Kennedy d-mass., tried to get the democrats looking ahead. Assuming the War does no to last too Long the nation will again be looking inward at its Domestic problems. A a. A. Quot they re saying a lets change the  t hey have a Good argument on that a said William Schneider a scholar at the conservative oriented american Enterprise Institute who observed the conference. When you peeled away the War bickering the message of the conference was one of party strength and assertiveness a no More Dukas uses a Schneider said. Quot done to let them define us. Define them a said Tom Larkin who last november became the first Democrat Ever re elected to the Senate from Iowa. The problem for democrats now however is that the persian Gulf War seems to be defining everybody. Before the War started it was widely assumed that the Best thing for Bush and the republicans would be a speedy Victory. That May still be True. But it also May be True for the democrats As time. Goes on and feelings Over the War intensify. A a Only a few months ago the democrats were Leeling Good about themselves Tor beating Basilus efforts to win a capital gains tax Cut and a budget with taxes that hit hardest on the Middle class. That a the Battlefield democrats now want to revisit the sooner the better. The associated press a