European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 29, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sen. Bob Kerrey above and gov. L Douglas Wilder Center Are divorced. Former Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown la the Only candidate that never married. By running for president without a first lady by Julia Malone Cox news service after months of suspense about who would run the democrats finally have assembled a sizable Field of contenders for the 1992 presidential race but there s still something lacking. Three of the democratic campaigns have no one for the Post of first lady. When sen Bob Kerrey appeared in Lincoln neb., to announce he was running for president he was flanked by his teenage children Benjamin and Lindsey. A Short distance away standing at her front Row position on stage was Beverly Kay Defnall Kerrey s former wife. They Are on Friendly terms but have been divorced for 13 years. When gov. L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia announced his candidacy his three children were also on hand. Wilder too is divorced and former gov Jerry Brown of California has never married. Although bachelors have run Tor president and even twice been elected in recent years the candidates wife has been of Central importance to campaigns so what happens when there a no spouse Quot the Downside is you wont get to Send out your Christmas card with the Nice family portrait and the dog Quot said democratic consultant Michael Mccurry a Veteran of past presidential campaigns. That disadvantage is More serious than it sounds he said. Quot americans want to have a Good sense of what the family values of the president Are a even if they re mythic As in the Case of Ronald Reagan Quot whose Public image masked a history of divorce and continual family discord said Mccurry. He added that voters also would probably worry for a moment or two about who gets to Host the state  would it be singing Star Linda Ronstadt who has been among Brown s companions or actress Debra Winger a frequent guest at the governors mansion when Kerrey led Nebraska Many voters might accept such an idea said Mccurry. However Betty Boyd Caroli author of a recent Book on the history of first ladies warned that in the past being single and squirting glamorous dates has made men appear Quot less  also wives on the Campaign Trail help Quot to cover More territory and to bring a humanizing influence Quot she added pointing to Barbara Bush a work on behalf of literacy. Quot the single candidates will probably have to figure out some other Way to cover that ground Quot she said. The democratic contestants who Are married can be counted on to feature their families prominently. For example one of Kerrey s main competitors for the nomination is expected to be sen. Tom Harkin of the neighbouring state of Iowa. Harkin s Campaign manager Tim Raftis while asserting that he would t draw comparisons nevertheless painted a Rock solid picture of Harkin s own 23 years of marriage to fellow attorney Ruth Harkin. The Harkins a draw great strength Energy and Comfort from their very Normal suburban family life Quot allowed Raftis. Quot Ordinary hard working people All Over the country know the importance of that and can appreciate  candidate Paul e. Tsongas a former Massachusetts senator also has a Strong family image. But the focus on marriage could be a liability for gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas. Clinton has admitted that his 16-year marriage has been Rocky in the past. On a recent trip to Washington he took the highly unusual step of bringing his wife Hillary to a breakfast session with reporters to help deflect questions about his rumoured past infidelity. How important marital relationships Are to the presidency is a matter Tor debate among the experts. Quot i think its irrelevant whether a person is married or single How Well they a do As president Quot said historian Caroli. James Buchanan the Only president who was elected and served out his term As a Bachelor was a Quot pretty bad president Quot she said noting that critics of the 1850s blamed his Bachelor Hood Quot but if he had been married he would still have been a bad president and they would have found something else Quot she said. But historian Carl Sferrazza Anthony said that his research for a two volume work on first ladies pointed to problems for the Bachelor would be presidents. A was candidates its one thing Quot he said pointing out that daughters nieces and Sisters can fill the vacancy on the Campaign Trail. Quot i m talking about once you re in the office and its 3 o clock in the morning and you re dealing with an International crisis. You be got to Start making decisions and you be got to talk to somebody in human terms Quot he said. And the Best person to give that perspective is a spouse he argued. Mccurry said that single people running for president just acknowledges the facts of the 90s. Quot we Are getting accustomed to the idea that people that have a diverse lifestyle Are beginning to. Make their Way into the ranks of presidential candidates Quot he said. But he said that being a Bachelor adds some burdens Quot you have to demonstrate that you can have mature honest open relationships with members of the opposite sex a personal or professional Quot he  action line cola ups and Downs questioned by spouse it when i saw my husband s july Les leave and earning statement decided that i needed to ask a few questions. I have tried to figure out the rate of cola As Well As separate rations i have watched his cola go up and Down Tor the entire year we be been Here. He is an e-6 with 10 years with five dependents myself and four children i know about the change in the Mark rate but does 40 pfennig a Day equal $50 a month deduction7 also since february was three Days less does that also equal a $25 deduction7 i also know that they increased the Cost of meals at the mess Hall but his separate rations Rale has t increased am i Correct that he is paid $6 15 per day7 Paula f. Adkins Darmstadt Germany sgt. 1 St class Ronald Flynn staff finance no office of Tho Deputy chief of staff resource management Usa eur replies you Are Correct the Cost to procure meals in the dining facility less surcharge increased from $4.10 to $4.90 effective Jan. 1, 1991. At the same time the daily rate for Basic allowance for subsistence Bas for enlisted soldiers increased from $5.91 to $6.15. The Bas rate for officers also increased on Jan. 1 from $4.13 to $4 30 the Cost of living allowance cola rate is based on among several things the Mark Dollar or other foreign currency Exchange rate the cola rate is reviewed twice a month with changes effective the 1st and the 16th. During these reviews the weekly average Exchange rates Are compared to the current Exchange rate used to compute cola and Oha. The difference Between the weekly Exchange rate and the computation rate is expressed As a percentage. When the accumulated differences reach plus or minus 10 percent Oha and cola Are adjusted to eliminate those differences within two months. That is Why sometimes cola goes up at the same time the Mark is going up As in june or goes Down when the Mark is falling As in july a the system is reacting to the daily changes from the previous month s. We have had nine cola Oha changes since Jan. 1 Jan. 1. Feb. 1, april 1 and 16, May 1 and 16. June 1, july 1 and aug. 16. I Hope that this Brief explanation explains a complicated allowance to write us readers action line is the readers a court of last resort Quot striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes Apo 09211-4211. A letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers. Page 16 a the stars and stripes tuesday october 29. 1991