European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 20, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday december 20, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 13 commentary James j. Kilpatric kit s unfortunate Pat is crossing great Rubicon stands for Gopher Avau a Tut of Cuffe who Sev most of he of vat woe. Amp Rov a. Stands for oppose Suft Jagt o stands for pm Riedig Wurst Cark Aud co Stamf Cha a to can Quot amp a Van Asp Muc Vns i Par Colam a Coos \5v\t \ a j Moo Cawte it Buca Wou zoo 92 what does one say of an old Friend who suddenly has gone bonkers i could say a wow Pat sober up but Pat Buchanan is no Boozer. Or i could say a wow Pat be realistic but in some ways Pat Buchanan is the epitome of realism. The inadequate thing to say is. So Long Pat. Be see in you. So he s running for president of the United states. He entered the new Hampshire primary in february. His intention is a to do a  the reference is to the democratic primary of March 12. 1968, when president Lyndon Johnson was in the pits of unpopularity. Its widely believed that Johnson lost the new Hampshire primary to Eugene Mccarthy but it in t so. The final count showed 27,520 for Johnson 49.6 percent and 23,263 for Mccarthy 41.9 percent but the Impact of Mccarthy a showing was too much for lbs. He threw in his hand. Maybe Pat Buchanan will Roll up such an impressive vote in february that George Bush will Limp away into obscurity a one term president who failed the tests of leadership. Maybe this will happen and maybe pigs will Fly but Don t bet the ranch. At the time Mccarthy shocked Lyndon Johnson. Mccarthy had served 10 years in the House and 10 years in the Senate. The people of Minnesota had elected him to Public office seven times. He was a Well known National figure the acknowledged Leader of those who hated the War in Vietnam. Pat Buchanan never has run for anything. He is a writer for Pete s Sake he is a columnist a to personality a pugnacious fellow who can lick any Man in the House. When he breathes fire he Burns the Toast for Miles around. One Good growl from Buchanan so the theory goes and George Bush will collapse with the Spavins and heaves. A me. Vanity of vanities Saith the preacher All is vanity. Patrick Buchanan has turned his Back on president Bush. So have the editors of National review and human events. And the pathetic thing is that these worthies truly believe that it matters. One hears the lugubrious sighs As decisions of such portentous weight regretfully Are reached. They no longer. Can. Support. The president. St much for Bush off with his head. This is piffle. For the record a and not that it matters a Hill of Beans a this conservative columnist has not abandoned George Bush. He has disappointed me in some respects but every politician i have Ever known has disappointed me in some respects. Bush has Good instincts. I will stick with him that should ensure his re election. Permit me a rambling moment. Back in 1962, As i recall the City of Richmond was represented in the House by a five term mediocrity name of j. Vaughan Gary. He was a Waller. I was then the fire eating editor of the afternoon news Leader. Gary was Ripe Lor plucking. The sachets of Virginia a Byrd organization came to me. We hiked literally to a Mountaintop. They would provide the Money the volunteers the managers. A Good Job if i lost. Say yes they beguiled me and with the Blessing of Harry Byrd i might aspire one Day to his seat in the Senate. It was a powerful temptation it really was but i put the devils behind me in my world which is a world of reporters and politicians we live according to a great Divide. An invisible River separates us from them ii i chose to take on Vaughan Gary i would Cross a Rubicon never to return. As it turned out an obscure physician ran against Gary in 1962 and nearly licked him. Two years later Gary retired us and them. I Hale to see pal Buchanan Cross the River. He Speaks in his column for a substantial constituency within the Republican party. A great Many of us believe As he believes that the United Stales has done far Moie than its share in defending democratic ideals around the world. We agree that an answer to our fiscal problems lies in spending less rather than in taxing More. Siut paid also has identified himself with another constituency. He Speaks for the Turtle conservatives for All those who see the world dimly from he Cath an isolationist Shell. These people Don t want it govern. They want Only to grouse. Buchanan has Tot much Talent Loo much latent Good sense to go to bed with this crowd of ankle hiting . Well. Pat off we go to new Hampshire. You go Wilh them. I la go with us. Be seen Quot you. A ump Ursill pros syndic ulc Leslie h. Gel democratic candidates deserve a better forum the Brokaw meets the democrats show on sunday did Only one useful thing it showed that Jerry Brown and Douglas Wilder Aren t up to the level of the other candidates and should Bow out now. Almost  about the Abc sponsored event was ill conceived and poorly executed. The format which had Tom Brokaw alternately playing quizmaster and solder made the four credible contenders a Tom Harkin Bill Clinton. Bob Kereev and Paul Tsongas a look like bickering and posturing schoolchildren. The Way these so called debates Are constructed every candidate is necessarily diminished. Even Abe Lincoln or Franklin Roosevelt would look like a squabbling Dwarf fighting Tor identity in the Dwarf pack. Even those declared by pundits to he winners Are really losers a compared with those who Don t have to participate like president Bush. The democrats As the outs need television exposure. But they Don t have to Swallow whatever format the networks provide. They should fight for a More substantive format and thereby create a forum to present themselves and i hair cases with More dignity. The Brokaw approach was to ask widely different kinds of questions is Bush too soft on Syria How big is the yearly interest on the debt do you favor tax cuts for the Middle class to one or two candidates. Each had a minute it answer. The others did t even get a Chance to respond to the question and so were forced to shout their Way into the Exchange or interject their views at Odd moments. Brokaw interrupted and corrected hut rarely asked questions that carried the Issue Forward 1 his procedure made ail the democrats look bad. A typical reaction came from Tom Shales the discerning critic of the Washington Post who called them a a six pack of weenies a Ripe Lor the  these Clever barbs Slick whether Lair or not. And this Lime the tag is clearly not fair to most of the contenders. Sen. Harkin of Iowa is a knowledgeable populist. He s a bit strident on the Campaign Trail and sounds isolationist but his traditional Liberal themes Are Well phrased and argued. Paul Tsongas a former senator is smart and thoughtful and has Good ideas about melding private Enterprise and government. Unhappily for him he lacks a presidential presence. Sen. Kerrey of Nebraska Lias presence and Confidence. Unfortunately he seems too Laid Back or Lazy to prepare himself on substance even to the Point of poorly explaining his own health care proposal. Gov. Clinton of Arkansas knows More about Domestic issues than any presidential candidate since Lubert Humphrey lie s disciplined and thoughtful but still lends to lose this themes in lists of programs. The Abc format gave these Hope Fuls a stage to Quot perform Quot not a platform to show How they would tackle the nations ills. As a result pundits rated them by their theatrical skills. Other networks will stage six More of these 90-minute extravaganzas. With Luck. Wilder and Brown wont re appear. 1 he remaining tour or live if gov. Mario Cuomo enters should he Given a Chance to demonstrate their wares fully and fairly. Each debate should Deal Wilh three to five issues at most. A general question should be asked and each candidate permitted three or five minutes to respond. Each should have a minute or two for rebuttal. The Anchor s role should he minimal. The Abc format was less a vehicle Tor debate than a showcase Tor Tom Brokaw. And no Anchor should he Given the Power to make candidates look bad or Good. Eel the contenders Shine t it i hang on their own. And police themselves. This kind of formal might be Boring. But most american television viewers Aren t going to watch whatever the formal unless it includes a wrestling match with teen age Gills. The millions who will tune in to a genuine debate might actually he turned on by what they learn. It s hard to Tell yet whether any of the democratic contenders would he a better president than George Bush. But we will never be Able to make a decent judgment so Long As they Are presented to us in ways that make the anchors look like presidents and the candidates look like Weenie dwarfs and clowns. Lutcy now York times the opinions expressed in the columns and cartoons on this Page represent those or the authors and Are in no Way to he considered As representing the views of the stars and stripes or the United states government