European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 29, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday december 29, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 5bush trying to Wield political Midas touch a president Bush Hunts for Quail Friday in Texas. By the los Angeles times Beeville Texas a first there was the annual a and normally routine a Christmas message to the nation a let there be no mistake Quot president Bush said a my no. 1 priority is jobs and economic  then there was the hastily scheduled nationally televised speech from the Oval office on Christmas night ostensibly to discuss the upheaval in Moscow a these dramatic events come at a time when americans Are also facing challenges Here at Home. I know that for Many of you these Are difficult times and 1 want All americans to know that i am committed to attacking our economic problems at Home with the same determination we brought to winning the cold War a and Friday before beginning an annual Hunting trip Bush took a Detour to Fly Low Over flood ravaged Austin and san Antonio then inspected some of the flood damage near Beeville on fool. Whether delivering what otherwise would be merely a Holiday greeting talking to the nation about the drama that has brought to an end 74 years of communism in East Europe or just going Hunting the president is trying to put a political Midas touch on All that he encounters. Ever the competitor. Bush told an interviewer last week that the prospects of a re election Battle have Only served to Sharpen his interest in the fight. Thus with poll ratings As Chilly As the Texas Brush land through which he tramped Friday in search of Quail the president is working assiduously to turn each Day into an exercise in political combat. Still it is an unusual experience for Bush. To he sure there is room for debate Over the idea that Bush after three years in the White House is truly an underdog a regardless of the state of the Economy and polls that Lor the first time show his approval rating at less than 50 percent. Nevertheless he and his aides Are acting As though they believe it a or at least As though they believe that they Are facing a Campaign that no longer is an easy walk to the finish line. Bush was last seen in this role four years ago when he Defeated sen. Bob Dole r-kan., in the new Hampshire Republican presidential primary on the strength of a suddenly aggressive and carefully engineered performance. But since the 19ss presidential Campaign he has coasted along on Olen unprecedentedly High poll ratings until recently. The Tumble has left the White House in search of opportunities to demonstrate presidential empathy and to encourage optimism without appearing to be unrealistic. A this is the first time the presidents staff has had real adversity and they done to know How to Deal with it Quot said one Republican political figure in Washington. What the White House is trying to do about All this one official said is to look at the political Impact of virtually everything the president does with an Eye toward turning each event to his Benefit. This reflects the Effort. Spearheaded by new chief of Slaff Samuel k. Skinner to rebuild Bush s image in the weeks before his state of the Union address Jan 2s, in the stars and stripes 10years ago dec. 29,1981 a doctors at the Eastern Virginia medical school announced the birth of the first test tube baby in the United states. Elizabeth Jordan Carr was born at Norfolk general Hospital in Virginia. 20years ago dec. 29,1971 a a Force of about 200 . Fighter born be is struck North Vietnam in a third consecutive Day of intense air assaults. Military sources said the raids were an Effort to destroy North Vietnam a new air defences. 30years ago dec. 29,1961 a the United states sued Louisiana charging that a Law requiring would be voters to be Able to interpret the 300-Page-Long state Constitution when questioned by a registrar had been used to discriminate against blacks.40 year Sago dec. 29.1951 four . Fliers were freed from six weeks of Captivity in communist Hungary after the United states paid $120,000 Ransom for them. The fliers made a Stopover at Tulin a in Austria in route to meeting their families at Erding a in Germany. World War 50 years ago today 29 dec.194-1 More soviet troops land on the Eastern end of the Crimea forcing the germans to halt their attack on Sevastopol while they Deal with the invasion Force. In the Philippines japanese planes bomb Corregidor for the first time. Fri considers increasing its efforts to combat violent crime in . By the los Angeles times Washington the Fri in the Wake of the disintegration of the soviet Union is studying a major realignment of its resources attorney general William p. Barr says. Although Barr would not discuss details of the study it presumably will raise the possibility of shifting some of the Large number of agents now doing foreign counterintelligence work to fighting Domestic crime. Some such shifts would be necessary to pledge to step up the ment s fight against violent crime without weakening efforts in such other key areas Barr carry out Barros Federal govern As White Collar crime. The portion of the of big a 10,350 agents assigned to follow and otherwise Monitor soviets suspected of spying under diplomatic cover has never been discussed publicly but it is known to be a substantial number. While recognizing that battling violent crime is a principally a state and local responsibility a Barr said the Federal government a can play a leadership role and have a real  he listed these ways of countering violent criminals with Federal action a attacking gangs through drug and firearms taws Ana the racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations statute which gives prosecutors expanded Powers and carries stiff sentences. A focusing resources on career criminals because a High proportion of violent crime is committed by a Small hardened Kerrey seen As inconsistent on health insurance Issue source 2194 Days of War w. H. Smith publishers inc. World almanac Book of world War ii Bison books corp., 1901 by the new York times Omaha neb. A when sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska introduced a Bill last summer calling for the government to provide comprehensive health insurance for All americans he said the runaway costs of health care were severely hampering the nations businesses. Kerrey a candidate for the democratic c residential nomination knows first and the predicament he described. He and his brother in Law own a Chain of nine restaurants and three health clubs in Omaha and Lincoln neb., and most of the employees cannot get health insurance through the Kerrey companies. The companies do offer health coverage to full time employees. But full timers account for a Small proportion of the companies total work Force. Local Union leaders say Kerrey is being hypocritical or at least inconsistent when he advocates a National health insurance plan. A when he a campaigning he gives the impression that he is for the Blue Collar worker but he does t even treat his own employees right a said Jenny Brown vice president of the local hotel employees and segment of violators. Even though cities such As Washington this year arc breaking homicide records the nations capital set a new High of 485 murders with two on Christmas Vebarr said violent crime peaked nationally in 1980 and had Plata cd at a High level Ever since. Violent crime shot up dramatically in the 1960s and 1970s, a period Barr characterized As a an Era of permissiveness in criminal  violent crime Rose from 286 per 100,000 persons in 1960 to an Al time High of 597 per 100,000 in 1980, Barr said. But incarceration rates dropped he noted. In 1980, the rates of imprisonment Rose sharply. A the decade of the 1980s was when we got Tough a Barr said. Incarceration climbed from 134 per 100,000 in 1980 to 292 per 100,000 in 1990. Restaurant employees Union. Kerrey says his experience As a businessman demonstrates Why he wants to a uncouple health care coverage from  a i done to think its hypocritical at All a the senator said. A was a Small business Man i know from experience How difficult it is to get health care on an affordable basis for  nationwide 34 million people have no health insurance. Of this number 19 million Are working adults. Kerrey s brother in Law Dean f. Rasmussen president of the restaurant company grandmothers inc., estimates that 75 to 100 of the company a 700 to 800 employees get health insurance through the company. David k. Putensen general manager of operations at the three health clubs says Only 25 to 30 of the clubs 300 employees have employer provided health insurance. Under Kerrey a health insurance Hill no family would have to pay More than $2,000 a year for medical care. Each slate would negotiate fee schedules with doctors and hospitals. Kerrey would finance his plan through tax increases totalling $236 billion a  interrupt Duke rally in Florida Miami up1 a former Kun flux Klansman David Duke kicked off his White House hid Friday night in ethnically diverse South Florida but the rally was interrupted by outbursts from protesters. At one Point Duke s Security team pushed him to the floor. About 50 protesters wailed outside the Radisson Mart Pla a hotel before Dukes rally. The demonstrators waved signs with such slogans As a Duke makes me  Duke said he chose to kick off his Campaign in Miami because his advisers detected considerable sympathy for his views particularly among cuban exiles lie has said the overthrow of cuban dictator l Idel Castro should he a High priority. About 200 Duke supporters attended the rally. The Florida Republican party has vowed to keep Duke Oil the stale a March 10 primary election ballot. Duke withdrew tuesday from the March 3 Maryland primary and said he would launch his primary Campaign either March 3 in Georgia or March 7 in South Arolina