European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 15, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday. February 15. 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 13 commentary John King mythical matchup easier than the real thing a Little bump in the polls and Paul Tsongas is already dreaming of accepting the democratic presidential nomination and denouncing president Bush As a having no  of course he d leave most of the country trying to Wade through his Massachusetts accent. Bob Kerrey has the same dream As Tsongas minus the accent. So do three others each with their own quirks accents and promises. The five democrats who want Bush s Job have a greater immediate worry of course unless they show strongly in new Hampshire next tuesday they might be gone from the race. But for a moment forget new Hampshire. In Many polls pitting Bush against a hypothetical Democrat the unnamed Democrat is edging out Bush. But what would these Guys look like in a head to head matchup against Bush former Massachusetts sen. Tsongas would sound a bit like Bush on substance and a bit like the other Bay state greek american Bush ran against. But Tsongas can Tell a joke. Both Bush and Tsongas favor cutting the capital gains tax easing anti Trust restrictions and offering businesses investment incentives. They disagree on social policy. Tsongas often recalls Bush s use of convict Willie Horton to portray 1988 democratic candidate Michael Dukakis As soft on crime. To Tsongas it was pure racism evidence of Bush so having no  Tsongas says the president also demonstrated his Lack of a a cores in having supported abortion rights until 1980, then adopting the Republican party a staunch anti abortion platform when he became Ronald Reagan s running mate. And like All the democratic dreamers. Tsongas thinks Bush spends too much time and Energy on foreign policy. A to be president of the United states you must count the United states As part of your jurisdiction a he says. If Kerrey a the nominee. Bush would have to throw out much of his 1988 Plav Book. No Flag factory visit would raise questions about the Nebraska senators patriotism. He won the medal of Honor for valor As a Navy Seal in Vietnam. Bush won the distinguished flying Cross and three air service medals for his world War ii service. Kerrey May have voted against the persian Gulf War but he Tost half a leg in me in Guowu t3&a0cw Vietnam Quot lord help George Bush if he comes after me with that patriotism stuff Quot Kerrey says. Kerrey a Appeal would be generational. To him Bush is the manifestation of Quot the old ideas and old indifference of old men of old  Kerrey a fellow baby Boomer Arkansas gov. Bill Clinton sees a Clinton Bush race As a Battle Between the a photo Opportunity education president and the nations a education  moderate Clinton has been raising Money from 1988 Bush backers and bets he could get their votes too. A i am capable of building a new coalition for change in this country a he says. He accuses Bush of turning his Back on the Middle class which republicans have counted on to win the last three presidential elections. The democrats like to paint Bush As a throwback to the pre conservative Republican establishment. Iowa sen. Tom Harkin is a throwback of sorts too the Champion of a a new new Deal Quot to put America to work. A Bush Harkin matchup would pit a son of privilege against the son of a Coal Miner Happy to brag about growing up on Quot the wrong Side of the  Quot i done to just intend to hold George Bush s feet of Clay to the fire Quot Harkin says. "1 intend to stick them in  former California gov. Jerry Brown could boast of creating More jobs in his tenure As governor than Bush has As president. But its a Safe bet head spend most of his time painting Bush As a Symbol of the monies political system Brown is railing against these Days. Consider this a Brown Bush race would pit a Guy nicknamed a a moonbeams against a president who likes to talk about Quot the vision  this Early in the primary season there san obvious stature Gap Between the president and his Little known challengers. Still three of them Clinton Tsongas and Kerrey beat Bush in new Hampshire poll matchup. Quot none of the potential democratic candidates brings the same Aura to this race that George Bush has As an incumbent a says democratic strategist Ann Lewis. A but remember George Bush went from being a wimp to being the triumphant Victor in just a few months. In politics things change very  c the associated pro Srobert Ren Sununu remains an affront to Public service one of the great riddles that the career of George Bush presents us is How from the same brain could Spring such antithetical ideas a that Dan Quayle would make a masterful vice president and John Sununu would be an invaluable chief of staff. One of them struggles gallantly but unsuccessfully against the Public perception a strange but there it is a that he is a vacant eyed Buffoon. The other bullied Cabinet members and whole committees of Congress with the putative rapier Edge of his intellect. Of i suppose they Are similar to the extent that each became one of the Bush administrations major embarrassments. Sununu for the enemies he made in wholesale batches and his insistence on taxpayer financed travel arrangements suitable to a chinese emperor. Quayle for deficiencies in self control that made so Many of his grander attempts at rhetoric come out sounding like involuntary braying. But where we wondered is the consistency in a mind Yale trained at that that would pick one of these As his anointed successor and one As his chief Henchman neither tits in the explainable category of being an old Texas Erony. Like Jim Baker or an old Yale buddy like Nick Brady. Who can Ever imagine a discourteous character like Sununu charming All the Rich hostesses of Dallas and Houston who can imagine Dan Quayle Ever satisfactorily explaining How his Grandfather got him into Yale anyway we May now have a clue to the Riddle. And it is that Sununu May have been pulling our leg All along that the difference Between his and Dan Quayle a in May not have been that vast Gulf we imagined it to be but Only a few Points easily dismissed As a statistical margin of error. How else Are you going to explain How a Guy sit Ting in the splendor of his White House office fails for a cheap trick set up by spy Magazine which simply Calls the White House switchboard pretends to be a High class but non existent new York corporate Recruiter throwing around six figure offers of employment and gets Sununu to blab his head off about his Hopes for milking the celebrity of his Public service career for millions in speaking fees the entire squalid details will soon be published As Quot an exclusive spy prank on an unemployed  we All know John Sununu a views about deadbeats who want something for nothing about social programs that Reward the undeserving about getting off your butt and working for a living about unnecessary people on the Public payroll. They Are somewhere to the right of Pat Buchanan a. When George Bush looked at the polls last year it apparently led him to the curious conclusion that he should keep Dan Quayle As his running mate but get rid of Sununu. So now Sununu s notorious Pride notwithstanding the former chief of staff to the free world intimidator of the mighty disparage of the press sits still in the employment of his government but no longer with fleets of limousines at his command still drawing a salary from you and me of $125,000 a year and with nothing better to do than accept Telephone Calls from Media pranksters and to blather into their tape recorders his ambitions for the easy riches to which with that incomparable Power of deduction he has he imagines his inglorious dismissal from the Bush Quayle ser ice entitles him. I know food stamp recipients Well Are Olheis. With More self respect i of Rev to i