European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 3, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 b the stars and stripes tuesday March 3, 1992democrats spar As Bush woos sout Gephardt excited about party s chances Campaign by United press International democrats shuttled Between presidential debates in Georgia and Maryland on sunday As president Bush wrapped up his most intense Campaign swing since the new Hampshire primary with a visit to a Church and a patriotic Stop in Georgia. On television House democratic Leader Richard a. Gephardt of Missouri expressed optimism that his party will find a candidate who can beat Bush but lamented Over the candidates recent habit of attacking each other. Quot in a excited about putting a Democrat in the White House Quot he said. All the activity was aimed at today a primaries in Georgia Maryland Utah and Colorado and caucuses in Idaho Minnesota and Washington state. Three democrats former Massachusetts sen Paul Tsongas former California gov. Jerry Brown and Arkansas gov. Bill Clinton started the Day with a one hour debate in Atlanta. They then flew separately to College Park md., where they were joined by Iowa sen. Tom Harkin for a second debate in less than 12 hours. Nebraska sen. Bob Kerrey campaigning in the Rocky mountains joined the Atlanta group by satellite but skipped Maryland. In both sessions Harkin and Brown criticized Tsongas for his economic policies a which Harkin described As More Republican than democratic a while Brown challenged Clinton a environmental record. A Clinton defended his states record saying it had complied with Federal clean air and clean water Laws earlier than most other states. Bush prayed sunday at the largest Baptist Church in the South and then preached patriotic themes at a Flag waving Riverside rally attended by 16,000 people including veterans of the persian Gulf War. Bush had campaigned in Texas on Friday then flew to Georgia for two Days of appearances to Blunt a Challenge from conservative commentator Patrick Buchanan who also campaigned in the South. In a series of radio and television commercials and speeches Buchanan has four democratic candidates air their disagreements sunday in a debate at College Park my. From left Are Arkansas gov. Bill Clinton Iowa sen. Tom Harkin former California gov. Jerry Brown and former Massachusetts sen. Paul Tsongas. Charged that Bush can to be trusted has Liberal leanings and has betrayed the conservative philosophy of predecessor Ronald Reagan. A poll released sunday by Potomac Survey research inc. Of Bethesda md., showed Bush leading Buchanan 64 percent to 23 percent. A significant number of voters remain undecided. On the democrats the poll showed Tsongas with a 10-Point Lead Over Clinton. Tsongas has 34.5 percent Clinton 24.3 Brown 7 and Kerrey and Harkin 7 each. On no cd a news show meet the press Gephardt said the five candidates Are putting Forth a a vision for the future that will Appeal to the voters. Gephardt said it is still too Early in the race to worry about candidates attacks on each others character because the upcoming flurry of primaries will sort out the five democratic candidates based on their positions on the issues. The Missouri representative who sought the nomination in 1988, also said rumours that he recently almost entered the presidential race were Quot absolutely  Senate finance committee chairman Lloyd Bentsen a Texas agreed with Gephardt that the debates will eventually come Back to the Quot real issues a but he also said negative campaigns Are Quot a problem for both  Bentsen the democrats vice presidential candidate in 1988, said negative campaigns Are used because they apparently work and Quot that is really the sad part of this  the two influential democrats were referring to last weeks barrage of negative political advertisements employed by most of the five democratic candidates. This trend seemed to come to the boiling Point saturday when the two perceived front runners Tsongas and Clinton exchanged personal insults during a debate in Denver. Regarding one of the Quot real issues a Bentsen defended the tax Bill his committee recently passed saying it will eliminate much of the unfairness in the cur rent tax system by raising taxes on the Rich and lowering taxes levied on the Middle class. According to Bentsen in the past 10 years taxes have fallen for the Rich while their incomes have gone up but the opposite has occurred for the Middle class. Bentsen defended the Bill even though he conceded it probably would be vetoed by Bush because the president vowed to veto any Bill that raised taxes on the Rich. But Bentsen said Bush had changed his mind on issues in the past and could do so again. Also both Bentsen and Gephardt criticized Bush for not taking More of a leadership role in sending Aid to the states of the now defunct soviet Union to help assure that democratic governments Nave the Chance to take Root. A this is the most important foreign policy Issue in 45 years a and Bush should convince the american people that the former soviets need More . Money because a it is in the deep seated self interest of the United states a Gephardt said. California gop chooses Bush by the los Angeles times Burlingame Calif. A ending a tumultuous convention riddled with unusually bitter infighting California republicans on sunday salvaged a Victory for president Bush in a lopsided Straw vote that nevertheless left a residue of anger among Many party conservatives. In a stand and be counted vote portrayed As a showdown Between Bush supporters and delegates backing conservative television commentator Patrick Buchanan the president took 89 percent of the tally and Buchanan received 11 percent. A total of 745 delegates stood in support of Bush while 92 people Rose to be counted when Buchanan a name was called. Quot the president is going to feel very warm and fuzzy about California and californians a said rep. Robert k. Dornan a Calif a Bush ally in proclaiming Victory. A stick a Fork in Pat Buchanan a he a done a pronounced a spokesman for gov. Pete Wilson Dan Schnur. The Straw vote was seen As a face saving Compromise forged by nervous Republican leaders who stunned by the enthusiasm for Buchanan at the Burlingame convention realized that efforts to award Bush a More formal endorsement might fail. A pre primary endorsement would have required a two thirds vote to suspend Central committee rules. Failure to achieve the two thirds agreement would have been interpreted As a major blow to the Bush Campaign. Mardi gras overshadows Duke show new Orleans up a a documentary on former Kun jux Klansman and presidential hopeful David Duke will air on Public television tonight a while much of his native Louisiana celebrates Mardi gras. Longtime Duke watchers were amused by the time Slot for the show depicting the life of their not so favor Ite politician. Quot that a hilarious a said Lance Hill research director of the Louisiana coalition against racism and nazism. Quot who scheduled this Quot the one hour documentary who is David Duke airs at 8 . On the Public television program frontline. Mardi gras officially ends at Midnight today and politics wont be Foremost in the minds of the thousands of costumed revellers drinking and dancing in the streets of new Orleans historic French Quarter. Mardi gras is the climactic end of the 12-Day carnival season a pre lenten Celebration that fades out with the beginning of Ash wednesday a the Day of  Battle on As blowing Snow slows id Tarod Pace Finger Lake Alaska apr blowing Snow slowed mushers in the id Tarod Trail sled dog race but seven teams departed this checkpoint 194 Miles into the 1,159-mile run from Anchorage to Nome Early monday. Deedee Jonrowe of Willow Alaska was leading the pack Early. Monday race coordinator Joanne Potts said. Martin Buser was the second to leave followed by four time Winner Susan Butcher Ketel Reitan five time Winner Rick Swenson Lavon Barve and Bill Cotter. A winds were High and Snow was Drifting during the night a Potts said. Quot they re All breaking Trail. There May not be any records set in this years race after  Swenson the defending Champion made similar remarks sunday during a Stop at the Skwentna checkpoint 45 Miles before Finger Lake. A a it a not going to be a 10-Day race this year a he said. 1 got passed by a lot of Good teams last night. But the race is just  the record for the course is just More than 11 Days