European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 14, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday March 14, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 13 commentary David s. Brode Campaign brings out worst in front runners just a month ago the former Massachusetts senator and the Arkansas governor were proclaiming a personal a a Affinity and a common purpose in moving the democratic party to new economic ground. Now As front runners for the nomination Bill Clinton and Paul Tsongas have become snarling antagonists. What has happened is partly explained by the crowded Calendar that forces candidates to differentiate themselves in simplistic terms and to focus on personal differences rather than spell out their policy positions. The same thing happened in 1984 and in 1988. But there Are special factors that made Clinton and Tsongas adopt their belligerent stances. Tsongas Felt the need _ to prove he was not a clone of the fatally phlegmatic Michael s. Dukakis. He had to prove he said that a i am one greek who fights Clinton looking at polls showing that even in his native South questions of character threaten to erode his support decided he had to Knolk Tsongas off his Ped Estal and trash him As a a shrewd calculating conversely Tsongas also needed to heighten those doubts about Clinton to have any Hope of doing Well in a Region and particularly in Florida where the organizational advantages favored the governor. Finally the fact that Tsongas and Clinton agree on so much a they Are social Issue liberals preaching a More pro growth Brand of economics than democrats in the past a dictated that the two men exaggerate their differences whenever possible. The mud wrestling has discouraged some democrats such As democratic National committee chairman Ronald h. Brown who fear that whoever emerges As the Winner will be soiled for the general election Campaign against president Bush. But Brown like other veterans of past campaigns would have bet that the infighting would grow intense at exactly this stage a because it always does. After criticizing his own performance in last weeks Abc debate in Dallas As too Low key Tsongas flew to Florida accompanied by Gerald Austin the hard boiled Veteran of Ohio political wars who managed Jesse l. Jackson a 1988 Campaign. When Tsongas stepped off the plane in West Palm Beach with Austin at his Side he Tore into Clinton As he never had before. Results in Georgia where Clinton beat Tsongas by More than 2-to-l, clearly showed that if Tsongas could not change the dynamic of the race he was in danger of being blown away All across the South. The exit polls also showed that Clinton might be vulnerable to attack on a a character questions initially raised by reports of marital infidelity and questions about his Vietnam War draft record. The Day after he sounded off in Palm Beach Tsongas was telling reporters a the larger Point goes to character and accusing Clinton of one a blatant lies after another. The same exit polls told Clinton that he had to tarnish Tsongas Halo to undermine the appealing self portrait Tsongas had drawn of himself As a Man who and survived a bout with cancer and who was committed to telling a the hard truths that Ordinary politicians shun. Clinton like others in the race had expressed annoyance at what they viewed As Tsongas sanctimonious tone toward them. As he put it in the Denver debate on feb. 29 a no one can argue with you Paul. You re the concern among democrats is that Tsongas and Clinton will continue their personal attacks through a Long drawn out nomination fight. The Campaign might not have descended to such a personal level if there were Broad philosophical or policy differences Between Clinton Ana Tsongas. The two men entered the race As committed liberals on racial and social issues who want to move the democrats away from a tax and spend economic policies of the past. While less Radical in their Reform suggestions than former California gov. Jerry Brown both postured themselves As a a outsiders candidates. A clearly at the beginning of the race they seemed to be closer than they Are now a said Jeff Faux of the economic policy Institute. As Faux noted Clinton and Tsongas have real differences most important on economic priorities. If experience is a guide with the race moving to Illinois and Michigan on tuesday both men will be forced to return to a More substantive debate about their variant economic prescriptions. Then this past weeks Down and dirty campaigning will go into the books As just one More chapter of super tuesday squalor. C the Washington Post William Safir Gutsy Nixon memo was a Welcome reminder All the political munchkins had convinced their principals that in a recession foreign policy was a no no. Foreign Aid kiss of death. Along came Richard Nixon this week to give All the candidates and their lockstep pollsters a Swift kick in the Teeth. He reminded a foolishly intimidated establishment what leadership was about a not simply to support what is popular but to make what is unpopular popular if that serves americans to Wake up a world traumatized by conventional Wisdom our Only thinking sex president used a new medium and an old device. He rejected the mass Media who tend to paint their tails White and run with the antelopes. He chose not to go the oped route overused by purveyors of opinion. Instead drawing on the Lazarsfeld theory of two step communication Nixon wrote a memorandum and sent it with a personal cover note to the 50 peo ele interested in foreign affairs that he believed most capable of affecting Public policy. It is the most prestigious list to be on since the a enemies list of 20 years ago. A former National Security adviser called me to say a did you see what Nixon is saying a in the steam room of the army Navy club a longtime policy maker wondered whether Nixon a tight circulation blast at the West so pathetically inadequate response to the needs of russian reformers would get through. James Baker whose phony Photop russian Aid conference was scorned in the Nixon memo is not on the list. But Brent scowcroft at the White House is and brought it to the attention of president Bush who discussed it with Nixon Early this week. The non secret memo made its Way into the hands of Daniel Schorr writing an oped piece for the new York times and times news editors immediately saw its news value As implicit criticism of Bush. Tom Friedman a front Page news Story and next Day analysis not Only exposed White House timidity but the shallowness of the position of democratic candidates Bill Clinton and Paul Tsongas. The memo formed the basis of a speech delivered at a two Day policy conference in Washington sponsored by the Nixon Library. Can telecast the speech worldwide live and excerpts Are on the nightly newscasts. The memo got around. It cannot be ignored. But Bush says Only a i done to have a Blank Check for All of the new medium works but what gave the memo Force is not the repetition of Nixon a frequent Calls to help russian president Boris Yeltsin nor even his criticism of Western leaders and candidates for failure to heed that Call. Nixon goes against the Grain of timidity and challenges the isolationists on political grounds. The Man whose career began in the Era of a who lost China a now raises the Specter of a who lost Russia a to be timid now will Cost a political Leader dearly later. He understands the vacuum sucking the life out of politics today the absence of a global villain. For voters who need to be against something Nixon supplies a the new and it no chimera the danger when you think about it is real. A if a new despotism prevails a warns Nixon a everything gained in the great peaceful revolution of 1991 will be lost. War could break out As the new despots use Force. China a totalitarians would breathe a sigh of Relief. A new russian despotism. Would be even More dangerous than soviet if he a wrong and the West spends $20 billion a year extending Freedom no harm done but if he a right and the new despotism arrives the United states alone would be spending 20 times that every year no peace dividend and our children would live in fear of nuclear destruction. Woe betide the politician on the wrong Side of that. Two decades ago i went to furtive gatherings of Nixon hands we called ourselves a the february group and avoided notice. At the bipartisan Star studded conference this week with Nixon in his final comeback urging the assembled leaders to reaffirm National purpose it was Good to see Many of those faces looking proud again. My favorite Nixon Julie Eisenhower caught the wonderment a we be sure this Day would come. But 1 never stopped c the now York Tinoa
