European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 20, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday March 20, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 13 commentary John King rattled Tsongas forgot economic message Paul Tsongas abrupt decision to quit the democratic race cements Bill Clinton As the All but certain nominee. But done to expect Jerry Brown to agree a or Stop firing rockets at the Arkansas governor. Tsongas announced his exit thursday afternoon just a month after his new Hampshire primary win vaulted him from cause candidate to serious contender. In new Hampshire the former Massachusetts senator delivered a compelling message to a devastated state America was in decline because America had let its manufacturing engine die. His simple Credo a i want to grow the  it helped him to Victory but his shoestring operation Wasny to ready for the escalation of the race that followed. Tsongas Rode momentum to wins in Maryland Arizona and Utah As Well As at Home in Massachusetts and next door in Rhode Island. But he  match Clinton a organization in big states like Texas and Florida a and Illinois and Michigan this past tuesday. As the Clinton Camp began to take Tsongas More seriously and began slamming him with his own words Tsongas got a bit rattled and diverted from his economic message. By the time Illinois and Michigan got around to voting Tsongas message appeared to be a keep me in the race just in  its hardly a reason to vote for anyone As Nebraska sen. Bob Kerrey discovered earlier. He quit the presidential race on March 5. Tsongas was trying to return the focus to economics in Connecticut but the self described economic realist met with advisers late wednesday and faced political reality his poor showings of late had dried up contributions. A a he a a very realistic Guy a said spokeswoman Peggy Connolly. A the looked at the financial numbers and the polling numbers and he wanted to leave a very proud and dignified  that he does after receiving 2.3 million votes and reminding his party again and again that it better win the Trust of voters on the Economy if it Ever Hopes to recapture the White House. Tsongas was compelling beyond his economic Call to arms. He left the Senate after being told cancer was Likely to kill him. He had an experimental Bone marrow transplant and apparently had beaten the disease that was supposed to beat him. That courageous store will be remembered Long after Tsongas presidential Campaign is but an afterthought. His departure leaves Clinton the almost inevitable democratic Standard bearer. With Clinton a huge Lead and but one challenger the primary season is now in Many ways a referendum on Clinton himself. Both for those who want to vote for him but Are afraid to and for those in the party who Are resigned to his nomination but afraid his candidacy is doomed. A i think those fears Are understandable a Clinton says. A a in a a person who has always admitted in a not perfect. But i keep fighting to do better. I try to do better personally. I try to do better by  that in itself is a message of sorts. But despite Clinton a recent successes the jury is still out on whether enough voters believe it. And done to forget Brown. The former California governor is adept on his feet and pointed in his parries. In the tabloid land that is new York hell no doubt take after Clinton As he has in state after state during the primary season. But it appears unlikely hell catch him. A the is the heat seeking missile of this Campaign a says democratic consultant Ann Lewis. A the goes unerringly to the Point of vulnerability. Heat seeking missiles can do a Good bit of damage but ultimately they  Brown like Tsongas has been trying to close a message Gap of late. His flame throwing attacks on Money and corruption in politics have found an audience but not one Large enough to produce wins in big diverse states. So he staying to reach out to his party a Liberal constituencies to prove he a More than the Patrick Buchanan of the left. In Michigan Brown called Clinton a a scandal a week candidate who  win. Hours later Clinton won again and Brown was talking poignantly about being the voice of the unemployed homeless and Downtrodden. But it May be too late. Clinton is so far ahead in the words of democratic party political director Paul Tully a the fat lady is doing a sound  ans Riata press Tom Baxter Brown useful sparring partner for Clinton _ or j 4la Kan iia Cuc he a an Thini up to a Point Jerry Brown has done Bill Clinton a favor no matter How offended Clinton May have been the other night when the former California governor attacked his wife a Law firm connections. The trouble is that Point has been reached now and Brown shows no sign of letting up until the last Day of the democratic presidential nomination race Brown has helped Clinton in two was. First his politics of anger Campaign relegated Paul Tsongas to a Distant third in Michigan leading to Tsongas retiring from the race thursday. More importantly by poking at Clinton in a Way that can to seriously Hurt him Brown is helping to add to the thickening carapace that is beginning to form around the boy governor. You would t have thought that Bill Clinton needed another scandal but it is working out that Way. The charges Brown threw at Clinton sunday night done to appear to accurately reflect the Washington Post Story to which he was referring a Long winded Way of saying they weren t True. And they gave Clinton the Chance to angrily defend Nis wife something Michael Dukakis wishes he had done in 1988. There Are More two career married couples in America today than there Are Bachelor jesuits which gave the final advantage to Clinton in this face off. Afterwards Clinton adviser Paul Begala compared it with the fights he had with his tid brother when he would put his hand on his brother a head and let him flail away at the air. Clinton will have to appear on the same stage with Brown again however and the aggravation is going to become More trouble than its Worth. Browne a percentage of the vote in the Michigan race roughly compares to what Pat Buchanan has gotten in several gop primaries and in a Way Brown has taken Over the fading Buchanan a role in this election year. But Clinton can to afford to take on the George Bush role a that is he can to allow himself to be perceived As the establishment figure being harried by an outsider fed up with politics As usual. That is Why Clinton Media advisor Frank Greer was talking this week about bolstering Clinton so a outsiders image and stressing the need for change in the Way the country is run. Clinton if he becomes the nominee will need All the frustrated and angry voters he can find this fall. So the end game of the nomination fight could become an awkward jockeying to see who can position themselves farther from the orbit of the Washington Beltway. That a one Competition in which Clinton will have a hard time beating Brown. As Long As Brown stays in this race Clinton can to ignore him. To this Point he has served As a useful Warmup to the negative attack he will face from the republicans in the fall a and Brown is right when he says his attacks Are nothing compared to what the gop would throw at Clinton. But Browne a presence in the race Means that Clinton wont be Able to focus fully on Bush until after the june 2 California primary. Brown meanwhile is Likely to react to his big vote in Michigan like a hyperactive kid who has skipped his ritalin dosage. He shaving a blast and Home territory California is sitting out there on the last primary Day of the year. Quit now no Way dude. C Cox news service the opinions expressed in the columns and cartoons on this Page represent those of the authors and Are in no Way to be considered As representing the views of the stars and stripes or the United states government