European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 23, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday March 23, 1992 the stars and stripes Page 13 . Apple conditions surround both Bush Clinton with the abrupt withdrawal of Paul e. Tsongas from the contest for the democratic nomination the Likely shape of the 1992 presidential race has suddenly come into sharper focus. A Long fierce and possibly close fight is in Prospect Between president Bush and gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas. Election Day is More than seven months away but a few things can be said with Confidence. It will be a fight Between a self described agent of a fundamental change and a longtime Champion of the status quo a fight Between an older generation Bush is 67 and fought in world War ii and a new one Clinton is 45 and graduated from College at the height of the Vietnam War it will also be a fight Between two men who have spent almost their whole adult lives in politics. Clinton Calls himself an outsider but he is As much a part of the democratic establishment As Bush is a member of the Republican Hierarchy. Not for half a Century have the habitually fractious democrats settled so Early on their nominee. And not since John f. Kennedy was chosen in 1960 have they done so with so Little bad feeling and so few overt concessions to special interest groups of the kind that then Hurt them in the fall. Perhaps the oldest of political maxims holds that elections Are won or lost in the Middle not on the extremes and Clinton seems positioned to Challenge Bush on that ground As Jimmy Carter successfully challenged Gerald r. Ford in 1976, the last time a Democrat won the White House. Carter like Clinton a moderate southerner without Washington experience ran against Ford like Bush a wounded Republican incumbent a although the opprobrium that Ford faced from having pardoned Rich Orrl k4 Mir Uniac email rom Karph with of of lotto Ard m. Nixon was Small compared with Bush a economic woes which have driven Nis Overall approval rating Down to 40 percent. The Arkansas governor remains vulnerable of course to fresh accusations about his private life of the kind that have plagued him for months and former gov. Edmund g. Brown of California his sole remaining democratic rival intends to keep pressing his attacks on the Man he Calls the a scandal a week candidate. The Bush Campaign is expected to pick up where Brown eventually leaves off. A a we be been keeping track this Winter a said a Bush Campaign official who spoke on the condition that he not be identified a and you can rest assured that we will iwo tue to web War will slim amp Harp amp a axum tix require sacrifice amp own amp profits Wilt be Small Anpo a be exploring the nature of Clinton a political prognostication is a mugs game in the Best of times. Few will attempt it with conviction this year when bitter frustrated voters have turned a inductively upon a president they lionized Only a year ago. Still because of Bush Slack of popularity the Broad Appeal to the traditional democratic constituencies that Clinton has demonstrated in the primaries and the political toxic the governor demonstrated in holding is Campaign together when he was under constant attack he is widely considered in both parties to be the democrats strongest candidate since the Vietnam Era. If a always that a if a if he docs not self destruct. There Are other a a ifs As Well. If the Economy bounces Back As some statistics published on wednesday suggested it might be doing and if it does so in a Way that becomes palpable to the voters the advantages that typically accrue to a president seeking re election should reassert themselves. Among those the capacity to focus the nations attention is primary the Mere arrival of a president and his big red White and Blue air plane Are enough to dominate the news in most cities and states. In a communications Era the Power to command audiences is very serious political magic. If on the other hand Bush allows himself to be defined As a the incumbent in chief in a year when incumbents As powerful As rep. Dan Rostenkowski of Illinois the chairman of the House ways and Means committee have to fight for their political lives the trappings Powers and perquisites of High office could turn out to be unexpected liabilities. The key for Bush said de Rollins a White House political director under president Reagan is a not asking people whether they Are better off than they were four years ago but telling them where they arc going explaining what you want the Bush administration to be remembered for in the history books and not just trying to get your ticket punched so far he said not Only has the White House not developed a plan of action for the next four years but it also Nas not begun to think about one. For Clinton said Paul Tully the political director of the democratic National committee the key is making himself better known to the hundreds of thousands of democrats and independents who still do not know much about him or his ideas. A a we re trying to invent a new generation of democratic leadership a Tully said. A none of our Guys had Ever run for National office before so Clinton is still a stick figure to a lot of people a cartoon figure who a a bit better defined for a lot More and a fully rounded person Only in the states where he a in that sense Clinton could be Hurt if there is no full fledged democratic contest in big states like Ohio Pennsylvania and California. C the new York times Karen bal for a few shining weeks Geek Chic was in Paul Tsongas always came off More like a Bookish math teacher than a dynamic politician ready for a mighty presidential Duel. Even he himself doubted he had the Pizazz to catch on. For a few shining weeks to Tsongas Surprise the non Pizazz candidate seemed to be just what voters wanted. A Geek Chic a someone on his Campaign plane joked was the Only Way to explain the wild attraction for the soft spoken Man of Castor Oil economics. At one Wall Street rally he actually Drew an economic Chart on a huge Campaign poster to make his Point. As he campaigned in Chicago a few Days before he dropped out of the race a fan told Tsongas adoringly that he was her Elmer Fudd the funny Little cartoon character. Tsongas supporters said they a had enough Glitz in the White House. It was time for something different. Tsongas batting his eyes slowly and bowing his head was always the first to joke about his rather Flat Persona. A a it a either Charisma or the message. You decide a he would Tell crowds in typical self deprecating fashion explaining Why he had won new Hampshire Maryland and five other states. Riding High after those victories Tsongas shrugged in feigned mystification when asked to explain Why he had taken hold. A i wish i knew a he said. He painted himself As the reluctant Warrior the truth bearer who had wanted a More charismatic Democrat like Bob Kerrey of Nebraska to take his economic plan and make the run instead. But a year ago when no one else was ready to take on president Bush a record High approval ratings Tsongas launched his Campaign armed with Little More than an 86-Page Booklet on How to revive the Economy. Tsongas assigned a College age staffer to lug cases of the booklets to Campaign stops where the candidate would autograph them As if they were on the bestseller list. Yet the Booklet also reinforced the impression that he was a bit Boring a policy nerd. A the has the Charisma of a fish a said a voter in Dallas who added that that did no to bother him at All. For All his Gray image Tsongas could Flash a Sharp wit and present his economic message in colourful fashion. A a in a no King of the Mardi gras tossing coins and souvenirs a he would say of his rivals tax credit plans. A life is not a Beer commercial a he would say holding himself out As the hard choices candidate who would Lead America on the Long Tough path Back to economic greatness. His own near latal Battle with cancer had Given him a generational sense he said. He would grimly Tell audiences that people Are judged when they die that they needed to think about the legacy they would leave their children. Yet he could be about As Down to Earth As politicians come. He would pad shoeless to the Back of his plane and sit with reporters propping his stocking feet on the seat in front of him and mulling aloud his Surprise at How the race had unfolded. The consummate family Man Tsongas needed to go Home frequently to refuel by spending time with his wife Ami three daughters. But in the last few weeks the Aura of purity that prompted voters to View Tsongas As Strong principled and different from other politicians dissipated. He engaged in escalating clashes with Arkansas gov. Bill Clinton including to attack ads and biting criticism on the stump. associated press
