European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 4, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pago 6 the stars and strip selection 92bush wins tiny Lead in Early Bird vote Nixville notch . A president Bush won the hearts or the nations first voters in the presidential Elco Tion capturing 15 of tiny Nixville notches 30 votes. Independent Ross Perot picked up eight votes five chose libertarian Andre Marrou who carried the town in the feb. 18 primary and Democrat Bill Clinton got two. Nixville notch population 37, incorporated expressly to be the first town in the country to vote in presidential elections and new Hampshire a first in the nation primary. The town takes advantage of a provision in state Law that lets towns close their polling places Early if All registered voters have cast ballots. It is largely a publicity stunt designed to bring attention to the town and hotel a and it works. The results from Nixville Are in morning newspapers and on radio and television before the rest of the Ria Tion votes. Of the 30 registered voters 15 Are republicans 11 Are independents and four Are democrats. I As tradition dictates town Moderator Neil Tillotson cast the nations first ballot at 12 01 . Tuesday. Led by 93-year-old Tillotson residents of the Northern new Hampshire town have been voting in the ballot room at the balsams grand resort hotel just after Midnight since 1960. A i done to think it makes a Damn bit of difference if its the first one or the last one a they All count the same a Tillotson said about casting the first vote in the country. Nell Tillotson right Waits monday night in Nixville notch ., for the clock to strike Midnight so he can cast the nations lint presidential ballot Bush failed to see danger signs gop admits by Tom Raum the associated press Houston a a year ago president Bush interrupted a Texas fund raising swing to Rush to Kennebunkport to inspect storm damage at his Maine vacation Home. He was less Quick to heed Early political storm warnings. Election Day 1992, dawned with Bush Back in his adopted Texas Hometown behind in the polls and with his bid for a second term in serious doubt. Its a predicament that neither Republican nor democratic party heavyweights had envisioned Back in november 1991. So unassailable had Bush a position seemed in the afterglow of the persian Gulf War when his Job approval rating had soared above 90 percent that none of the nations Best known democrats stepped Forward to Challenge him. And Bush Campaign managers were slowly going about the business of gearing up for a race they planned to Model on Ronald Reagan a 1984 leisurely re election cakewalk. This week Republican leaders and Campaign officials were awaiting the verdict of voters a and still clinging to Hopes for an upset Victory while mulling Over lost opportunities. A we should have fought Back sooner a said Bush Campaign spokeswoman tone Garke. White House political director Ron Kaufman said he does no to want to dwell on what might have been done differently. A ask me next weekend after in be had three nights sleep a said Bush Campaign chairman Robert president Bush Speaks monday at a Madison n a rally. M. Teeter. Still gop and Campaign officials speaking on the condition of anonymity generally agreed on these five Broad areas of miscalculation a Given a false sense of Security by his High postwar popularity Bush failed to respond to Early warnings in 1991 of political trouble and economic distress. The upset defeat in the Pennsylvania Senate race of attorney general Dick Thornburgh by political newcomer Harris Wofford who focused on Domestic issues such As health care should have been taken More seriously at the White House. A the president delayed coming up with an economic plan for too Long in Early 1992, and then did not present a bold enough package allowing himself to be battered and softened up in the Early primaries by conservative challenger Patrick Buchanan even though the Public opinion polls had shown his approval rating slip Ping to 30 percent even before new Hampshire. A after vanquishing Buchanan Bush let his guard Down through the Spring of 1992, allowing Independent challenger Ross Perot to steal the spotlight and harness voter discontent Over the governments handling of the Economy. Then when Perot withdrew during the democratic National convention Bill Clinton once a poor third in the polls soared to a Lead of 20-plus Points in the polls. A the Republican National convention with its Many concessions to the religious right and heavy emphasis on a family values Quot turned off a lot of americans and failed to give Bush the boost he should have expected from an incumbent presidents party convention. He did get a convention a a bounced that put him momentarily ahead in some polls but he lost it within Days. A the president until late in the Campaign failed to find a focus for his Campaign lurching from one theme to another in unsuccessful efforts to erode Clinton a Lead. Only in the final weeks As Bush sharpened his rhetoric and sought to make a a Trust and a a character his main themes did the polls begin to  came from behind More than once by John King a political writer Washington a More often than not the a comeback kid Quot was hoarse mostly from trying to talk his Way across another Campaign crossroad. From the character confrontations in new Hampshire to one last primary storm in new York through a big Apple convention and three crucial debates it seemed Clinton was always fighting a failing voice when his Campaign needed it most. Even on the final Day Clinton could hardly speak yet he hardly stopped talking. Clinton a candidacy had been declared dead numerous times even by insiders of his own party. He was the preseason favorite the smooth talking impressive southerner who came to recession stunned new Hampshire with his favorite recipe for Success a specifics. He aimed his economic plan at the Middle class that had defected from the democrats in the 1980s. Then came Jan. 27. Gennifer Flowers held a nationally televised news conference to allege a 12-year affair with the Arkansas governor. Clinton went on cd so 60 minutes with his wife Hillary at his Side to acknowledge past problems in his marriage but to deny Flowers allegations. Then another controversy struck his mane vering to avoid the Vietnam War draft. He complained that All he was asked about was a a woman 1 did no to sleep with and a draft i did no to  ing marijuana a a time or two in College but in a now famous line a did no to inhaled and sparred with Phil Donahue who wanted to talk about Gennifer Flowers. Hecklers were everywhere. Clinton chose a favorite tactic go on the offence and change the subject. He delivered a major speech calling for Aid to the former soviet republics president Bush rushed out his own plan to counter. After new York it was Over former California gov. Jerry Brown would fight to the july democratic convention but Clinton began running against Bush. Then suddenly came Ross Perot. Clinton was third place dead again. In Bill Clinton and Pennsylvania Senate candidate Lynn Yeakel Greet supporters monday in Philadelphia. New Hampshire gave him second place enough to survive and two weeks later Georgia came through with a first. After that he kept winning. In a week before new Yorkus primary Clinton had a shouting match with an aids protester admitted try Clinton searched everywhere for Media exposure. He played saxophone on televisions the Arsenio Hall show one of Many forums Clinton would use to target Young voters he bought network time for town Hall meetings. He rewrote his economic plan into a Book putting people first. While Bush and Perot bickered Over alleged Republican dirty tricks Clinton promised jobs jobs and jobs. Just before his convention he crept into a dead heat. Then the dam broke. Perot quit the Day Clinton accepted the nomination. He was suddenly a front runner again. This time no modifiers suggested an imminent fall. When Perot got Back into the race late Clinton on it rarely criticized him. He had Learned from the summer Perot Bush feud to train his fire on his real enemy