European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 10, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday november to 1994 commentary the stars and stripes Page t hit by App Clinton Tom Raum for president Clinton the midterm election results bring painful decisions. He can run against a do Noth ing top dominated Congress for the next two years As Harry Truman once did or he can reach out and try to make bipartisan peace. Either route carries political risk for the presi Dent handed an enormous setback tuesday by an electorate that preferred republicans and delivered both houses of Congress to the gop. The Burden of government is now on them a subdued White House press Secretary Dee Dee Myers said around Midnight As the magnitude of the demo cratic defeat became Clear. It was a resounding vote of no Confidence for the president and his party altering the political landscape and the next two years of the Clinton presidency. First and Foremost it was a referendum on Bill Clinton and he lost. It weakens him tremendously said Larry Sabato a political scientist with the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The vote halts in its trades Cunt on activist Domestic Agenda. And it makes his ability to Deal with Congress already difficult with both Chambers in demo cratic hands extremely dubious. The Only Way that Clinton can govern is to move to the Middle and work on areas of Mutual agreement with the re publicans said James Thurber a Politi Cal scientist at american University in Washington . Clinton is sure to take the heat from other democrats for the enormous loss of seats. He did t com Mand much respect among members of his party even before tuesday s elections. Hell command even less now As surviving democrats try to Cut their losses and plot their own futures. The gop victories could spawn democratic primary challenges to the presi Dent now perceived As being even More vulnerable than before Truman blocked at every turn by a Republican controlled 80th congresses senti ally waged a two year Campaign from 1946 to 48 against what he dubbed do nothing  v it worked for him. But such a tactic could backfire on Clinton Given the Gen eral sour mood of the electorate and disown Lack of popularity. People Are pretty much angry at everybody said retiring Senate democratic Leader George Mitchell of Maine. Woutje House political strategists have Dis cussed for weeks ways to steer Clinton through a gop midterm land slide.  /. ,. The strategy includes overtures toward bipartisanship More foreign travel and a search for dramatic Steps that can be taken without congressional approval. Leon Panetta the White House chief of staff said the administration would Back off its ambitious proposal for health care Reform and offer Only an incremental change in the system. And he said the White House a Ould Challenge re publicans to embrace political Reform As an election mandate. There also could be cooperation on Trade and welfare legislation. The White House has sought be fore to reach but to republicans wit limited  new emphasis on foreign travel is ironic considering Clinton s previous criticism of the Globe trotting George Bush Clinton toured the Middle East two weeks before the election and leave Friday for a 10-Day trip to Asia. He is also expected to visit . Troops in Haiti before playing Host to a Summit of latin american nations in Miami in december he also May attend a european Confer ence in Budapest Hungary. So far he has travelled More in his firs two years than Bush. If Clinton faces a dilemma Republican leaders likewise must decide whether they want to continue to Pound Clinton or try to work with the White House a finding common ground. I think there s an obligation. To reach out to the president said soon to be House speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia. But there s a limit to How much gop leaders can reach out when two of them Senate gop Leader Bob Dole of Kansas and sen. Phil Gramm of Texas Are expected to seek their party s presidential nomination if nothing else the gop seizure of both Chambers of Congress for the firs time in 40 years will Force Clinton to move Back toward his original new Democrat stance said University of Texas political scientist Bruce Buchanan. It so possible Clinton could wind up i Harry Truman Mode but his first instinct is to extend an Olive Branch Buchana said. ,. ,., v v ,-."-. C the associated press reflecting on his future a couple of years ago rep. George buddy Darden d-ga., noted with some foreboding that his next election would be his first running with a president of his own party a new experience for him As Well As other democrats elected during the 1980s. For democrats across the country those misgivings came to pass tuesday. Their disaster Springs directly from their 1992 Success not Only because Bill Din ton is an unpopular president but also because for the first time the full Power of anti Washington sentiment was levelled at their candidates this year the upshot for republicans is that they will have a lot More incumbents to defend themselves but if they Don t worry about that for another month or so you could hardly blame them. With this election the gop holds a majority in the House and Senate for the first time in a generation. It has gained control of the governorships of most of the nation s biggest states and has made deeper inroads into the old democratic South than Ever before. The gop even managed to accomplish this without Oliver North who could Nave emerged As More of a liability than an asset to the victorious party if he had won his . Senate race in Virginia. What made the Republican earthquake worse for democrats was where it hit. The epicentre was Tennes see Home of vice president Al Gore and outgoing gov. Ned Mcwherter a popular Democrat. No matter Tennessee gave the republicans two Senate seats and a governorship their biggest Bonanza of the evening. This election May have had a particularly devastating Impact on the democratic leadership Council the moderate group founded by mostly Southern democrats such As Clinton and sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia. For one thing some prominent Council figures lost including rep. Dave Mccurdy in the Oklahoma Senate race for another the election results leave centrist democrats in a bad bargaining position within their party trying to hold together extremes that Are much More Likely to Fly apart. Its important to note How Many Republican victories were in open seats where democrats had re tired even before this election there were whispers about the possible retirement of several prominent democrats up for re election in 1996. There is cer Tain lobe More of that talk now. It s a Good bet some of the dynamics of this election came from 1992 Ross Perot voters feeling guilty at the role they played in electing Clinton and still impatient for change. One of the few Bright spots for democrats on tuesday sen. Chuck Robb s Victory in Virginia was another three Way affair like the 1992 presidential race. Perot s influence has dimmed his endorsement seems to have done Democrat Ann Richards Little Good in Texas but sentiment still lingers for something that is different from the ideas offered by either party. The University of Iowa a heartland poll of seven states released shortly before the election showed that for the first time a majority of midwesterner consider themselves part of neither party. The republicans had these Independent leaning Vot Tom Baxter ers Back in their Corner in this election. But with Jesse Helms Strom Thurmond and Alfonse d Amato All moving into Senate chairmanships voters who Are looking for something new May begin to grow impatient. The Republican most concerned Over the past decade with presenting a new face for his party has been rep. Newt Gingrich of Georgia who achieve with this election his career goal of becoming speaker oath Ehouse. Speaking with time Magazine about the Republican Agenda Gingrich said that after Quick passage of sever Al measures promised in their contract with America the gop Congress would take up some of the More difficult issues such As litigation Reform. He was t just making an offhand  election was framed by the fight Over health care. Before democrats even began their races More than $50 million in negative advertising had Bee focused on the Clinton plan and by Extension on the administration and democrats generally. Long before Clinton began talking about a health care crisis the Bush administration was proposing reforms to remedy a crisis in the court system though Little noticed those proposals have returned a the contract. Next year those who fought tooth and Nail to oppose Caps on prescription drugs Are Likely to do Battle to impose Caps on jury awards. This in turn is Likely to Gen Erate its own constituency of opposition. Other parts of the contract on closer inspection May generate opposition As Well. For the time being however Gingrich and the republicans control the Agenda. How Long they will do so depends on their Success in convincing aver age americans that that Agenda is their own. A c Cox news service. "