3.24.00
How Many Bathrooms Have You?

3.23.00
The Law: Nuissance Suit

3.22.00
ED: Don't Do It

3.22.00
Gun Rites

 

3/22/00 3:45 p.m.
ED: Don't Do It
Liddy is simply a bad candidate.

By Kathryn Jean Lopez, an editor of National Review

here’s a national petition drive afoot to convince George W. Bush to take Elizabeth Dole as his running mate (www.bush-dole-2000.com). Advice to the W: Don’t even entertain the idea.

The case against her isn’t just that she’s not a conservative, although she isn’t (just ask her about guns). She’s a bad candidate. She’s vapid. The candidate who couldn’t even take a stand on issues in her own primary campaign isn’t likely to help Gov. Bush in the articulation department. According to polling co./Global Strategy Group numbers released this week, only 18 percent of registered voters polled would pick her to be W’s veep. And, practically speaking, the Watergate isn’t exactly a key state.

The official, grassroots Elizabeth Dole for Vice President petition drive, which operates independent of ED and the national party, can’t even convincingly make the case for her. She’s "an amazing multi-tasker" who "will get the job done" is what spokesman Pam Coy says in interview after interview. But that might not matter.

What we’re left with is the mythical gender gap. Which is to say that we’re left with nothing. Experience shows that women don’t necessarily vote for women. It didn’t work for Mondale. There’s no reason it’ll work for Bush. Anyway, on issues that women tend to rank as their top priorities, like education, as governor of the nation’s largest state, Bush can hold his own. As Kellyanne Fitzpatrick points out, the only gender gap in this race is on Gore’s side, where he has a "male problem, alpha and otherwise."

On the question of ED, as National Review has already pointed out, "Bush often says you can judge candidates by the competence of people around them. Here is one association that wouldn’t flatter him."

 
 

Think a friend would want to read this? Send it along.

Your e-mail address:

Recipient's e-mail address:

 

Columns / Current Issue / Goldberg File / Nota Bene
Washington Bulletin
/ Subscribe / Ad Info / Home

National Review 215 Lexington Avenue New York, New York 10016 212-679-7330 Customer Service: 815-734-1232. Contact Us.