It says it all: Final paragraphs in Steven Roberts’s New York Times analysis of Howard Baker as chief of staff: “Perhaps the biggest question about the Reagan-Baker relationship is whether the chief of staff will eventually be able to persuade the President to take a more flexible approach . . .” And “ ‘The real question,’ said an aide to Senate Democratic leaders, ‘is whether Baker can get the President to compromise.’ ”… That’s exactly why Richard Viguerie and other New Righters are so leery of Baker appointment. Viguerie told Kevin Phillips: “In the two days after the appointment I talked to over fifty conservative leaders and activists, and I didn’t find one who wasn’t upset, downhearted, and dejected.” In Viguerie’s view, says Phillips, the selection of Baker is “the equivalent of ‘running up the white flag.’ ”… On the other hand, post-appointment, post-speech polls showed four-to nine-point gains in Reagan’s approval rating. . . . Washington conservatives were also dismayed last week that Nebraska Gov. Kay Orr appointed an unknown businessman, David Karnes, to the late Ed Zorinsky’s Senate seat. Nothing much is known about Karnes’s political beliefs. . . . But there’s general jubilation over report that conservative black political economist Glenn C. Loury will replace Gary L. Bauer—now White House domestic-policy advisor—as Under Secretary of Education. Loury, a Harvard professor, has been at odds with traditional black leadership (Benjamin Hooks, Coretta King, etc.) over preferential treatment for blacks. He’s against it. . . . Columnist Jack Anderson didn’t like the answer: He asked his readers whether the media had been biased in their handling of Irangate, and 36,000 letters and phone calls later he got the message: By a margin of 3 to 1, the media were tagged as unfair to the Administration. . . . Former White House Communications Director Patrick Buchanan may be surprised to hear why he left that job. According to columnist George Fishman of Communist People’s Daily World, “the Joseph Goebbels of the Reagan Administration” left “because he can be more effective for the pro-fascist cause outside the White House.”
According to Evans & Novak, all seven GOP hopefuls blew it when they made joint appearance in New Hampshire a week ago. E&N say Bush put on the worst show; Dole was a disappointment: too many jokes, not enough beef; Kemp showed up best but failed to ignite the crowd. . . . Kemp and Congressman Jim Courier (R., N.J.) are leading the fight to get George Shultz out of State. Courier suggests Jeane Kirkpatrick would be good replacement. . . . Conservatives took a beating in Dole campaign organization when American Conservative Union Director David Keene was eased out in fight with exploratory-committee chairman Robert Ellsworth. Still in Dole camp, however, former (very effective) head of Office of Personnel Management Donald J. Devine. . . . How about Jesse Helms for President? National Congressional Club has sent out thousands of letters to Helms backers nationwide asking them to contribute to an exploratory Helms presidential effort.
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