On the Record

■ Looking ahead politically: Bad news from California, where Los Angeles Times reports Democratic Attorney General John Van de Kamp has drawn even with Republican Sen. Pete Wilson in gubernatorial polls (44 to 43 per cent), and virtually eliminated (53 to 25 per cent) former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein, his most likely primary opponent. . . . But in Massachusetts, Boston Globe reports that “for the first time in decades” Republicans are out-registering Democrats, 2 to 1, as result of disrepute and low rating of Dukakis administration. . . . Chief fundraisers for conservative ex-governor Edward King (Democrat turned Republican) who has dropped out of race to succeed Dukakis, are now supporting conservative Steven Pierce, the House Minority Leader. Pierce is staunchly pro-life—which, says his primary opponent William Weld, pro-choice former assistant attorney general, makes him “unelectable.” . . . There’s talk of running First Edition anchor Bill O’Reilly against Barney Frank next year, but there are some problems. O’Reilly is registered as an independent, in New Jersey. . . . Incidentally, Media Monitor, in analysis of press treatment of congressmen with ethics problems, reports that Frank received higher positive-mention rating (41 per cent positive) than Newt Gingrich (40 per cent). . . . Conservative campaign strategist Roger Stone has told Human Events he might just run against Sen. Bill Bradley in New Jersey next year. Says Stone: “It’s tempting and it would be fun.” . . .Both Texas senators, Democrat Lloyd Bentsen and Republican Phil Gramm, have been spotted in Iowa recently. … In Connecticut mayoral elections this year, post—Lowell Weicker state chairman Richard Foley is credited with a number of Republican victories. In Bridgeport, Connecticut’s largest city, Republican Mary Moran upset two-term Democratic mayor Tom Bucci.

■ Tarrance & Associates took poll in Virginia right after elections to determine how important abortion issue was to outcome. “Was your vote based solely on the abortion issue?” it asked. No, said 85.4 per cent of the voters; yes, said 11.8 per cent. Of the 11.8 per cent, a majority had voted for Marshall Coleman, the pro-life candidate. … In New Jersey, pro-choice forces raised a third of a million bucks for Jim Florio, the successful Democratic gubernatorial candidate. Prolifers, abandoned at the starting gate by their candidate, Jim Courter, sat that one out. . . . Brent Bozell’s Media Watch questions propriety of prominent national newsmen publicly supporting political candidates. 60 Minutes’ Ed Bradley gave $500, and MacNeil/Lehrer’s Charlayne Hunter-Gault $700, to Doug Wilder’s campaign in Virginia. . . . Jesse Jackson was cheered as he told November 12 pro-choice marchers in Washington: “We’re not the puppets of the Court. Puppets do not have choices. People have choices, and that’s what God has endowed us with. No one can take that away.” The pre-presidential-race Jesse sang a different tune. Jackson, in Our Sunday Visitor, 1982: “[Legalized abortion symbolizes] a definite drift to Sodom and Gomorrah in our culture.”

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■ Looking ahead politically: Bad news from California, where Los Angeles Times reports Democratic Attorney General John Van de Kamp has drawn even with Republican Sen. Pete Wilson in gubernatorial polls (44 to 43 per cent), and virtually eliminated (53 to 25 per cent) former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein, his most likely primary opponent. . . . But in Massachusetts, Boston Globe reports that “for the first time in decades” Republicans are out-registering Democrats, 2 to 1, as result of disrepute and low rating of Dukakis administration. . . . Chief fundraisers for conservative ex-governor Edward King (Democrat turned Republican) who has dropped out of race to succeed Dukakis, are now supporting conservative Steven Pierce, the House Minority Leader. Pierce is staunchly pro-life—which, says his primary opponent William Weld, pro-choice former assistant attorney general, makes him “unelectable.” . . . There’s talk of running First Edition anchor Bill O’Reilly against Barney Frank next year, but there are some problems. O’Reilly is registered as an independent, in New Jersey. . . . Incidentally, Media Monitor, in analysis of press treatment of congressmen with ethics problems, reports that Frank received higher positive-mention rating (41 per cent positive) than Newt Gingrich (40 per cent). . . . Conservative campaign strategist Roger Stone has told Human Events he might just run against Sen. Bill Bradley in New Jersey next year. Says Stone: “It’s tempting and it would be fun.” . . .Both Texas senators, Democrat Lloyd Bentsen and Republican Phil Gramm, have been spotted in Iowa recently. … In Connecticut mayoral elections this year, post—Lowell Weicker state chairman Richard Foley is credited with a number of Republican victories. In Bridgeport, Connecticut’s largest city, Republican Mary Moran upset two-term Democratic mayor Tom Bucci.

■ Tarrance & Associates took poll in Virginia right after elections to determine how important abortion issue was to outcome. “Was your vote based solely on the abortion issue?” it asked. No, said 85.4 per cent of the voters; yes, said 11.8 per cent. Of the 11.8 per cent, a majority had voted for Marshall Coleman, the pro-life candidate. … In New Jersey, pro-choice forces raised a third of a million bucks for Jim Florio, the successful Democratic gubernatorial candidate. Prolifers, abandoned at the starting gate by their candidate, Jim Courter, sat that one out. . . . Brent Bozell’s Media Watch questions propriety of prominent national newsmen publicly supporting political candidates. 60 Minutes’ Ed Bradley gave $500, and MacNeil/Lehrer’s Charlayne Hunter-Gault $700, to Doug Wilder’s campaign in Virginia. . . . Jesse Jackson was cheered as he told November 12 pro-choice marchers in Washington: “We’re not the puppets of the Court. Puppets do not have choices. People have choices, and that’s what God has endowed us with. No one can take that away.” The pre-presidential-race Jesse sang a different tune. Jackson, in Our Sunday Visitor, 1982: “[Legalized abortion symbolizes] a definite drift to Sodom and Gomorrah in our culture.”