For the Record

Despite the hoop-la, American distrust of Soviet Union is deeply ingrained. Washington Post/ABC News poll published Dec. 7—the day Gorbachev and Raisa arrived—shows 60 per cent of Americans believe USSR to be a serious/very serious threat to U.S.A.; 48 per cent don’t believe agreement will affect chance of future nuclear war… Brand new Penn & Schoen poll ordered by Committee on the Present Danger (Midge Decter) shows that though 73 per cent of Americans support concept of a Europe free of medium-range missiles, 72 per cent oppose treaty if Soviets will have advantage in other nuclear weapons in Europe; 66 per cent oppose it if it leaves the Soviets with an advantage in conventional forces in Europe (which it does); 75 per cent oppose it if it cannot be effectively verified. . . . Gallup-Pakistan (a Gallup affiliate), after extensive questioning of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, reports approximately 1.5 million Afghans killed or permanently incapacitated in nine years since Soviet invasion. Dr. Jjaz Gilani, chairman of Gallup-Pakistan, points out that’s 9 per cent of 1978 population, or a higher percentage of population than USSR lost (8.6 per cent) in WW II… Gorbachev’s admission in Brokaw interview that USSR has engaged in its own SDI research is amply confirmed by Pentagon study that reveals USSR has spent $80 billion on military space programs over past decade… Pacifist Helen Caldicott isn’t worried about Gorbachev’s sincerity. He is “the only sane leader in the world. He is like Jesus. He just keeps giving out good things like arms-control proposals and [getting] hit with rejections.”

It just doesn’t play—the Democratic field, that is. Houston didn’t do it, neither did NBC’s ballyhooed 12-man debate. Here’s what leading Democrats and political analysts concluded after NBC show. Robert Strauss, former DNC chairman: “We don’t have one or more voices telling where our party ought to go or providing any vision for America. . . . Until we do that I don’t think the American people will turn to us.” . . . David Chagall, political analyst in Los Angeles: “[The Democrats] looked like the outs. They had no new ideas, no forceful presentations.” . . . Stephen Hess, of Brookings: “The Democrats now have had six to eight months to put their show on the road. This was Broadway last night, their first network performance, . . . and none of them had the quality.” . . . Sen. Bob Graham (Fla.): “This is the year for Democrats to recapture the White House. … If we don’t do it this year, it looks bleak for the rest of the century.” . . . Sen. Ernest Hollings (S.C.): “At the moment, we don’t have anybody with the stature of Dole or Bush.” . . . Alvin From, executive director, Democratic Leadership Council: “I don’t think they’re serious.” . . . Ann Lewis, ex-DNC: “The party is waiting for Prince Charming.” . . . Mary Hat- wood Futrell, president of NEA: The NEA can’t at this point endorse any candidate; it tends toward Dukakis, Simon, and Jackson. … In London, the bookmaker William Hill is giving 4 to 1 odds that Mario Cuomo will make it to the White House next year. (If Cuomo fails to enter race, all bets are off.)

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Despite the hoop-la, American distrust of Soviet Union is deeply ingrained. Washington Post/ABC News poll published Dec. 7—the day Gorbachev and Raisa arrived—shows 60 per cent of Americans believe USSR to be a serious/very serious threat to U.S.A.; 48 per cent don’t believe agreement will affect chance of future nuclear war… Brand new Penn & Schoen poll ordered by Committee on the Present Danger (Midge Decter) shows that though 73 per cent of Americans support concept of a Europe free of medium-range missiles, 72 per cent oppose treaty if Soviets will have advantage in other nuclear weapons in Europe; 66 per cent oppose it if it leaves the Soviets with an advantage in conventional forces in Europe (which it does); 75 per cent oppose it if it cannot be effectively verified. . . . Gallup-Pakistan (a Gallup affiliate), after extensive questioning of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, reports approximately 1.5 million Afghans killed or permanently incapacitated in nine years since Soviet invasion. Dr. Jjaz Gilani, chairman of Gallup-Pakistan, points out that’s 9 per cent of 1978 population, or a higher percentage of population than USSR lost (8.6 per cent) in WW II… Gorbachev’s admission in Brokaw interview that USSR has engaged in its own SDI research is amply confirmed by Pentagon study that reveals USSR has spent $80 billion on military space programs over past decade… Pacifist Helen Caldicott isn’t worried about Gorbachev’s sincerity. He is “the only sane leader in the world. He is like Jesus. He just keeps giving out good things like arms-control proposals and [getting] hit with rejections.”

It just doesn’t play—the Democratic field, that is. Houston didn’t do it, neither did NBC’s ballyhooed 12-man debate. Here’s what leading Democrats and political analysts concluded after NBC show. Robert Strauss, former DNC chairman: “We don’t have one or more voices telling where our party ought to go or providing any vision for America. . . . Until we do that I don’t think the American people will turn to us.” . . . David Chagall, political analyst in Los Angeles: “[The Democrats] looked like the outs. They had no new ideas, no forceful presentations.” . . . Stephen Hess, of Brookings: “The Democrats now have had six to eight months to put their show on the road. This was Broadway last night, their first network performance, . . . and none of them had the quality.” . . . Sen. Bob Graham (Fla.): “This is the year for Democrats to recapture the White House. … If we don’t do it this year, it looks bleak for the rest of the century.” . . . Sen. Ernest Hollings (S.C.): “At the moment, we don’t have anybody with the stature of Dole or Bush.” . . . Alvin From, executive director, Democratic Leadership Council: “I don’t think they’re serious.” . . . Ann Lewis, ex-DNC: “The party is waiting for Prince Charming.” . . . Mary Hat- wood Futrell, president of NEA: The NEA can’t at this point endorse any candidate; it tends toward Dukakis, Simon, and Jackson. … In London, the bookmaker William Hill is giving 4 to 1 odds that Mario Cuomo will make it to the White House next year. (If Cuomo fails to enter race, all bets are off.)