For the Record

■ Clinton team pleasantly surprised at press treatment of Administration nominees. U.S. News & World Report reveals transition officials were nervous about questioning Robert Rubin might receive concerning extensive contributions to new boss’s campaign and his management of blind trust of Treasury Secretary-designate Lloyd Bentsen. No such questions were forthcoming. . . . Newsweek calls Laura Tyson, who will head Council of Economic Advisors, “the only real liberal” among Clinton’s economic choices. Leon Panetta, however, selected to be director of OMB, has ACU rating of 5, ADA of 95. National Taxpayers Union rates congressmen in terms of whether votes cut spending and size of government: Bentsen’s rating is 19, Panetta’s 21, out of possible 100. Both qualify for “Big Spender” category. Bentsen’s ADA rating rose from 44 in 1990 to 80 a year later. Both were architects of 1990 budget deal. . . . Donna Shalala, named to head HHS, recently called American society “racist and sexist.” When she took over as U. of Wise, president her first priority was to double number of minority students and faculty; she failed. . . . Choice for U.S. Surgeon General, Arkansas Department of Health chief Jocelyn Elders, has clear idea “what we can do most to reduce infant mortality”: “reduce unplanned, unwanted children. . . . [Right to lifers] should get over their love affair with the fetus.” . . . Spelman College president Johnetta Cole, currently transition education coordinator, has been widely assailed (except by far Left) for support of Communist dictatorships in Cuba, Grenada, and elsewhere. She was once member of Havana-sponsored Venceremos Brigade and of Moscow-backed U.S. Peace Council. Senior Clinton transition official says, “I don’t know what the U.S. Peace Council is” and “I don’t see the relevance.” . . . There’s a battle over Middle East policy positions between pro-Israel Martin Indyk, head of esteemed Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Samuel Berger, affiliated with dovish Americans for Peace now.

■ Senators Nancy Kassebaum and Arlen Specter, retiring Rep. Tom Campbell, and others announced formation of Republican Majority Coalition, which aims to curb prominence of conservative social issues in party. Rep. Campbell (Calif.), defeated by unabashed conservative Bruce Herschensohn in Senate primary, says coalition’s purpose is “to exclude issues of morality and conscience as litmus tests of being a Republican.” . . . House conservatives irked at Minority Whip Newt Gingrich for supporing liberal Nancy Johnson (Conn.; ACU: 50) for various Republican leadership posts, of which she won none. . . . “Clinton had no coattails,” says Jeffrey Wice, counsel to the Democratic State Legislative Leaders Association. In 1980 Ronald Reagan’s tails helped GOP pick up over 200 state legislative seats. Clinton victory was accompanied by a 70-seat Republican gain. . . . Meanwhile, in Massachusetts Republicans lost six State Senate seats— so GOP can no longer sustain Gov. William Weld’s vetoes without help from Democrats. Weld, touted as GOP presidential timber, said recently White House “doesn’t look like something I’d be interested in.” Meanwhile, Rep. Joe Kennedy is looking to unseat Weld in 1994. Recent poll has Weld ahead 46 to 41.

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■ Clinton team pleasantly surprised at press treatment of Administration nominees. U.S. News & World Report reveals transition officials were nervous about questioning Robert Rubin might receive concerning extensive contributions to new boss’s campaign and his management of blind trust of Treasury Secretary-designate Lloyd Bentsen. No such questions were forthcoming. . . . Newsweek calls Laura Tyson, who will head Council of Economic Advisors, “the only real liberal” among Clinton’s economic choices. Leon Panetta, however, selected to be director of OMB, has ACU rating of 5, ADA of 95. National Taxpayers Union rates congressmen in terms of whether votes cut spending and size of government: Bentsen’s rating is 19, Panetta’s 21, out of possible 100. Both qualify for “Big Spender” category. Bentsen’s ADA rating rose from 44 in 1990 to 80 a year later. Both were architects of 1990 budget deal. . . . Donna Shalala, named to head HHS, recently called American society “racist and sexist.” When she took over as U. of Wise, president her first priority was to double number of minority students and faculty; she failed. . . . Choice for U.S. Surgeon General, Arkansas Department of Health chief Jocelyn Elders, has clear idea “what we can do most to reduce infant mortality”: “reduce unplanned, unwanted children. . . . [Right to lifers] should get over their love affair with the fetus.” . . . Spelman College president Johnetta Cole, currently transition education coordinator, has been widely assailed (except by far Left) for support of Communist dictatorships in Cuba, Grenada, and elsewhere. She was once member of Havana-sponsored Venceremos Brigade and of Moscow-backed U.S. Peace Council. Senior Clinton transition official says, “I don’t know what the U.S. Peace Council is” and “I don’t see the relevance.” . . . There’s a battle over Middle East policy positions between pro-Israel Martin Indyk, head of esteemed Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Samuel Berger, affiliated with dovish Americans for Peace now.

■ Senators Nancy Kassebaum and Arlen Specter, retiring Rep. Tom Campbell, and others announced formation of Republican Majority Coalition, which aims to curb prominence of conservative social issues in party. Rep. Campbell (Calif.), defeated by unabashed conservative Bruce Herschensohn in Senate primary, says coalition’s purpose is “to exclude issues of morality and conscience as litmus tests of being a Republican.” . . . House conservatives irked at Minority Whip Newt Gingrich for supporing liberal Nancy Johnson (Conn.; ACU: 50) for various Republican leadership posts, of which she won none. . . . “Clinton had no coattails,” says Jeffrey Wice, counsel to the Democratic State Legislative Leaders Association. In 1980 Ronald Reagan’s tails helped GOP pick up over 200 state legislative seats. Clinton victory was accompanied by a 70-seat Republican gain. . . . Meanwhile, in Massachusetts Republicans lost six State Senate seats— so GOP can no longer sustain Gov. William Weld’s vetoes without help from Democrats. Weld, touted as GOP presidential timber, said recently White House “doesn’t look like something I’d be interested in.” Meanwhile, Rep. Joe Kennedy is looking to unseat Weld in 1994. Recent poll has Weld ahead 46 to 41.