For the Record

The Reagan approval figures at the turn of the year were almost unbelievable: 68 per cent overall approval, higher even than after the March 1981 assassination attempt. But most startling was figure for blacks: 56 per cent of blacks now approve of President Reagan’s handling of his job, up from 38 per cent in November, up from the mid-teens a year ago November. . . . Nearly as astonishing is fact that 46 per cent of Democrats approve of the President’s performance; 44 per cent disapprove. Among independents the figure is a wacky 70 per cent approval; among Republicans, 93 per cent. . . . On Democratic side, with Teddy Kennedy out of the race, Gary Hart is top dog of the hour. Christian Science Monitor senior Washington correspondent Godfrey Sperling Jr. says Teddy got out, among other things, because top economists gave him the “bad news” about the reasonably good economic climate ahead. “They foresaw,” writes Sperling, “an economy that would rock along well enough to shape a political climate in which the Reagan conservative line—less government and less spending—would be the ticket to the White House.” . . . One reason Gary Hart pulled out of Colorado Senate re-election race, reports Washington Post columnist David Broder, is Yule-tide Denver Post poll that showed him with 47 per cent approval rating, very low for incumbent, 22 points less than Republican Colorado Sen. Bill Armstrong. Second reason, of course, is that Hart has major debt still to be paid off from last presidential run. . . . Word is that Rep. Tim Wirth will make bid for Hart’s seat, and that Democratic National Committeewoman Polly Baca will go for Wirth’s House seat. “The Senate,” said the departing senator, “will be Hart-less, the House Wirth-less.”

People-talk on the Hill: Dartmouth professor Robert Jastrow (author of How to Make Nuclear Weapons Obsolete) is among those mentioned as possible replacement for George Keyworth as White House Science Advisor. Also mentioned: Keyworth’s deputy director, John P. McTague, and Roland W. Schmitt of General Electric. Question SDI advocates are asking: Would Jastrow be more valuable in White House or as independent critic of the scientific critics of Space Shield? . . . Newly converted GOP member Linda Chavez, effective White House director of public liaison, will definitely run for Senate in Maryland (Republican Sen. Mac Mathias is retiring). … In pre-Christmas-recess confirmation votes, former Sen. James L. Buckley was confirmed as judge on U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. (Lowell Weicker and ten Democrats voted against Buckley), and conservative author and political philosopher (and occasional NR contributor) John T. Noonan Jr. went to 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on West Coast. … Up for confirmation to 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals is attorney J. Daniel Mahoney, co-founder (with Kieran O’Doherty) of New York’s successful Conservative Party. Mahoney, and 1965 Conservative Party mayoral candidate Bill Buckley, will be among awardees at Conservative Party dinner at New York City’s Sheraton Centre Thursday, Jan. 23. Also attending: Vice President George Bush, Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, Rep. Jack Kemp. (For details, see ad p. 14.) . . . Other big conservative splash of season is three-day Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington Jan. 30 through Feb. 1. President Reagan will speak at dinner Jan. 30; Jonas Savimbi is expected, State Department visa permitting. (For details, see ad p. 45.)

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William F. Buckley Jr.

The Reagan approval figures at the turn of the year were almost unbelievable: 68 per cent overall approval, higher even than after the March 1981 assassination attempt. But most startling was figure for blacks: 56 per cent of blacks now approve of President Reagan’s handling of his job, up from 38 per cent in November, up from the mid-teens a year ago November. . . . Nearly as astonishing is fact that 46 per cent of Democrats approve of the President’s performance; 44 per cent disapprove. Among independents the figure is a wacky 70 per cent approval; among Republicans, 93 per cent. . . . On Democratic side, with Teddy Kennedy out of the race, Gary Hart is top dog of the hour. Christian Science Monitor senior Washington correspondent Godfrey Sperling Jr. says Teddy got out, among other things, because top economists gave him the “bad news” about the reasonably good economic climate ahead. “They foresaw,” writes Sperling, “an economy that would rock along well enough to shape a political climate in which the Reagan conservative line—less government and less spending—would be the ticket to the White House.” . . . One reason Gary Hart pulled out of Colorado Senate re-election race, reports Washington Post columnist David Broder, is Yule-tide Denver Post poll that showed him with 47 per cent approval rating, very low for incumbent, 22 points less than Republican Colorado Sen. Bill Armstrong. Second reason, of course, is that Hart has major debt still to be paid off from last presidential run. . . . Word is that Rep. Tim Wirth will make bid for Hart’s seat, and that Democratic National Committeewoman Polly Baca will go for Wirth’s House seat. “The Senate,” said the departing senator, “will be Hart-less, the House Wirth-less.”

People-talk on the Hill: Dartmouth professor Robert Jastrow (author of How to Make Nuclear Weapons Obsolete) is among those mentioned as possible replacement for George Keyworth as White House Science Advisor. Also mentioned: Keyworth’s deputy director, John P. McTague, and Roland W. Schmitt of General Electric. Question SDI advocates are asking: Would Jastrow be more valuable in White House or as independent critic of the scientific critics of Space Shield? . . . Newly converted GOP member Linda Chavez, effective White House director of public liaison, will definitely run for Senate in Maryland (Republican Sen. Mac Mathias is retiring). … In pre-Christmas-recess confirmation votes, former Sen. James L. Buckley was confirmed as judge on U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. (Lowell Weicker and ten Democrats voted against Buckley), and conservative author and political philosopher (and occasional NR contributor) John T. Noonan Jr. went to 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on West Coast. … Up for confirmation to 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals is attorney J. Daniel Mahoney, co-founder (with Kieran O’Doherty) of New York’s successful Conservative Party. Mahoney, and 1965 Conservative Party mayoral candidate Bill Buckley, will be among awardees at Conservative Party dinner at New York City’s Sheraton Centre Thursday, Jan. 23. Also attending: Vice President George Bush, Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, Rep. Jack Kemp. (For details, see ad p. 14.) . . . Other big conservative splash of season is three-day Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington Jan. 30 through Feb. 1. President Reagan will speak at dinner Jan. 30; Jonas Savimbi is expected, State Department visa permitting. (For details, see ad p. 45.)