On the Record

Color it disaster. House Whip Newt Gingrich calls George Bush’s back-away from no-new-taxes pledge the Administration’s “biggest single mistake.” Sen. Don Nickles, who occupies leadership position as chairman of National Republican Senatorial Committee, warns that if Bush accepts a big tax increase “I’m going to jump off.” . . . Republican Congressional Campaign chief Ed Rollins, who has remained silent thus far, was unhappy a month back when Bush agreed to meet with Democrats at the budget table with no conditions. He feared adverse effect on political campaigns of 11 Republicans who are giving up safe House seats to run for higher office. . . . Sen. Malcolm Wallop, of Republican Steering Committee, says whole thing has been mismanaged. “Whatever their intentions,” he says, “this has been touted as Bush’s big lie.’ ”… One hundred House Democrats have written to Speaker Tom Foley that any new taxes must be aimed at wealthy Americans (i.e., they want higher income-tax rates). If that’s the Democratic price, says Sen. Minority Leader Bob Dole, President Bush will hold back and “there won’t be a package.” . . . “There’s clearly a political gun on the table,” says Democratic pollster Harrison Hickman, “but it’s not clear who’s going to get shot.” . . . One risk White House may have underestimated: Bush has vetoed 13 bills thus far. Democrats have tried to override seven of those vetoes, and failed seven times in one or the other house of Congress. Question: Can President Bush count on that same loyalty among anti-tax Republicans in the months ahead? . . . Washington Post’s E. J. Dionne Jr., in story on previous campaign-promise flip-flops, recalls Ronald Reagan’s response when, as governor of California, he ordered withholding of state income tax after having said his position against withholding taxes was “set in concrete.” “The sound you hear,” he told reporters, “is the sound of concrete breaking.”

Kevin Phillips doubts Americans are in favor of more taxes. “There is a sense among the average American that whatever the overall tax is, he or she is paying too much.” . . . Nation will have better gauge in November. Tax-limitation proposals are on ballot in six states: California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Utah. . . . In Connecticut, Republican gubernatorial candidate John Rowland opposes state income tax, Democratic front-runner Bruce Morrison won’t rule one out, and neither will independent Lowell Weicker. Rowland’s campaign got boost last week when his major GOP opponent, Joel Schiavone, bowed out, but Weicker continues to lead in polls, 49 to Rowland’s 23 and Morrison’s 13 per cent. . . . President Bush’s decision to cancel offshore oil drilling at this time is a decided plus in Sen. Pete Wilson’s tight gubernatorial race in environmentally touchy California. … In Massachusetts, where Democratic gubernatorial contestants John Silber and Frank Bellotti continue neck and neck (32 to 32), with Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Murphy not far behind (27), a Becker Institute poll shows Massachusettsians want same party to lead state, but favor new outside leadership of party by wide margin of 55 to 29 per cent. In same poll Silber is tagged an “outsider.” Primary is in September. … In Bay State senatorial race, lawyer-developer Jim Rappaport leads GOP-convention-endorsed businessman Dan Daly, 35 to 12 per cent. Both are conservatives. Winner will take on liberal Democrat John Kerry.

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Color it disaster. House Whip Newt Gingrich calls George Bush’s back-away from no-new-taxes pledge the Administration’s “biggest single mistake.” Sen. Don Nickles, who occupies leadership position as chairman of National Republican Senatorial Committee, warns that if Bush accepts a big tax increase “I’m going to jump off.” . . . Republican Congressional Campaign chief Ed Rollins, who has remained silent thus far, was unhappy a month back when Bush agreed to meet with Democrats at the budget table with no conditions. He feared adverse effect on political campaigns of 11 Republicans who are giving up safe House seats to run for higher office. . . . Sen. Malcolm Wallop, of Republican Steering Committee, says whole thing has been mismanaged. “Whatever their intentions,” he says, “this has been touted as Bush’s big lie.’ ”… One hundred House Democrats have written to Speaker Tom Foley that any new taxes must be aimed at wealthy Americans (i.e., they want higher income-tax rates). If that’s the Democratic price, says Sen. Minority Leader Bob Dole, President Bush will hold back and “there won’t be a package.” . . . “There’s clearly a political gun on the table,” says Democratic pollster Harrison Hickman, “but it’s not clear who’s going to get shot.” . . . One risk White House may have underestimated: Bush has vetoed 13 bills thus far. Democrats have tried to override seven of those vetoes, and failed seven times in one or the other house of Congress. Question: Can President Bush count on that same loyalty among anti-tax Republicans in the months ahead? . . . Washington Post’s E. J. Dionne Jr., in story on previous campaign-promise flip-flops, recalls Ronald Reagan’s response when, as governor of California, he ordered withholding of state income tax after having said his position against withholding taxes was “set in concrete.” “The sound you hear,” he told reporters, “is the sound of concrete breaking.”

Kevin Phillips doubts Americans are in favor of more taxes. “There is a sense among the average American that whatever the overall tax is, he or she is paying too much.” . . . Nation will have better gauge in November. Tax-limitation proposals are on ballot in six states: California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Utah. . . . In Connecticut, Republican gubernatorial candidate John Rowland opposes state income tax, Democratic front-runner Bruce Morrison won’t rule one out, and neither will independent Lowell Weicker. Rowland’s campaign got boost last week when his major GOP opponent, Joel Schiavone, bowed out, but Weicker continues to lead in polls, 49 to Rowland’s 23 and Morrison’s 13 per cent. . . . President Bush’s decision to cancel offshore oil drilling at this time is a decided plus in Sen. Pete Wilson’s tight gubernatorial race in environmentally touchy California. … In Massachusetts, where Democratic gubernatorial contestants John Silber and Frank Bellotti continue neck and neck (32 to 32), with Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Murphy not far behind (27), a Becker Institute poll shows Massachusettsians want same party to lead state, but favor new outside leadership of party by wide margin of 55 to 29 per cent. In same poll Silber is tagged an “outsider.” Primary is in September. … In Bay State senatorial race, lawyer-developer Jim Rappaport leads GOP-convention-endorsed businessman Dan Daly, 35 to 12 per cent. Both are conservatives. Winner will take on liberal Democrat John Kerry.