Citizen Bob Dole says presidential race is tightening. Washington Post reports that campaign officials think “that since Memorial Day Dole has narrowed Clinton’s lead in California from 24 points to 12 points; in Illinois from 30 points to 12 points; in Pennsylvania from 30 points to 13 points; in Michigan from 22 points to 10 points; in Missouri from 24 points to 12 points.” But Post’s Dan Balz notes that in “forty years, no incumbent with approval ratings above 50 per cent at this point”—like Bill Clinton—“has been defeated for re-election.” . . . After Dole mixed it up with Katie Couric over tobacco, Clinton aide told CNN “Dole’s performance today was a gift from God.” NBC’s Tim Russert: “This footage . . . will be seen by more people than any event since Bob Dole resigned from the Senate. . . . It’s leading local stations all across the country.” . . . Christina Martin, deputy press secretary for Dole, says, “If Bill Clinton were issued a report card on the teen Drug War, it would read F for effort, F for results, and F for overall leadership. Marijuana use among young people has nearly doubled since Bill Clinton took office.” . . . Dole expected to call for 10 per cent tax cut, and vague reform of tax code, by month’s end. . . . GOP plans to reform front-loaded presidential primary system by offering extra delegates to states with later votes. . . . Newt Gingrich, on Veep speculation and Colin Powell: “There is a point where if Mom doesn’t give you the Ferrari, you decide to ask for a Buick or a Ford.” . . . Wall Street Journal reports that Clinton camp wants possible Reform Party candidate Richard Lamm in race; according to their polls he would help Clinton, while Perot would hurt him.
EMILY’s List, PAC for liberal pro-abortion women candidates, is having a tough year, losing primaries in California, Washington, Rhode Island. . . . John Joyce, president of International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen, rejects AFL-CIO’s endorsement of Bill Clinton because he vetoed partial-birth-abortion ban. . . . Rep. Steve Gunderson (R., Wise.) is reconsidering decision not to seek reelection. Death of Rep. Bill Emerson (R., Mo.) and Senate run by Rep. Pat Roberts (R., Kan.) leave him in line to be Agriculture Committee chairman. Rep. Robert Dornan (R., Calif.) takes to House floor for one hour to respond to Gunderson’s remark that he was “full of prejudice and hatred” toward homosexuals. . . . Jesse Jackson, “shadow senator” for D.C., will also not seek re-election; he will campaign for Democratic congressional candidates nationwide who support D.C. statehood. . . . Sen. Bob Kerrey (D., Neb.) says he’s “not absolutely satisfied” that Filegate was merely a “snafu.” . . . Rep. Jim Bunning (R., Ky.) holds hearings in his Social Security Subcommittee of Ways and Means Committee looking into use of Social Security Trust Fund money to pay salaries of 146 Social Security employees who work full-time for Social Security Administration workers’ union. Since 1993, amount of money spent on union activities at SSA has more than doubled, while workforce has increased 1 per cent.
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