Are House Democrats in a self-destruct mode? First came resignations by Reps. Billy Tauzin (D., La.), Mike Parker (D., Miss.), Jimmy Hayes (D., La.), and Greg Laughlin (D., Tex.), from Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee after it issued document by House Whip David Bonior (D., Mich.) attacking their position on Clean Water Act. A week later, Laughlin and 18 other Texas officials formally switched to GOP. (Number of such switches since Bill Clinton took office: 105.) . . . Time magazine reports congressional Democrats say “Clinton has all but abandoned them on central issues” and that “more defections are probably coming” in House. “My guess would be a half dozen more will probably make the change before the snows of next winter melt,” says Newt Gingrich’s press secretary, super-savvy Tony Blankley. . . . Business Week reports that GOP strategists looking toward ’96 “think they can pick up 20 more House seats to pad their current 232 to 202 edge.” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Martin Frost (D., Tex.) admits “as many as 50 Democratic seats remain in play.” . . . All this has mood turning nasty in House Democratic caucus. Queried whether he will leave his party soon, Tauzin says: “I haven’t been in the party for years.” . . . “The Democratic what?” asked Rep. Charles Rangel (D., N.Y.), when asked how Democratic leadership is doing. Rep. Bill Richardson (D., N.M.) turned reflective: “I think that for the morale of our troops we need some victories.”
Clinton’s latest political make-over proceeding quickly as one-time GOP consultant Richard Morris elbows more liberal White House aides out of the way and gets Prez to return to his old “middle class” themes. GOP pollster Alex Castellanos sees the logic here: “They’re trying to move from something Bill Clinton’s not very good at, which is being President.” . . . GOP staffers doing negative research for ’96 race are filling quivers as frustrated Democrats pop off at Prez. “He is driven by polls and not conviction,” says Jesse Jackson. And Sen. Ernest Hollings (D., S.C.): “He’s one of the most inadequate Presidents we’ve ever had, but one of the best campaigners.” Meanwhile, only 36 per cent of Arkansas voters now say they would vote to re-elect Bill Clinton. . . . On GOP presidential side, Washington Post’s Bob Woodward told CNN talk-show host Larry King that former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander “has a very good campaign organization. I’ve spent lots of time on it. Don’t write him off.” And Forbes magazine publisher Steve Forbes —pushed hard by some conservatives to get in race—says he would run as prolife candidate but will not make decision until September.
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