For the Record

About Gary Hart’s campaign, the case, as they say in ICUs, is critical but we’re still getting vital signs. Vital signs quickened after Hart’s May 15 landslide victories over Fritz Mondale in Oregon and Nebraska. And political analysts such as Kevin Phillips believe Hart’s temporary upsurge will be reflected in the next Gallup and Harris polls—i.e., that they’ll show Hart running better against Ronald Reagan than Mondale. . . . But unless Hart wins in California, New Jersey, and South Dakota on June 5 he’s down the drain. . . . Going into that home stretch, Los Angeles Times poll finds Reagan still scoring much higher than either Mondale or Hart with voters on a) keeping the U.S. secure militarily, b) leadership ability, and c) controlling inflation, but he trails the Dems on d) civil rights, e) environment, and f) helping the poor. … In desperate weeks before June 5 Hart proposed taking Jesse Jackson as his vice presidential running-mate provided Jackson changed his Mideast position—i.e., became less overtly pro-Arab. . . . And would you believe that John Anderson has suggested himself as Mondale’s running-mate, given that he and Hart have about the same constituency? . . . Darden poll of nine states of old Confederacy (minus Texas and Arkansas) shows Reagan getting 71 per cent of white vote to Mondale’s 26 per cent; 72 per cent to Hart’s 25 per cent. . . . From Michigan, Don Lipsett, Honcho of the Invisible Hand Society, reminds the troops of real importance of June 5: It’s Adam Smith’s baptismal day, wear your ties, says the Commodore.

Other races: Good news in Mississippi, where polls show Republican Sen. Thad Cochran 19 points ahead of popular former Gov. William Winter. . . . Texas polls (Tarrance) have Phil Gramm beating either liberal Democrat Lloyd Doggett or conservative Kent Hance (Democratic runoff is June 2). . . . Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Charles Percy has lost support of New Right leaders Howard Phillips, Richard Viguerie, and Terry Dolan, who now back liberal Rep. Paul Simon. Percy’s vote against confirmation of USIA’s Acting Deputy Director Les Lenkowsky, a good and effective conservative, is much criticized. . . . Congress Watch reports that Rep. Albert Gore Jr., conceded leader in race for Sen. Howard Baker’s seat, has received the most money from PACs this year, more than $400,000. . . . Richmond News-Leader has discouraging words for Edythe Harrison, the Democratic senatorial nominee in Virginia: “Outside of her closest supporters, almost no one believes she can convert her success this spring [in winning the nomination] into a victory in November” against Sen. John Warner.

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About Gary Hart’s campaign, the case, as they say in ICUs, is critical but we’re still getting vital signs. Vital signs quickened after Hart’s May 15 landslide victories over Fritz Mondale in Oregon and Nebraska. And political analysts such as Kevin Phillips believe Hart’s temporary upsurge will be reflected in the next Gallup and Harris polls—i.e., that they’ll show Hart running better against Ronald Reagan than Mondale. . . . But unless Hart wins in California, New Jersey, and South Dakota on June 5 he’s down the drain. . . . Going into that home stretch, Los Angeles Times poll finds Reagan still scoring much higher than either Mondale or Hart with voters on a) keeping the U.S. secure militarily, b) leadership ability, and c) controlling inflation, but he trails the Dems on d) civil rights, e) environment, and f) helping the poor. … In desperate weeks before June 5 Hart proposed taking Jesse Jackson as his vice presidential running-mate provided Jackson changed his Mideast position—i.e., became less overtly pro-Arab. . . . And would you believe that John Anderson has suggested himself as Mondale’s running-mate, given that he and Hart have about the same constituency? . . . Darden poll of nine states of old Confederacy (minus Texas and Arkansas) shows Reagan getting 71 per cent of white vote to Mondale’s 26 per cent; 72 per cent to Hart’s 25 per cent. . . . From Michigan, Don Lipsett, Honcho of the Invisible Hand Society, reminds the troops of real importance of June 5: It’s Adam Smith’s baptismal day, wear your ties, says the Commodore.

Other races: Good news in Mississippi, where polls show Republican Sen. Thad Cochran 19 points ahead of popular former Gov. William Winter. . . . Texas polls (Tarrance) have Phil Gramm beating either liberal Democrat Lloyd Doggett or conservative Kent Hance (Democratic runoff is June 2). . . . Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Charles Percy has lost support of New Right leaders Howard Phillips, Richard Viguerie, and Terry Dolan, who now back liberal Rep. Paul Simon. Percy’s vote against confirmation of USIA’s Acting Deputy Director Les Lenkowsky, a good and effective conservative, is much criticized. . . . Congress Watch reports that Rep. Albert Gore Jr., conceded leader in race for Sen. Howard Baker’s seat, has received the most money from PACs this year, more than $400,000. . . . Richmond News-Leader has discouraging words for Edythe Harrison, the Democratic senatorial nominee in Virginia: “Outside of her closest supporters, almost no one believes she can convert her success this spring [in winning the nomination] into a victory in November” against Sen. John Warner.