For the Record

Despite best efforts of CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, and much of the print media, President Reagan comes across as a compassionate man. NBC News poll found 59 per cent agreeing with statement, “Ronald Reagan really cares about people like me,” up from 43 per cent four years ago. . . . Presidential approval rating continues at 64 to 67 per cent level, but will it translate into Republican votes in November? No, fears South Carolina textile man Roger Milliken in Wall Street Journal interview (following Reagan veto of textile-protection bill): “Reaction [against that veto] is unbelievably negative. As a Republican, I am worried sick about it.” . . . Political analyst Kevin Phillips reports some market analysts believe that continued fall in oil prices could add “1 to 1.5 percentage points to real GNP growth this year,” with rosy consequences for embattled Republicans in Congress. . . . Country has moved right, to distress of ADA Director Ann Lewis. Average ADA rating in current Congress is 45 per cent in House, only 40 in Senate, which, she says, “is not good.” . . . Democratic presidential dark horse making most noise at moment is Arizona Gov. Bruce Babbitt, who has hired as press secretary Michael McCurry, former aide to former (Abscam) Sen. Harrison Williams (D., N.J.), Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D., N.Y.), and, more briefly, Sen. John Glenn (D., Ohio) during Glenn’s presidential foray in ’84. Babbitt, by the way, thinks Robert Dole is “the best in both political and governmental terms” of the Republican candidates.

In California, les jeux sont faits: By March 7, final filing day, there were seven Republicans in race against Democratic Sen. Alan Cranston, with Cranston handily in lead. But Cranston will be running on ticket with Supreme Court Chief Justice Rose Bird, whose popularity ceases not to plunge, and, presumably, with Los Angeles Mayor Thomas Bradley, who trailed Gov. George Deukmejian 51 to 43 per cent at last count. . . . Cranston was sliced up by contender Mike Antonovich for instantly assuming that Ferdinand Marcos had ordered the murder of Glendale editor Oscar Salvatierra a fortnight back; the slain editor’s son is being held. … A very dark horse in lists is Congressman Ed Zschau (of the unpronounceable name; it’s like “shout” without the “t”). Zschau comes from Silicon Valley, has biggest war chest of any of the contenders, and some powerful industrial backers, including David Packard. . . . In New York, Harry Belafonte is the latest Democrat to decide against taking on Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, leaving field to onetime Ralph Nader aide Mark Green. Warren Beatty has promised to do four fundraising benefits for Green, who at present trails D’Amato by thirty points. … In other races this fall, Chicago Tribune’s “INC.” column reports polls are so devastating that Republican Gov. Jim Thompson “got hot on the phone to Doug Bailey of the D.C. consulting firm of Bailey & Deardorff for advice. . . . The Guv was told to play on Adlai’s [Stevenson III] indecisiveness and inability to lead.” . . . Boston Globe says entry of black radical Mel King in 8th CD race could be real challenge to “front-runner Joseph P. Kennedy IL”

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Despite best efforts of CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, and much of the print media, President Reagan comes across as a compassionate man. NBC News poll found 59 per cent agreeing with statement, “Ronald Reagan really cares about people like me,” up from 43 per cent four years ago. . . . Presidential approval rating continues at 64 to 67 per cent level, but will it translate into Republican votes in November? No, fears South Carolina textile man Roger Milliken in Wall Street Journal interview (following Reagan veto of textile-protection bill): “Reaction [against that veto] is unbelievably negative. As a Republican, I am worried sick about it.” . . . Political analyst Kevin Phillips reports some market analysts believe that continued fall in oil prices could add “1 to 1.5 percentage points to real GNP growth this year,” with rosy consequences for embattled Republicans in Congress. . . . Country has moved right, to distress of ADA Director Ann Lewis. Average ADA rating in current Congress is 45 per cent in House, only 40 in Senate, which, she says, “is not good.” . . . Democratic presidential dark horse making most noise at moment is Arizona Gov. Bruce Babbitt, who has hired as press secretary Michael McCurry, former aide to former (Abscam) Sen. Harrison Williams (D., N.J.), Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D., N.Y.), and, more briefly, Sen. John Glenn (D., Ohio) during Glenn’s presidential foray in ’84. Babbitt, by the way, thinks Robert Dole is “the best in both political and governmental terms” of the Republican candidates.

In California, les jeux sont faits: By March 7, final filing day, there were seven Republicans in race against Democratic Sen. Alan Cranston, with Cranston handily in lead. But Cranston will be running on ticket with Supreme Court Chief Justice Rose Bird, whose popularity ceases not to plunge, and, presumably, with Los Angeles Mayor Thomas Bradley, who trailed Gov. George Deukmejian 51 to 43 per cent at last count. . . . Cranston was sliced up by contender Mike Antonovich for instantly assuming that Ferdinand Marcos had ordered the murder of Glendale editor Oscar Salvatierra a fortnight back; the slain editor’s son is being held. … A very dark horse in lists is Congressman Ed Zschau (of the unpronounceable name; it’s like “shout” without the “t”). Zschau comes from Silicon Valley, has biggest war chest of any of the contenders, and some powerful industrial backers, including David Packard. . . . In New York, Harry Belafonte is the latest Democrat to decide against taking on Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, leaving field to onetime Ralph Nader aide Mark Green. Warren Beatty has promised to do four fundraising benefits for Green, who at present trails D’Amato by thirty points. … In other races this fall, Chicago Tribune’s “INC.” column reports polls are so devastating that Republican Gov. Jim Thompson “got hot on the phone to Doug Bailey of the D.C. consulting firm of Bailey & Deardorff for advice. . . . The Guv was told to play on Adlai’s [Stevenson III] indecisiveness and inability to lead.” . . . Boston Globe says entry of black radical Mel King in 8th CD race could be real challenge to “front-runner Joseph P. Kennedy IL”