■ Supporters of Bill Clinton are already jumping ship. Dennis Gart-mann, a Republican who backed Clinton, said after looking at new economic plan: “I am embarrassed, frankly, because I was so public in my support.” . . . And Joseph Rosenberg, member of Treasury’s Public Services Advisory Committee, recently told Washington Post that economic package is not about “deficit reduction . . . It’s a tax program with a lot of new spending initiatives. The whole world is going in a direction opposite from where Clinton is taking us, away from government control of economies.” . . . As a result of effort led by veteran Richard Kania, President has received some 15,000 postcards asking him not to visit the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial. One card reads: “Let’s not see you engage in any hypocrisy” visiting this site. . . . Human Events reports West Point officials may have discouraged a visit by Commander-in-Chief because they feared he would be booed by cadets. . . . Evans & Novak reveal that, when Chelsea Clinton’s Secret Service escort was temporarily replaced by a military man, she complained, on grounds that her family does not like the military.
■ In Massachusetts, with young Joe Kennedy bowing out of 1994 gubernatorial race against William Weld, Democratic side is open. Weld, who trailed Kennedy in early polls, now leads all likely Dems: Attorney General Scott Harshbarger, 1990 candidate John Silber, Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn. Ted Kennedy, meanwhile, has plummeting approval ratings: 41 per cent, down 19 points in four months. His ’94 re-election bid would fall 25 years after Incident at Chappaquiddick . . . Conservatives are hopeful about special election (May 4) to fill Wisconsin seat vacated by now-SecDef Les Aspin. Perot-like, but pro-life, businessman Mark Neumann is likely to get GOP nod on April 6. He drew 42 per cent of vote against Aspin in 1992 general election. District is Republican, and his themes of cutting waste, spending, and perks to reduce deficit are likely to hit home. Five-way Democratic race may leave weakened opponent. . . . National and local GOP united behind Hayes Dent, a 31-year-old conservative and aide to Gov. Kirk Fordice, in March 30 open-party special election to fill Mississippi House seat vacated by now-Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy. Meanwhile a dozen Democrats have thrown hats into ring. Run-off expected fortnight later. … In New Jersey, just as Democratic Gov. Jim Florio’s image was improving, Clinton’s economic plan reminded voters of Florio’s huge tax increase three years ago. And as two candidates fighting for GOP nomination to oppose him were hurt by hiring alien nannies, a chief aide to Florio had same problem after the governor had pronounced his staff clean. . . . Bob Sylvester hopes to win the St. Paul, Minnesota, city-council seat that he held from 1974 to 1978—only this time as Susan Kimberly, whom he became ten years ago. . . . Bird-Watching News: Alger Hiss, now 88, displayed either a new sense of humor or historical amnesia in an interview with American Birds, when he named the prothonotary warbler as his favorite bird. Love of such bird was evidence that led to his perjury conviction in 1950.
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