For the Record

Pete Wilson out, Steve Forbes in. Pledging to spend $25 million of his own money and decrying “narrow, cramped, and constricted” vision of GOP field, Forbes takes shots at Phil Gramm: “I reject the grim notion . . . that the wagon is heavy and crowded and now is the time to start throwing people off.” On the family cap (denying additional benefits to women who have children while on welfare), pushed by Gramm: “The American people will not tolerate cutting off benefits for children.” (Lamar Alexander, hawking pure devolutionist line, calls welfare reform “disaster for our party.”) . . . Forbes dances around on abortion. Says of pro-life pledge: “I’m not signing any of those pledges.” Asked whether he is pro-life, responds he is “pro creating an environment where abortion would disappear.” . . . Reagan Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger on whether his presence at Forbes’s announcement implied an endorsement: “My presence implies my presence.” . . . Despite incessant praise from pundits, Wilson couldn’t overcome fundraising and organizational woes. Wilson chairman Craig Fuller avowed just days before candidate’s exit: “Our campaign is on track, our strategy set.” Commentator William Schneider was buying it. “Wilson has always had a special genius for positioning. That’s exactly what he’s doing right now.” . . . Bob Dole down to 36 per cent in Iowa sans Colin Powell, in dead heat with Powell (both in mid 20s) if general runs. Gramm is at mid-teens under either scenario. … In New Hampshire too, Dole and Powell neck-and-neck. Without Powell, Dole has 32 per cent to Pat Buchanan’s second-place 13. . . . Gramm campaign general chairman Charlie Black says Gramm strategy is to make the cut in Iowa, New Hampshire then get to “Gramm-friendly” South and West, where 55 per cent of delegates will be chosen; Arizona and South Carolina are must-wins.

Ross Perot has announced third party, but who is his candidate? Probably not Powell, said to be unwilling to sully independent reputation, while former Republican Gov. Lowell Weicker (Conn.), retiring Sen. Bill Bradley (D., NJ.), Sen. Sam Nunn (D., Ga.), former Sen. David Boren (D., Okla.), and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Ohio), all mentioned as possibilities. . . . Most likely candidate: Perot himself. He would be limited to contribution of just $1,000 to his party’s candidate if it’s someone else. “It’s just a phony front for him coming in the back door again,” says a disillusioned 1992 Perot volunteer. . . . Bill Bennett’s advice to GOP on Perot: just “let him go.” Newt Gingrich calls Perot effort a “fantasy of delusion.” . . . Amid Powell speculation GOP consultant Roger Stone recounts Richard Nixon’s assessment of Powell-Eisenhower comparisons: “People don’t understand how tough and ruthless Eisenhower was in the struggle to get to the top. Powell may be a great soldier but he is not a politician” . . . Columnist Charles Krauthammer dubs Powell “the single greatest danger to the Republican revolution in the country today.” . . . New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani calls potential Powell run a “great help to those people in the party who view themselves as moderates.”

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Presidential Election

Pete Wilson out, Steve Forbes in. Pledging to spend $25 million of his own money and decrying “narrow, cramped, and constricted” vision of GOP field, Forbes takes shots at Phil Gramm: “I reject the grim notion . . . that the wagon is heavy and crowded and now is the time to start throwing people off.” On the family cap (denying additional benefits to women who have children while on welfare), pushed by Gramm: “The American people will not tolerate cutting off benefits for children.” (Lamar Alexander, hawking pure devolutionist line, calls welfare reform “disaster for our party.”) . . . Forbes dances around on abortion. Says of pro-life pledge: “I’m not signing any of those pledges.” Asked whether he is pro-life, responds he is “pro creating an environment where abortion would disappear.” . . . Reagan Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger on whether his presence at Forbes’s announcement implied an endorsement: “My presence implies my presence.” . . . Despite incessant praise from pundits, Wilson couldn’t overcome fundraising and organizational woes. Wilson chairman Craig Fuller avowed just days before candidate’s exit: “Our campaign is on track, our strategy set.” Commentator William Schneider was buying it. “Wilson has always had a special genius for positioning. That’s exactly what he’s doing right now.” . . . Bob Dole down to 36 per cent in Iowa sans Colin Powell, in dead heat with Powell (both in mid 20s) if general runs. Gramm is at mid-teens under either scenario. … In New Hampshire too, Dole and Powell neck-and-neck. Without Powell, Dole has 32 per cent to Pat Buchanan’s second-place 13. . . . Gramm campaign general chairman Charlie Black says Gramm strategy is to make the cut in Iowa, New Hampshire then get to “Gramm-friendly” South and West, where 55 per cent of delegates will be chosen; Arizona and South Carolina are must-wins.

Ross Perot has announced third party, but who is his candidate? Probably not Powell, said to be unwilling to sully independent reputation, while former Republican Gov. Lowell Weicker (Conn.), retiring Sen. Bill Bradley (D., NJ.), Sen. Sam Nunn (D., Ga.), former Sen. David Boren (D., Okla.), and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Ohio), all mentioned as possibilities. . . . Most likely candidate: Perot himself. He would be limited to contribution of just $1,000 to his party’s candidate if it’s someone else. “It’s just a phony front for him coming in the back door again,” says a disillusioned 1992 Perot volunteer. . . . Bill Bennett’s advice to GOP on Perot: just “let him go.” Newt Gingrich calls Perot effort a “fantasy of delusion.” . . . Amid Powell speculation GOP consultant Roger Stone recounts Richard Nixon’s assessment of Powell-Eisenhower comparisons: “People don’t understand how tough and ruthless Eisenhower was in the struggle to get to the top. Powell may be a great soldier but he is not a politician” . . . Columnist Charles Krauthammer dubs Powell “the single greatest danger to the Republican revolution in the country today.” . . . New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani calls potential Powell run a “great help to those people in the party who view themselves as moderates.”