■ Big winners from Ross Perot confab are an ideological grab-bag: Pat Buchanan, Jesse Jackson, John Kasich. Former Perot pollster Frank Luntz, however, points out that audience at United We Stand America convention was not representative of Perot’s ’92 supporters. (Would most Americans pay to hear more than three dozen politicians speak?) . . . GOP presidential candidates addressed group despite Bill Bennett’s warnings not to kowtow to Perot. Not kowtowing was front-runner Bob Dole, whose speech defended politicians and criticized isolationism. According to Washington Times, Buchanan “electrified” crowd with America First and protectionist messages; but Alan Keyes slammed Buchanan for downplaying anti-abortion stand, less popular among UWSA members. Phil Gramm reiterated pledges to balance budget in first term and to abolish federal quotas by executive order in first day on job. (Dole recently told columnist Lally Weymouth he would not issue such executive orders.) Lamar Alexander predicted that independent candidacy would re-elect Bill Clinton if party nominates Beltway insider . . . Also sounding anti-Beltway note was Pete Wilson. Though moder- ate/liberal on social issues, Wilson called rising illegitimacy “the greatest threat I can think of to America’s future.” . . . Survey for U.S. News finds that whites like Colin Powell more than blacks do, “largely because a surprising number of blacks don’t know much about him.” Of blacks who can identify Powell, 19 per cent don’t know his race.
■ Announcement by N.J. Sen. Bill Bradley that he won’t run for re-election next year reduces Democrats’ al- ready-slim chances of retaking Senate. Dems currently hold 6 of 7 Senate seats that will be open in 1996—and they lost all 6 of their open seats in ’94. Claiborne Pell (D., R.I.) is probably next out the door. Will Sam Nunn, in Republican-friendly Georgia, be far behind? Dems may be lucky to hold onto the power to filibuster. . . . Race to replace Bradley is already crowded: among Republicans, Rep. Dick Zimmer is widely expected to win nomination but Richard DuHaime is challenging him from the Right; ex-Gov. Tom Kean and Rep. Marge Rouke- ma could jump in. Main contenders on Democrat side are likely to be Reps. Robert Torricelli and Robert Andrews, but ex-Gov. Jim Florio is interested. . . . Newt Gingrich and John Lewis (D., Ga.)—the same Lewis who recently disrupted a Gingrich symposium on Medicare—joined forces to submit a redistricting proposal to protect Georgia’s 11 congressional incumbents.
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