For the Record

Unlike other Republicans, Sen. John Chafee (R., R.I.) is “sincere” about health reform, says Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (D., Me.). But kudos from Mitchell was about all Chafee got for his effort to make himself hero of state-controlled health care. Sen. Phil Gramm (R., Tex.) said Chafee’s rump caucus of Senate colleagues, the “mainstream coalition,” represents “mainstream Washington,” not “mainstream America.” Piqued Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R., Kan.) took to calling Chafee group “the midstream coalition,” then “the dry creek coalition.” Former mainstream member Sen. David Boren (D., Okla.) saw his colleagues being “pulled inextricably leftward” and increasingly likely to give Clinton and Mitchell needed votes. Boren’s recommendation: “We stop this train right now and get off.” Chafee group also attacked from Left by Clinton supporter Ron Pollack of Families U.S.A, for being “an exercise in minimalism.” But Chafee’s “minimalism” includes government-mandated plans and “non-political” national health commission. Mainstream member Sen. David Durenberger (R., Minn.), however, is worried that Senate recess might thwart his and Chafee’s plans to hand Democrats victory for nationalized health care: “You go home and health reform is dead.”

Flashes on the Right: Texas hopeful and Reagan stalwart Tex Lezar may be only lieut.-gov. candidate to become national news this year. Washington media and angry Democrats focused on $1,000 campaign contribution from new Whitewater prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, to Lezar, who has been attacking “Clinton Democrats.” A former appeals-court judge, Starr tends to be apolitical, but he worked closely with Lezar in Reagan Justice Dept, pushing through ’82 organized-crime initiative that ultimately broke power of Cosa Nostra families. . . . Bill Bennett is out of the presidential race but Newsweek speculates he would answer call for No. 2 spot if Colin Powell got GOP nomination. “Their wives are very close,” says Bennett family friend. . . . Rush Limbaugh—bitterly attacked this summer by angry Clinton, National Education Association, and New York Times columnist Anthony Lewis (who cites “hateful talk”)—getting laugh from dark secret in family of Clinton advisor James Carville. New Pinnacle book on Limbaugh, Rush toUsbyD. Howard King and Geoffrey Morris, reveals Carville’s four sisters are “dittoheads” (Rush fans) and quotes Carville’s bride, CNBC talkshow host Mary Matalin, as saying “Rush got mobbed at our wedding.” . . . GOP presidential hopeful Lamar Alexander got strong response after calling—on Paul Weyrich’s conservative cable-TV network—for cutting congressional salaries in half and keeping Congress out of Washington for half the year. . . . Rep. Phil Crane (R., Ill.) points out in Los Angeles Times op-ed piece that 1787 Constitutional Convention overwhelmingly defeated delegate Charles Pinckney’s proposal for federal arts funding.

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Unlike other Republicans, Sen. John Chafee (R., R.I.) is “sincere” about health reform, says Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (D., Me.). But kudos from Mitchell was about all Chafee got for his effort to make himself hero of state-controlled health care. Sen. Phil Gramm (R., Tex.) said Chafee’s rump caucus of Senate colleagues, the “mainstream coalition,” represents “mainstream Washington,” not “mainstream America.” Piqued Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R., Kan.) took to calling Chafee group “the midstream coalition,” then “the dry creek coalition.” Former mainstream member Sen. David Boren (D., Okla.) saw his colleagues being “pulled inextricably leftward” and increasingly likely to give Clinton and Mitchell needed votes. Boren’s recommendation: “We stop this train right now and get off.” Chafee group also attacked from Left by Clinton supporter Ron Pollack of Families U.S.A, for being “an exercise in minimalism.” But Chafee’s “minimalism” includes government-mandated plans and “non-political” national health commission. Mainstream member Sen. David Durenberger (R., Minn.), however, is worried that Senate recess might thwart his and Chafee’s plans to hand Democrats victory for nationalized health care: “You go home and health reform is dead.”

Flashes on the Right: Texas hopeful and Reagan stalwart Tex Lezar may be only lieut.-gov. candidate to become national news this year. Washington media and angry Democrats focused on $1,000 campaign contribution from new Whitewater prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, to Lezar, who has been attacking “Clinton Democrats.” A former appeals-court judge, Starr tends to be apolitical, but he worked closely with Lezar in Reagan Justice Dept, pushing through ’82 organized-crime initiative that ultimately broke power of Cosa Nostra families. . . . Bill Bennett is out of the presidential race but Newsweek speculates he would answer call for No. 2 spot if Colin Powell got GOP nomination. “Their wives are very close,” says Bennett family friend. . . . Rush Limbaugh—bitterly attacked this summer by angry Clinton, National Education Association, and New York Times columnist Anthony Lewis (who cites “hateful talk”)—getting laugh from dark secret in family of Clinton advisor James Carville. New Pinnacle book on Limbaugh, Rush toUsbyD. Howard King and Geoffrey Morris, reveals Carville’s four sisters are “dittoheads” (Rush fans) and quotes Carville’s bride, CNBC talkshow host Mary Matalin, as saying “Rush got mobbed at our wedding.” . . . GOP presidential hopeful Lamar Alexander got strong response after calling—on Paul Weyrich’s conservative cable-TV network—for cutting congressional salaries in half and keeping Congress out of Washington for half the year. . . . Rep. Phil Crane (R., Ill.) points out in Los Angeles Times op-ed piece that 1787 Constitutional Convention overwhelmingly defeated delegate Charles Pinckney’s proposal for federal arts funding.