“I think we are poised to make political history in Massachusetts,” said an elated Steven Pierce last week. Pierce, the GOP gubernatorial nominee (he will win the September 18 primary), was buoyed by poll that shows him leading all three Democratic gubernatorial contenders. It is Pierce 45 to 42 over front-running former Attorney General Frank Bellotti; Pierce 41 to 39 over Boston U. President John Silber, Pierce 52 to 33 over Lt. Gov. Evelyn Murphy. (Most recent, August 8/9 poll of Democrats has Bellotti over Silber 36 to 29.) … As extraordinary is recent Tarrance & Associates poll that shows Jim Rappaport, the leading Mass. GOP senatorial candidate, within striking distance of liberal Democratic Sen. John Kerry. With ten weeks still to go, Rappaport has moved up to 36 per cent, to Kerry’s 51. And the Tarrance poll shows as many Mass, voters favoring a Republican in the Senate as a Democrat—heady news for the long-battered GOP in the Bay State. . . . Another race to watch in Massachusetts: challenge by conservative Republican state legislator John McGovern to Rep. Chester Atkins in the 5th CD. Atkins has cumulative ACU rating of 1 per cent, ADA rating of 100. Republicans didn’t bother to field candidate against him in 1988. … In Connecticut gubernatorial race, Lowell Weicker grudgingly produced his financial statement under the goading of political opponents who had disclosed theirs. Weicker withheld some data from copious material (98 pages listing trusts he benefits from), exasperatedly gave as reason that he didn’t feel any obligation to let ex-wife number one know how much ex-wife number two is getting in alimony, and vice versa. (How much would it cost Conn, to take out policy with Lloyd’s against Weicker’s being elected?) . . . In mid-August Wyoming primary, Republican Senate Whip Alan K. Simpson got 84 per cent of vote; Wyoming Republicans also picked former Gov. and Sen. Cliff Hansen’s daughter Mary Mead to oppose Gov. Mike Sullivan. . . . Looking good, chance for Republican takeover of Senate seat in Hawaii, where GOP Rep. Pat Saiki is running ahead of appointed Democratic Sen. Daniel Akaka, 43 to 35 per cent. . . . And in Colorado, Rocky Mountain News poll shows GOP Rep. Hank Brown at 54 to 26 over Democrat Josie Heath, for seat Republican Bill Armstrong is relinquishing.
Middle Eastern repercussions: Interior Secretary Manuel Lujan pushing to permit oil exploration in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where it is now banned. White House chief of staff John Sununu in Lujan’s corner on this one. . . . Seabrook nuclear reactor in New Hampshire, now in full-scale operation after years of harassment by environmentalists, is generating heat for one million homes, eliminating need for 1.5 million barrels of oil a month. Ted Feigenbaum of New Hampshire Yankee, which operates Seabrook, says Iraqi invasion of Kuwait makes it “painfully clear that New England must immediately begin vigorous development of alternative . . . energy sources.” . . . Nuclear power provides about 20 percent of America’s electricity, 75 per cent of France’s. . . . Odd discrepancy: Latest ABC/Washington Post indicates 60 per cent of Americans expect a war with Iraq; only 36 per cent of those questioned by Time/CNN poll found war “likely.” … So what’s new? Ramsey Clark opposes President Bush’s Mideast policy: “I think it was a serious mistake for the United States to place its military in Saudi Arabia,” says Clark, echoing SANE/Freeze’s Nick Carter: “We were quick, too quick, to move to a military solution.” (Contributions to SANE/Freeze are down 15 to 20 per cent since fall of Berlin Wall.) … In Britain, 90 per cent approve Margaret Thatcher’s decision to send 24 Royal Air Force Tornado and Jaguar jets to Persian Gulf, and Brits are 4 to 1 in favor of war if Saddam Hussein attacks Saudi Arabia. . . . Second thoughts: Yasir Arafat’s support of Baghdad could cost him future millions from Saudi treasury, a major PLO financial supporter in the past. . . . Which may be why Libya’s Muammar el-Qaddafi has condemned Hussein’s hostage-taking.
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