For the Record

Showing us why he’s Minority Leader. Rep. Bob Michel breathed sigh of relief after budget bill passed, for, he said, “it would have been a devastating defeat for the President. . . . To have your President so weakened, so pilloried, it tends to permeate society.” Perhaps foreshadowing his retirement, he said of the 47 freshmen Republicans, “7 are thoughtful moderates and the other 40 are pretty darn hard-liners.” . . . Minority Whip Newt Gingrich has definite plans to run for minority leader whether or not Michel resigns. . . . Meanwhile, led by Michel, liberal House Republicans opposed a call by Conference Secretary Dan Burton (Ind.) to declare GOP delegation opposed to tax increases: Burton’s aim was to prevent party leaders from entering economic summit (if budget bill had failed) with tax increases on the table. . . . Conservative Rep. Bill Paxon (R., N.Y.) proposed marriage to liberal Rep. Susan Molinari (R., N.Y.) on House floor. (She said yes, though it’s not clear in whose district they will live.) Paxon is chairman of the NRCC, whose task is to get Republicans elected to House. . . . Some Democrats NRCC is targeting for 1994 as result of budget vote: the now-famous Marjorie Margolies-Mezvin-sky (Pa.), who is a freshman from a heavily Republican district; Tim Holden (Pa.), whose district George Bush carried in 1992; Bill Sarpalius (Tex.), whose success in playing to anti-Washington sentiment in a marginally Democratic district could be undercut by his yes vote. … A Georgia man, James Darwin Carter, has raised some $200,000 through direct mail in order to challenge Sen. Ted Kennedy. So far, however, no sign of Carter or of campaign has been seen in Massachusetts.

On Democratic side, budget vote could have some effect on leadership. “There is obviously some judgment made about how supportive individual members are,” said Speaker Tom Foley when asked if any of the 13 committee chairman who voted against the budget bill would be removed from posts. . . . Foley’s own position is jeopardized by Washington State term-limit initiative that passed in 1992. If it survives Foley’s constitutional challenge, the Speaker will lose not only his leadership post but also his House seat in 1998. . . . Rep. Charlie Rose (D., N.C.) is open about his intentions to run for the post, planning to use money from a leadership PAC, which he will control, to dole out campaign dough to supporters. . . . Majority Leader Richard Gephardt is quietly lining up supporters for himself, with friendly phone calls and occasional favors. . . . Speech by Sen. Bob Kerrey (D., Neb.) on Senate floor denouncing budget bill followed contentious phone call between the senator and Bill Clinton during which two rivals hung up on each other.

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William F. Buckley Jr.

Showing us why he’s Minority Leader. Rep. Bob Michel breathed sigh of relief after budget bill passed, for, he said, “it would have been a devastating defeat for the President. . . . To have your President so weakened, so pilloried, it tends to permeate society.” Perhaps foreshadowing his retirement, he said of the 47 freshmen Republicans, “7 are thoughtful moderates and the other 40 are pretty darn hard-liners.” . . . Minority Whip Newt Gingrich has definite plans to run for minority leader whether or not Michel resigns. . . . Meanwhile, led by Michel, liberal House Republicans opposed a call by Conference Secretary Dan Burton (Ind.) to declare GOP delegation opposed to tax increases: Burton’s aim was to prevent party leaders from entering economic summit (if budget bill had failed) with tax increases on the table. . . . Conservative Rep. Bill Paxon (R., N.Y.) proposed marriage to liberal Rep. Susan Molinari (R., N.Y.) on House floor. (She said yes, though it’s not clear in whose district they will live.) Paxon is chairman of the NRCC, whose task is to get Republicans elected to House. . . . Some Democrats NRCC is targeting for 1994 as result of budget vote: the now-famous Marjorie Margolies-Mezvin-sky (Pa.), who is a freshman from a heavily Republican district; Tim Holden (Pa.), whose district George Bush carried in 1992; Bill Sarpalius (Tex.), whose success in playing to anti-Washington sentiment in a marginally Democratic district could be undercut by his yes vote. … A Georgia man, James Darwin Carter, has raised some $200,000 through direct mail in order to challenge Sen. Ted Kennedy. So far, however, no sign of Carter or of campaign has been seen in Massachusetts.

On Democratic side, budget vote could have some effect on leadership. “There is obviously some judgment made about how supportive individual members are,” said Speaker Tom Foley when asked if any of the 13 committee chairman who voted against the budget bill would be removed from posts. . . . Foley’s own position is jeopardized by Washington State term-limit initiative that passed in 1992. If it survives Foley’s constitutional challenge, the Speaker will lose not only his leadership post but also his House seat in 1998. . . . Rep. Charlie Rose (D., N.C.) is open about his intentions to run for the post, planning to use money from a leadership PAC, which he will control, to dole out campaign dough to supporters. . . . Majority Leader Richard Gephardt is quietly lining up supporters for himself, with friendly phone calls and occasional favors. . . . Speech by Sen. Bob Kerrey (D., Neb.) on Senate floor denouncing budget bill followed contentious phone call between the senator and Bill Clinton during which two rivals hung up on each other.