May God Thy Gold Refine: A Parable in Civility

[NickCT]

May God Thy Gold Refine
A Parable in Civility

[NickCT]

THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1999: IN 1976, REPUBLICAN FRONTRUNNER GEORGE W. BUSH GOT A DUI IN KENNEBUNKPORT

(Waterloo, Iowa)-- Governor George W. Bush (R-TX) has some explaining to do. When he was 30 years old, Bush was caught drunk driving in Kennebunkport, Maine, near the Bush family home. The officer gave him a ticket and fined him. The scandal breaks at an inopportune time for the Bush campaign. The Ames Straw Poll is just two days away, and Bush has tried to position himself as the 'family values' candidate in socially conservative Iowa. The DUI incident may undercut that message with Iowan voters. In fact, Bush's opponents are already working to exploit the DUI. Businessman Steve Forbes, who may be one of Bush's most serious challengers in Iowa, appeared on CNN shortly after the story broke. "We all make mistakes," Forbes said, "but we get them out of the way when we're kids. Governor Bush was a grown man driving through busy streets while intoxicated. He could've killed someone. It was downright irresponsible." The Bush campaign denies that the DUI in any way hinders their message of family values.

Bush campaign strategist Karl Rove denied that the story was an issue. "People make mistakes, and Governor Bush has owned up to it. He quit drinking when he turned 40 years old. He hasn't had a drop since. The voters of this country are concerned about the issues - about jobs, about restoring our traditional conservative values. Governor Bush is talking about those issues and that's why he'll be the 43rd President of the United States," Rove said. The campaign issued a brief statement to the press that read, in part, that the governor had always been straightforward about his "history of alcohol use" and did not mean to conceal the DUI from the American public. "My daughters, Barbara and Jenna, just found out today," the statement from Bush said. The candidate apologized to anyone who felt misled.

Bush's primary opponent Gary Bauer, who served as the 2nd president of the Family Research Council after a career in the Reagan Administration, said that Bush had "lost the mantle" of family values. "We have an opportunity to put family values back in the Oval Office," Bauer told reporters. "For the last eight years, the United States has been embarrassed by the shameful behavior of President Clinton. We have an adulterer in the White House. Who are we going to replace him with? Someone who has a DUI? Or someone who has shown a commitment to the traditional values that make America great?" The Bush campaign did not respond to Bauer's comments.

Smelling blood, Al Gore's presidential campaign manager, Donna Brazile, criticized the Bush team. "Everyone makes mistakes," Brazille said, "and Governor Bush should be forgiven for his. However, I find it rich that we Americans get lectured about family values from a man with a DUI on his record. I do find the hypocrisy shameful."

If anyone stands to gain from the revelation, it's former Red Cross President Elizabeth Dole, who has been remarkably silent about the issue. Dole, who has a penchant for avoiding the press, has managed to skirt commenting on the Bush DUI case, preferring to see how it all unfolds. While Bush has maintained commanding leads in Iowa, no candidate has come close to rivaling Bush besides Dole. Former Vice President Dan Quayle seemed like a possible contender, but his campaign has failed to gain significant traction. In contrast, Dole's campaign has electrified certain members of the Republican base. Her first swing through the state in February brought record crowds as she traveled through Ames and other major Iowa cities. Since then, enthusiasm for Dole has waned and some voters have said Republicans aren't ready to vote for a woman to become president. However, sources within the Dole campaign have said that they may emphasize Dole's gender in the wake of the DUI revelation.



Dole's campaign has struggled with poor fundraising returns, however. Though her ground game has improved since her initial campaign launch, most of the big money donors have gotten behind Bush. It's possible that DUI-gate will be enough to shake their confidence, but that seems to be in the hands of Iowans who will head to the annual Straw Poll in Ames for the first real test of the presidential campaign.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1999: DOLE STUNS WITH UPSET IN AMES STRAW POLL; BUSH CAMPAIGN IN FREEFALL AFTER THIRD PLACE FINISH; CANDIDATE FORCED TO ADDRESS DUIGATE HEAD-ON

Governor George W. Bush (R-TX), Mrs. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), and Mr. Steve Forbes (R-NY) at the 2000 Ames, Iowa Straw Poll

(Ames, Iowa)-- In a shocking upset, Elizabeth Dole won the Ames, Iowa Straw Poll, indicating voter unrest with recent revelations that GOP frontrunner George W. Bush received a DUI in the 1970s after a long night of drinking in Kennebunkport, Maine. Dole's campaign had been struggling to resonate with voters in recent weeks and its fundraising had essentially seized. The stunning upset today means that she remains a viable candidate in the race. It is possible that the Straw Poll could mark a significant shift in the campaign for the Republican nomination as a slew of contenders vie to replace President Bill Clinton in the White House. Knowing they had no other option, the Bush campaign had Bush himself address the press after his performance in the Straw Poll. "There's no question that this is a response to the mistakes I've made in my past. I believe I have always been honest about my history of drinking," the governor said. "When I turned 40, I reconnected with the Lord, and I quit drinking. I haven't had a drop since. People know that I've made mistakes. I believe we are a forgiving people, and as I run for president - we are continuing this campaign - I will continue to ask for forgiveness and outline my plans to turn our country around."

Interestingly, Dole's campaign did not hit Bush hard on the DUI issue. Instead, she has avoided the subject altogether since the revelations broke on Thursday. In her first appearance today in front of the press since DUI-gate, Dole seemed confident. "I am very excited by today's results. I think y'all can see that our message is resonating with the voters. We are ready to get this country moving again," she said. "I am confident that the people of Iowa will follow suit when the caucuses come around." When she was asked to comment on Bush's drinking scandal, the Straw Poll winner issued a narrow and evasive comment. "We are all human. We all make mistakes. I think it's clear that Governor Bush has learned from his mistake. He has a wonderful wife and has raised two outstanding young daughters. I am focused on the issues facing our families. I am talking about the economy, the threat of terrorism, advancing our capabilities over the world wide web. I am talking about education reform and focusing on bringing this new technology into the classroom. That is why I was successful today in the Ames Straw Poll, it's why I am sure that I will be the Republican nominee, and it's why I truly believe I will be president come January 20, 2001."



Interviews with Straw Poll goers reveal that many were upset with the news about DUI-gate. However, it seems to have been more complex than that. Erin Firetower, a schoolteacher from Ames, has been a lifelong Republican. The Bush campaign bought her ticket to the event, she said, and she fully intended to vote for Bush. "My heart was always with Liddy Dole," she explained, "but it seemed pretty obvious that Bush was going to be the nominee. Maybe our country isn't ready for a woman president - I don't know. But then this DUI thing came out and I thought, 'Hey. My girl has a chance.'" Fisher voted for Dole. She said she didn't feel bad about using a Bush-bought ticket to vote for Dole. "He lost my vote," she said. "That's not my fault." Firetower said she's been pleased with Dole's education plan, which includes a focus on bringing technology into the classroom and supporting local school districts.

For Bauer supporters, Bush's DUI was a major issue, but it is not clear whether those people would have been with Bush in the first place. Clearly, though, the third-place finish will do damage to Bush's standing in Republican circles. Lamar Alexander announced that he was ending his bid for the Republican nomination in the wake of his poor showing at the Straw Poll. He said he was unwilling to endorse one of his rivals for the nomination. Former Vice President Dan Quayle said he was suspending his campaign and that a more formal announcement would be coming later. Most expect him to end his campaign and endorse Governor Bush.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1999: AFTER AMES, MONEY AND VOLUNTEERS POUR INTO DOLE CAMPAIGN; QUAYLE BACKS DOLE OVER BUSH; TEXAS GOVERNOR CONTINUES APOLOGY TOUR

 
)Des Moines, Iowa)-- She's back! After her campaign began to stall, Elizabeth Dole is back as a major contender in the presidential campaign. When revelations about a past DUI led some Iowans to question Governor George W. Bush (R-TX), Dole came from behind to take first place in the Ames, Iowa Straw Poll. Now, Dole is hoping to capitalize on her newfound momentum. In the three days since the Straw Poll, Dole says her campaign has raised $100,000 - about 15% of what her campaign raised in its entire first quarter. Dole told reporters that she has felt "brand new energy" since her come-from-behind win in Ames. The Des Moines Register's Sunday edition put her beaming face on the front page under the headline "A NEW FRONTRUNNER EMERGES." Now, Dole must live up to the expectations that come from being a new frontrunner. So far, she has. Sunday and Monday were spent with town hall events packed to the point of standing-room-only. Dole said the crowd sizes mirror what she's seen throughout the campaign. Internally, the campaign is thrilled. Volunteers and staffers flank the events, harassing attendees to fork over mailing addresses and phone numbers so they can get them more involved in the campaign. Some even agree to write a check. Lindsay Hayes, a voter from Des Moines, says she never thought she'd vote for a woman, but "I think Liddy knows what she's talking about," Hayes said. "I'm going to do it. I didn't think I'd meet a woman tough enough to be president, buy my God I think she is." Hayes' husband was less sure that he could trust Dole with the nuclear button but said he was definitely giving the candidate some thought. There hasn't been any polling since Dole's upset win in Ames, but most insiders expect the numbers to narrow. Few believe that Dole has what it takes to make the shift in the race stick. One Iowa RNC member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he believes that Bush will regain his stride. "We've all had too much to drink. Right now, Dole is the shiny object, but that's going to change when people have to go and vote. Bush will win Iowa, he'll win New Hampshire, and it'll be over."

Dole's campaign is not so sure. They've scheduled high profile fundraisers for the candidate in New York City, Southhampton, New York, St. Petersburg, Florida, and Orange County, California for the next week. If Dole can prove herself to influential donors, they believe they'll win the nomination. Others agreed. Dale Harrison, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire, argued that Dole's problem has long been money. "If she can start to raise some cash," he said, "then she's going to be on a more equitable footing with Bush, and who knows what happens." Harrison speculated that Dole could win the New Hampshire primary. "We don't mind cash-strapped candidates," he said. "If she comes out here and makes a good impression - that's what matters." The Dole campaign will begin its New Hampshire push next week, flanked by former Vice President Dan Quayle, who announced his endorsement of Dole yesterday in a stunning rebuke of the Bush family. "If we're going to win in November, we need a Republican nominee with the grit and the integrity to get it done. That's Elizabeth Dole!" Quayle told reporters at a press conference in Des Moines. He said he trusts Dole to handle the complexities of foreign policy and make nice with an evenly-split Congress.

Even though they insist that they are confident, the Bush campaign has clearly sensed the unease over the DUI revelation. The Texas governor has added to his schedule, and he is now appearing at double the number of daily events. He left Iowa shortly after the Straw Poll to make an aggressive push through South Carolina, where he has brought his wife along to reinforce his image as the family values candidate. "It's so good to have Laura by my side," he told one crowd not far from Myrtle Beach. Bush's campaign has not released any fundraising numbers since the Straw Poll, but it insists the campaign is doing "just fine." Publicly, they reiterate that the scandal will blow over. When one voter asked Bush about the DUI at a town hall event in South Carolina, the governor was adamant that he'd always been straightforward about his past. "People know this about me," he said. "I never meant to hide the DUI. I've been meeting with voters for a while now, and when people ask, I say, 'Yeah, this is a challenge I had. It's a problem I overcame. It brought me back to my faith." The candidate has repeatedly tied his sobriety to his born-again experience, and it has helped him reconnect with Southern voters. Most who left the Bush town hall event said that they would support the governor in the South Carolina primary.

[Cold War Liberal]

YAAAAAAAAAAS LIDDY

[NickCT]

MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 1999: BUSH MELTDOWN IN INTERVIEW WITH DAN RATHER; REPUBLICAN INSIDERS BEGIN DOUBTING HIS CAMPAIGN


Governor George W. Bush (R-TX) attempted to put questions around a DUI to rest in an interview with CBS' Dan Rather

(Washington, DC)-- Governor George W. Bush (R-TX) hoped that an interview with Dan Rather of CBS would help put lingering questions about a DUI to rest so that he could continue his presidential campaign. On the trail, Bush has been apologetic about his lapse of judgment, expressing regret and opening up about a past of alcohol abuse. He has also tied his journey toward sobriety with his born-again experience, an effort that has helped Evangelical voters remain supportive of the Texas governor. When Rather pressed Bush on the DUI issue, the candidate gave these familiar responses, but Rather pressed further, seemingly angering the Texas governor. When Rather asked Bush to explain the event and his journey to sobriety, Bush was calm and stoic, even inspirational, as he drew on his experience as a recovering alcoholic. Rather then continued to ask how Bush could ask voters to trust him. "Look, it was in my past," Bush said. "I've moved on. I've grown from this experience. No one expects their leader to be perfect, but this is what it is - this is who I am. I've matured. Certainly. I've gone back - regained my - my faith." Rather asked if the mistake showed a lapse of judgment. Bush grew flippant. "No, Dan, no. Look. I mean - well, yeah, it wasn't a good move on my part. I'm not proud of it. But it doesn't mean - this is not the end of my campaign. This has gone from a real concern to - to character assassination. I'm not going to let these people tear me down," he said. Rather asked him to explain what he meant. "These people trying to spread this gossip - they're - look. The American people don't care about this," Bush said. Rather interrupted. "But you lost the Iowa Straw Poll. Elizabeth Dole won. You don't think that's because of the DUI scandal?" Bush grew coarser, irritated with Rather's inability to move on. "I think we should move on, Dan. My point is this: I - I messed up. I'm open about that. I am not hiding that. Here I am. I drank too much. I quit. I got my faith back. This is who I am, take me or leave me."

The Forbes campaign issued a press release shortly after the interview in which it criticized Bush's hostility to the questioning. "The American people deserve to have their questions answered. If Bush cannot open simply questions about his past, how can we expect him to have the temperament necessary to lead our nation in times of crisis?" the statement read. The Bush campaign did not issue a response to Forbes' attack, nor did other Republican candidates weigh in. While Forbes has continued to harp Bush for the DUI, voters leaving Bush have largely fled to Elizabeth Dole's campaign or simply become undecided. There has not been a significant increase in support for Forbes. In fact, in a poll released this morning, his numbers were actually down from where they were before. Part of this fall is likely due to voters' response to Forbes' negativity.



The new polling shows more Republican voters undecided than any point since April. With so many voters unsure of how they will vote, the opportunity is ripe for someone, potentially a new candidate, to emerge as a serious challenger. Donors, however, fail to see a serious new entry and have been hedging their bets, supporting Dole while they wait to see how Bush's campaign will continue to handle the fallout from DUIgate. Privately, Republican insiders have been stunned by the candidate's inability to put the scandal behind him. Said one Republican congressman on the condition of anonymity, "I'd like to support him, sure, but if he can't past this, I don't know how he's going to beat Gore in November." Similarly, Republicans across Washington are sharing their doubts with Bush's campaign. Some are calling for Karl Rove to be replaced. Others believe Bush should withdraw to allow a new front-runner to enter the race or emerge, some even suggesting that it be Jeb Bush, the governor of Florida and George W.'s brother. The Bush campaign has insisted the governor will not be withdrawing from the race, even as doubts continue to surface.



Bush's numbers in hypothetical general election polling have reached their lowest point since Gallup began the polls in March. For the first time, Bush trails Vice President Al Gore in a hypothetical matchup. Elizabeth Dole, by contrast, leads Gore by three percentage points. The Bush campaign has called the polling a "fluke" and insists that Bush's numbers will rebound in the next month. Gore's campaign, however, sees a wounded Bush as a weak opponent. Since DUIgate, fundraising for Gore has picked up as Democrats see a path to victory. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Dole's campaign is now claiming she is the strongest Republican in the general election, attempting to dismiss concerns that America is not ready for its first female president.

[Cold War Liberal]

Dole/McCain 2000!

[KaiserDave]

Not forgiving what Dole said about Kay Hagan.
Gore/Graham 2000.

[NickCT]

MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 1999: HATCH WITHDRAWS AND ENDORSES DOLE, CALLING HER THE "BEST SHOT" TO WIN IN NOVEMBER; ATTENDANCE AT DOLE EVENTS SURGES AS CAMPAIGN WELCOMES NEW ENDORSEMENTS

(Washington, DC)-- Bob Dole's extensive Senate career is paying off for his wife's presidential bid as he continues to call on old friends to lend support. In the wake of DUIgate, Dole's campaign has been impressing Republican insiders who previously failed to pay her any attention. Attendance at her campaign events in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina have surged and attendees are having a positive response. She's refined her message, worked on her personal touch and stepped up fundraising as the race carries on. Her husband, meanwhile, has been working his Washington connections in an effort to rally support behind his wife's now rising star. More intense attention has been paid to Dole, but she has largely withstood the pressure. In an interview with Tom Brokaw, she skillfully handled questions about her experience and policy positions, pleasing conservatives and center-right voters as well as assuaging concerns about not having held elective office. She reminded viewers of her experience in multiple presidential administrations and as the leader of the American Red Cross - an extensive nonprofit and one that often works in tandem with the U.S. government. Dole gained the endorsement of Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson just a few days ago.

Thompson was then joined by Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, a presidential candidate, who ended his own bid to announce his support for Dole's. That makes him the second candidate to do so this month. Dan Quayle, the former vice president, endorsed Dole after her victory in the Ames Straw Poll. The insurgent Dole is now being taken seriously by Republican insiders who are looking to an alternative to Bush, who has seen his campaign flounder in recent weeks after the emergence of DUIgate. While some remain skeptical, Dole has been working overtime to meet with Congressional Republicans as well as having her husband, the former Senate Majority Leader, working on her behalf with his former colleagues. She is careful, however, not to have her campaign appear overtaken by her husband's presence. Her husband rarely joins her at campaign events and instead has largely been a figure behind-the-scenes. Ironically, the Clintons may have made Dole's life easier by easing Americans into the idea of a sort-of co-presidency, though Hillary Clinton's involvement has often been criticized.

Crowds in New Hampshire have been impressed with Dole’s personal touch as she campaigns across the state in small intimate settings. Her campaign has begun to schedule some larger rallies for her to compliment the one-on-one campaigning that has thus far been a hallmark of her campaign. Small-dollar donations have also begun to flood her campaign as the candidate reaches out for support from everyday Americans, particularly Republican women, in addition to the big-dollar donations from corporations and wealthier Americans. She is attempting to rival the massive financial advantage held by Mr. Bush. Her campaign insists that a grassroots effort will be enough to surpass any lead held by a wealthier and better-funded opponent.

[NickCT]

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1999: BUSH CAMPAIGN IN FREEFALL AFTER SKIPPING SECOND DEBATE, CANDIDATE FIRES ROVE AFTER UNION LEADER OP-ED CRITICIZES CAMPAIGN


Karl Rove (left) has largely been seen as the reason for George W. Bush's successful political career, but he has just been fired by the governor

(AUSTIN, TX)-- Governor George W. Bush (R-TX) declined to participate in the second debate among the Republican presidential hopefuls that occurred last night at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. The debate was hosted by the New Hampshire Union Leader and ABC News. Elizabeth Dole, Steve Forbes, John McCain, Gary Bauer, Alan Keyes, and Pat Buchanan attended. Bush's campaign had been hedging on whether or not they would attend. They are trying to avoid confronting their opponents so they can seem the heir apparent. The decision to skip the debate, however, has backfired. This morning, the Union Leader released an editorial condemning Bush, writing, in part, "The governor has serious questions to answer. Instead of acting like a candidate for the world's most prestigious office, he acts like the son of a president who should inherit the Oval Office. The voters of New Hampshire deserve more." The op-ed was the latest in a string of bad press for the Bush campaign as the fallout from DUIgate enters its second month of coverage.

At the debate, Bush's chief opponent, Elizabeth Dole, handled herself well, deftly answering questions about her leadership capabilities and a variety of issues. She laid out a detailed plan for tax relief for middle-income families that she says would generate economic growth. She attacked the Clinton administration for "setting a shameful example" and criticized what she called a lack of sufficient funding for the Department of Defense. She also advocated for her education plan, citing her belief in a school-to-workforce pipeline and mentioning what her time as Secretary of Labor taught her. "My interest in education became a passion at the Department of Labor.  And the reason is that many of the businessmen and women I talked to said, you know the young people coming out of high school don't have the skills that we need for the jobs that we have available, it's like this, and we've got to do something about this. They are not prepared with the right skills," she explained. Dole continued, "And so we initiated the number of ideas which we hoped could really help to get those young people trained for the jobs that are available today. And we're going to do that again."

With Bush absent, Dole shined. The move backfired, and it was compounded by the op-ed this morning. Sources say that Bush's campaign strategist, Karl Rove, was behind the decision to have Bush skip the debate. This morning, Bush held a campaign press conference in Austin where he announced he was firing Karl Rove and returning to Texas to strategize about the months ahead. "I am not getting out of this race," he assured supporters but said he would be spending some time thinking about how to "refocus" ahead of the first caucuses and primaries. The decision to fire Rove has stunned political insiders who have long credited Bush's successful political career to Rove's work. Now, Rove is without work, having sold his political consulting company to join the Bush campaign. One person close to Rove and Bush who currently works on the campaign said he believed the governor would come to regret his decision and see it as an overreaction.

[UWS]

I guess that's a 3-way race between Bush, Dole and McCain.