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Politics : Bill Clinton Scandal - SANITY CHECK -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: pezz who wrote (1460)	9/2/1998 8:03:00 PM
From: Who, me?	Respond to of 67261

9/2/98 -- 5:54 PM GOP strategists' optimism about November prospects increases WASHINGTON (AP) - Republican strategists are expanding their list of House targets for the fall election in the wake of President Clinton's troubles, officials say, and are optimistic of a stronger showing than only a few weeks ago. In some cases, Republicans say they have a better chance to prevail in open House seats currently held by both parties, including in Oregon, Colorado and Indiana districts where Democrats are retiring. They are also thinking seriously about making stronger efforts to unseat Democrats previously viewed as relatively safe, including third-term Reps. Ron Klink of Pennsylvania and David Minge of Minnesota and freshman Rep. Bob Etheridge of North Carolina. ''Newt and I have talked and we both feel it across the country,'' said Rep. John Linder, R-Ga., chairman of the House GOP campaign committee, referring to House Speaker Newt Gingrich. ''People that we had in marginal areas are stronger than we thought. We're finding swing districts are looking better for us.... ''I'm saying this thing could be much bigger than the 10-15 (seat pickup) I've been talking about for a year,'' he added. Publicly, Democrats scoff at talk of improved Republican prospects. ''They (Republicans) have a number of races that they continue to promote even though their candidates don't pass the smell test at home,'' said Dan Sallick, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. ''They haven't raised a significant amount of money and don't have a lot of support or credibility at home and no amount of issue ads are going to give credibility to the candidates they're talking about.'' Officials in both parties say the political environment is volatile and could shift dramatically, pending a report by Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr, more fallout from the global economic upheaval or any one of numerous other factors. Privately, though, some Democrats have begun to express concern that the furor surrounding Clinton's relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky could depress the party's showing this fall. ''I don't think we've gotten to a debacle here but could we lose more seats than we thought, sure,'' said one strategist, speaking on condition of anonymity. This Democrat quickly added, though, that it's ''too early to know what's going to happen.'' As recently as late spring, some Republicans feared they might lose a few seats in what shaped up as a status quo election. Some Democrats talked of winning the 12 seats they need to end four years of Republican rule in the House. Now, Republicans are more bullish. ''Watch everything in Michigan,'' says Linder, where antiestablishment Democrat Geoffrey Fieger, lawyer for Dr. Jack Kevorkian, recently won the party's gubernatorial nomination. First term Democratic Rep. Jay Johnson in Wisconsin is also viewed as a prime target, as is veteran Rep. Lane Evans in Illinois, and Republicans eagerly circulated a poll in recent days suggesting that Texas Rep. Martin Frost, chairman of the Democratic campaign committee, is in a tough race. At the same time, Republicans say their list of GOP incumbents in jeopardy has dwindled to a few, including Rep. Vince Snowbarger of Kansas and Bill Redmond of New Mexico. ''Obviously the Clinton-Lewinsky issue is getting Republican voters excited and wanting to turn out'' to vote, said Glen Bolger, a Republican pollster. ''Secondly, it's taking Democrats off stride.'' On top of that, he said, the issues of a ''balanced budget and taxes work for the Republicans because people don't want one-party control of Washington because they don't trust Clinton and the Democrats to keep their spending issue under control.'' Linder told reporters in a conference call Tuesday that recent surveys indicate voters are increasingly concerned with ''honesty and integrity in government.'' Republicans have yet to tip their hand on how much they will attempt to exploit the doubts Americans express about Clinton's character. Two years ago, Republicans aired commercials urging voters not to give Clinton, steaming toward re-election, a ''blank check'' by voting a Democratic Congress into power. This time, Clinton is not on the ballot, but GOP strategists have said for months they expect to use a variation on the same theme, criticizing Democrats over tax and spending issues as well as Clinton's ill-fated 1994 health insurance program. What's unclear is whether they will also refer specifically to Clinton's relationship with Ms. Lewinsky. The GOP has begun airing a campaign commercial in the Las Vegas area that touches on ethics, but does not refer directly to Clinton or Ms. Lewinsky.

To: pezz who wrote (1460)	9/5/1998 1:31:00 AM
From: cc rogers	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 67261

Pez...I'm leaving for New England on Tues and wanted to try to answer your question before I left. I had told you about Clean Gene coming clean about the political aspect of his stance. I asked my very conser. husband first...he remembered, but said I showed the article to him. That left my Minnesota relatives...McCarthy country...as the probable source as they are conservative in a very liberal state. I called my favorite Uncle and he remembered slightly and thinks it was from him, meaning it was in one of the twin city dailies. I have a sorority sister that edits the St Paul paper, but I haven't talked to her in about 5 yrs so I have not had the time to call and do all the catching up just to find this piece. Its what I get for not keeping it. That's the best I can do for now. I would rather call a draw than spend time looking for it. You can if it is important...we are sure it was an article, not editorial...and in one of the twin city papers...and right after McNamara fessed up. Its 108 here today....96 at 12.28 am!!!!! And 105 predicted for tomorrow. We are frying...and no rain, past or future. Thank goodness I will be gone for at least the one week. I've enjoyed the liberal-coservative definition fight here....seems many have forgotten or bastardized their college government lessons. Have a fun holiday week-end.