Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 10, 1994 TAG: 9411100088
SECTION: NATL/INTL PAGE: A10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The Democrats' midterm debacle quickly raised Republican hopes for winning back the White House in 1996, and left some wondering whether President Clinton was so weakened that he would face a primary challenge.
Even before Tuesday's election, Jesse Jackson was mulling entering the 1996 race, either in the Democratic primaries or as an independent. Jackson put such talk aside to campaign for Democratic candidates this year, but an associate said Wednesday that Jackson still was pondering a run.
In a Cable News Network interview, Jackson gave no hint of that, but he said one reason Democrats lost was that the traditional liberal base was demoralized. He blamed that on passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the lack of a Clinton urban policy or jobs program.
The two-time Democratic candidate said Clinton had a chance to recover, if he ``uses this moment to go to another level, to speak of how to reclaim our cities, how to reclaim our children, how to lift the real wages of working people, we can again recapture the hope that he inspired in 1992.''
Most Clinton advisers, however, were urging Clinton to adopt a more centrist course - something that could alienate Jackson and other liberals.
Asked whether his own re-election prospects were hurt by the vote, the president wasn't in a mood to comment.
``We've got plenty of time to worry about the next election,'' he said.
But there was plenty of talking in GOP circles Wednesday, much of it focused on whether any of Tuesday's big Republican winners would join those already exploring a 1996 candidacy.
California Gov. Pete Wilson repeatedly has disavowed any interest in running. But several Republicans noted that his campaign distributed ``talking points'' among GOP consultants Tuesday night promoting Wilson and the themes he used in his successful re-election.
Other GOP governors also factored in the new speculation. One GOP source said that prior to Tuesday, Govs. Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin and George Voinovich of Ohio had spoken informally about exploring the 1996 process and its demands. Aides to Massachusetts Gov. William Weld have cast him as potential candidate. Those three were re-elected Tuesday with more than 60 percent of the vote.
So far, the prospective GOP field includes Sens. Bob Dole of Kansas, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Phil Gramm of Texas; former Vice President Dan Quayle; former Housing Secretary Jack Kemp; and former Defense Secretary Dick Cheney. Former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander also is laying the groundwork for a candidacy, and former Secretary of State James Baker tells associates he has not ruled out running.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB