Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 20, 1992 TAG: 9203200159
SECTION: NATL/INTL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Cox News Service
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Tsongas, a pro-business liberal widely admired for his political and personal courage, said he lacked the financial resources necessary to fight the "expensive media war" in the upcoming New York primary.
In quitting the race, Tsongas, who challenged the economic orthodoxy of the Democratic Party, warned that "the Democratic message, unless changed, will lead to defeat in November."
The bad news for President Bush's re-election team may be that there is one less Democrat to pound on the front-runner. But Bush campaign officials had already lost interest in the primaries and refocused on next autumn's election battle, which they expect to be against Clinton.
Tsongas said he would support his party's nominee. Rejecting the role of Democratic spoiler, Tsongas, a cancer survivor, said, "I did not survive my ordeals to be the agent of the re-election of George Bush."
Long on principles and guts but short on charisma and money, Tsongas, 51, said he was "deeply fulfilled," having met "the obligation of my survival."
He said he would be "a player" in the 1992 campaign, but sidestepped questions about whether he would consider accepting the party's vice presidential nomination.
Former California Gov. Jerry Brown, the remaining challenger to Clinton, said Tsongas' withdrawal presents the party with a clear choice "between business-as-usual or a real change for the future."
Clinton was trying his best not to sound overconfident, but was clearly ebullient.
"There are a lot of important states coming up and the last thing I want these good people to think is that I'm taking them for granted," Clinton said. "There's a long way to go. I've got to get the delegates and I've got to unite this party."
Almost as an afterthought, he added: "And I've got to defeat Governor Brown."
Tsongas leaves the campaign with 430 delegates garnered from wins in six primaries and three caucuses. His total is second only to Clinton's 947. Brown has 129, and 421 delegates to this summer's convention are uncommitted. It takes 2,145 delegates to win the nomination.
He suspended his campaign rather than formally ending it so that his pledged delegates may attend the convention. Formally ending his campaign would have resulted in a redistribution of the delegates.
Democrats are bracing for a Republican barrage against Clinton.
Republicans have long been amassing an arsenal of weaponry to wield. Officials deny they will dig into his personal life for new revelations. "We don't have to," said Charles Black, chief strategist for the Bush campaign. "The press is doing a wonderful job of keeping the public informed."
Bush campaign officials said they have found plenty of material for critiquing Clinton's more than a decade of public life.
"I understand he's got some weaknesses in the record as governor," said Black. "He talks a great game on education. We need to look and see what's really happened on education. And on economic development - we'll have to look at it."
Republicans have also taken note of big tax increases enacted in Arkansas during Clinton's tenure.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB