
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, October 9, 1993                   TAG: 9310130314
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

PARTY BULLDOG

AFTER REP. Bob Michel of Illinois fulfills his announced intention to retire, the prospect that Newt Gingrich will succeed him as leader of House Republicans doesn't bode very well for hopes of bipartisan progress.

Whereas Michel respected fair rules of party rivalry and did not scorn political compromise, the representative from Georgia and current GOP whip is no torious for scorched-earth take-no-prisoners partisanship.

The cause of finding practical ways to address the nation's problems may suffer if and when he assumes a central role in party politics, but Gingrich's sly wit and cut-throat zeal will no doubt continue to delight the true-believers who seem increasingly in control of the Republican Party.

by CNB