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

DATE: TUESDAY, August 30, 1994                   TAG: 9409020026
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                 LENGTH: Medium

QUAYLE WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT F

Former Vice President Dan Quayle has all but decided to seek the presidency in 1996 and is beginning to lay the groundwork for a campaign, a close associate said Monday.

He will begin to campaign for Republican congressional and gubernatorial candidates and is planning major speeches to try out possible themes for the 1996 campaign, according to the associate, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Quayle recently returned with his family from a long vacation, during which they discussed whether he should seek the Republican nomination. All indications are that the answer is yes, said the friend who spoke to Quayle after the vacation.

Another associate said Quayle has made clear to friends that he would like to run and continues to evaluate the feasibility of a race by contacting potential campaign contributors.

Quayle's positive leaning was heavily influenced by the strong sales of his book, ``Standing Firm.'' He had counted on the response to the book, which has sold more than 500,000 copies, to give him an indication of his support.

The book is largely a memoir of his vice presidency under President Bush, four years during which he was dogged by ridicule and a lightweight image despite his substantial political role within the White House.

Quayle previously has said he would make a decision on running for president this fall.

A spokesman at Quayle's office in Indianapolis had no comment Monday.

Quayle plans to try out his conservative message in a keynote speech next month at the Christian Coalition annual conference in Norfolk, Va.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB