THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 14, 1996 TAG: 9608140325
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SERIES: Decision '96
SOURCE: Guy Friddell
LENGTH: 63 lines
Training the covention's sights on Bill Clinton Tuesday night, keynoter Susan Molinari, targeted an area where the president is noticeably vulnerable - his tummy.
``Americans know that Bill Clinton's promises have the life-span of a Big Mac on Air Force One,'' she declared.
In a litany of broken promises, she listed a middle-class tax cut that was replaced by ``the largest tax increase in American history.''
Every year Clinton's been in office, taxes have been higher and family incomes lower, she said.
Molinari's speech follows an opening night on Monday for big guns, Gerald Ford and George Bush, two former presidents; Colin Powell, who may yet become one; and Nancy Reagan, wife of President Ronald Reagan, who also is here in spirit.
The show was a hit.
Ford, who used to get his laughs by slicing golf balls into crowds, tried to formalize his fun with jokes aimed at Bill Clinton.
Ford recalled that when he replaced Richard Nixon in 1974, ``I said I was a Ford, not a Lincoln. Today . . . what we have is a convertible Dodge. Isn't it time for a trade-in?''
That ill becomes Ford, who was a steadying hand at the White House at the close of the Watergate crisis and slapped 54 vetoes on spending. But the audience loved it.
Bush sniped at Clinton from the shadows by not naming him.
``It breaks my heart,'' he said, ``when the White House is demeaned, the presidency diminished. Bob Dole will treat the White House with respect . .
Various GOP leaders have sworn they won't launch personal attacks in the campaign. Bush has found how to let his hearers determine the targets.
Aging beautifies Nancy Reagan, refining and softening lavish features that lent the appearance of the Old Maid card. Time has turned the carroty hair into a glint of sunshine. The fixed gaze with which she protected her husband has relaxed into sad tranquillity Her husband's illness, she said, has been one ``very long goodbye,'' but he ``still sees the shining city on the hill.''
Many wept with her.
Reagan is very much with the delegates, his supply side tax cuts having been adopted by Dole, their former foe.
``My fellow Republicans,'' Powell began, pausing slightly before the last word. That hesitant salute set off an ovation as if only now were they sure they had bagged the greatest political prize since Dwight Eisenhower became a Republican. He called on them to respect one another's views on affirmative action and abortion, saying, ``We are a big enough party to disagree on individual issues and still work together.'' He also urged the party of Lincoln to lead in cutting off and killing discrimination and opening every avenue of progress ``to those who are still denied access because of their race, ethnic background or gender.''
On the elevator I heard two Virginians discussing Powell's creed.
``If I have eight issues and the other fellow agrees on four or five, that's fine,'' one said, ``but if he doesn't agree on any of 'em we're in trouble.''
``He's in the wrong party,'' said the second Virginian.
KEYWORDS: REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION by CNB