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Sunday, August 18, 1996

Party sets differences aside to unite behind Dole at convention By John Digrado

Summer Bruin Senior Staff

SAN DIEGO -- Heralding a new era in American politics, thousands of Republican delegates and politicians formally kicked off their party's bid for the White House last week with their four-day National Convention in San Diego.

Bringing a message of change and inclusion to a party that in recent weeks has shown the various and often differing facets of its membership, former Kansas senator and Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole set the political stage upon which the Republicans and Democrats will debate for the next 80 days.

"I am here to tell you that permissive and destructive behavior must be opposed, that honor and liberty must be restored, and that individual accountability must replace collective excuse," Dole said, accepting the presidential nomination.

With the conservative candidate and his running mate, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Jack Kemp, trailing Democratic incumbent President Bill Clinton between 10 and 15 points in the polls, the Republican ticket has their work cut out for them.

In an attempt to appeal to all segments of their party in addition to portions of the swing moderate vote, Republicans emphasized that their party is the advocate of change in this election ­ a change based on the re-adoption of traditional values and conservative ideals.

"I am here to say to America, do not abandon the great traditions that stretch to the dawn of our history, do not topple the pillars of those beliefs ­ God, family, honor, duty, country ­ that have brought us through time and time again," Dole said.

Throughout the convention, Republicans attacked the president on all fronts, from welfare reform to his opposition to the Balanced Budget amendment, from issues of morality and honor to what conservatives claim is the largest middle class tax increase in the history of the nation.

"Four years ago, President Clinton filled Americans with empty words whose meanings changed with the political winds," said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas.

Speakers criticized Clinton for abandoning his 1992 campaign promise to balance the budget within five years, citing his failure to follow through by signing the Balanced Budget amendment. They concluded by saying that the American people are fed up with Clinton's "empty promises."

"Have you forgotten that Bill Clinton promised to balance the budget first in five years, then 10, then nine, then seven ­ only to veto the first balanced budget in 25 years?" congressional freshman Susan Molinari of New York asked the delegates.

"Americans know that Bill Clinton's promises have the life span of a Big Mac on Air Force One," she said.

But Democrats criticized Dole's plan to cut $550 billion from the federal budget and balancing it in five years, saying that Dole would have to cut vital entitlements to reach his goal.

"One thing I'm having a lot of trouble with is the 15 percent tax cut and the $550 billion out of the federal budget," said Mike Schneider, president of Bruin Democrats.

"The only way they're going to be able to do it is to cut entitlements to the poor, the elderly and the students. (Dole's) already said that he's going to cut out the Department of Education, which leaves students wondering where we're going to go."

However, Republicans tended to rely upon the image of integrity and honor of candidate Dole in contrast to that of Clinton, who they claim represents an abandonment of traditional values.

"Others may offer you sound bites and showmanship," said Arizona Sen. John McCain in nominating Dole for the candidacy. "But Bob Dole offers you leadership ... evident in the stature of a man who risked his life for the love of country, and considers service to America his honor."

Not even first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton was immune from the Republican onslaught. Speakers attacked into her recent book on the condition of the American family, "It Takes a Village," with the same fervor with which they attacked the president.

"After the virtual devastation of the American family, the rock upon which this country was founded, we are told that it takes a village ­ that is, the collective, and thus, the state ­ to raise a child," Dole said.

"I am here to tell you: it does not take a village to raise a child. It takes a family."

Former Secretary of State James Baker spoke of the party's plans to rebuild the military and U.S. prominence as a world policeman.

Baker, in his speech, championed the rebuilding of America's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system in defense against "rogue nations such as Iran and North Korea" in addition to many speakers' attacks on Clinton for placing U.S. troops under United Nations orders in Bosnia.

"(Clinton) believes that it is acceptable to ask our military forces to do more with less," Dole said. "He believes that defending our people and our territory from missile attack is unnecessary.

"I do not."

But while some party members attacked Clinton over military issues, other speakers focused their efforts on their adamant opposition to illegal immigration.

Speakers did not specifically mention Proposition 209, what proponents call the California Civil Rights Initiative (CCRI), or 1994's Proposition 187, two immigration powder kegs that the Democrats may force Republicans to address in the coming weeks.

"We should not have here a single illegal immigrant," Dole said. "But the issue of immigration is broader than that ... (Under current laws), a family from Mexico who arrived this morning, legally, has as much right to the American dream as the direct descendant of the founding fathers."

Democrats, on the other hand, questioned the Republicans' claims that they are truly the party of inclusion with their past record on immigration issues.

"Look at the facts," Schneider said of past Republican support of Proposition 187. "Look at their record on immigration. These kids didn't cross the border ­ their parents did, and to deny anyone an education is disgusting.

"That doesn't sound like a party of inclusion to me," he added.

But while Dole and the gallery of Republican speakers addressed immigration to some length, issues such as affirmative action and education were addressed marginally, if at all.

In his acceptance speech for the vice presidential nomination, Kemp said that he has "never been a supporter of race-based discrimination or quotas ... (But) we, who believe in opportunity for all, have the moral obligation of making opportunity available to all ­ including to those who come to America from other countries."

However, as the "big tent" party celebrated its rediscovered unity, several cracks in the face of its solidarity were evident in the quiet but heated debate staged between speakers.

In fact, retired Gen. Colin Powell, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, represented the very diversity that the Republicans tried to embrace at the convention.

"The Republican Party must always be the party of inclusion," Powell said. "You all know that I believe in a woman's right to choose and I strongly support affirmative action."

While Powell's views may differ from the majority of the party, he later added "we are a big enough party ­ and big enough people to disagree on individual issues and still work together for our common goal: restoring the American dream."

But that unity was not necessarily the case just prior to the convention. Three abortion-rights speakers slated to speak before the delegation at the convention ­ including California Gov. Pete Wilson ­ disappeared from the roster after threatening to support a floor fight among delegates if the party's platform on abortion was not amended to include abortion-rights Republicans.

The platform was amended, and a floor fight was avoided ­ though the platform still clearly supports the anti-abortion side of the issue.

But on the whole, most delegates were very pleased with the outcome of the convention, which left Dole and Kemp within 10 points of President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore.

"We will carry the word to our nation ­ to every man, woman and child of every color and background ­ that ... it is time to renew the American promise ... and to give our nation a new birth of freedom, with liberty and justice for all," Kemp said.