8.07.2001
THE NATIONAL GOVERNORS
ASSOCIATION
Time
for party, politics
Partisans
spar over impact of Bush's policies
BY SCOTT MacKAY
Journal Staff Writer
PROVIDENCE
-- While a vacationing President Bush was bass fishing at his Texas ranch yesterday,
Republican and Democratic governors attending the National Governors Association's
annual meeting debated how the president is playing in their home states and
what his six-month-old administration's record means for upcoming elections.
On the Democratic side, Terry McAuliffe, the party's national chairman, emerged
from a breakfast meeting with Democratic governors to flatly predict that Democrats
will win State House races in Virginia and New Jersey -- the only two governorships
at stake this year.
McAuliffe said American voters like Mr. Bush personally, but do not support
his policies and are worried about the economy. "He's a nice guy . . . but the
nice goes away when the American public finally realizes that the severe, fiscally
irresponsible tax cut has ruined our budget.
"It always comes down to the economy," said McAuliffe. "There are 700,000 people
who don't have a job today who had one when Bill Clinton left office."
Democrats are betting on recent public opinion poll results that show voters
like Mr. Bush personally but have doubts about his agenda and policies on the
economy, Social Security and international relations.
Not so fast, say Republicans. Voters like Mr. Bush for more than his smile and
personable manner. The tax cut that Democrats denounce as irresponsible seems
to be playing well in the heartland, they assert.
"I think people will appreciate getting a check back from the government for
a change," said Gov. John Engler of Michigan, who today takes over the leadership
of the National Governors Association from the outgoing Democrat, Gov. Parris
Glendening, of Maryland.
Democrats, Engler said, "are being a bit premature and a bit optimistic" about
their chances in governors races this year and in 2002.
Average voters are sick of the permanent campaign, Engler said, and appreciate
that Mr. Bush is not an in-your-face political figure.
"The overwhelming sentiment I hear all over Michigan and in other places I've
been is that nobody is really eager about starting the 2004 election. They just
wish people would give it a break.
"I think he is reading the public dead on on that issue, they are fed up with
it," said Engler.
Mr. Bush was invited to speak at the governors' annual meeting, which started
Friday and runs through today at the Rhode Island Convention Center. He decided
instead to stay on vacation at his Crawford, Texas, ranch.
Glendening, the Maryland Democrat, said Bush is "out of touch" with public opinion
on such issues as energy and the environment.
"We are being declared around the world a rogue nation on the environment,"
said Glendening, referring to criticism of U.S. policy on dealing with greenhouse
gases.
"I think he is completely wrong on energy policy," said Glendening.
But political reality is always more complicated than the rhetoric. The special
interests of individual states often dictate policies, and Democrats do not
speak with one voice on some major issues.
For example, Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack, of Iowa, acknowledged that Mr. Bush's
decision to require ethanol, which is distilled from corn, as a motor fuel additive,
is helping farmers in his state.
"His decision on ethanol was widely and popularly received," said Vilsack. Mr.
Bush has already made three trips to Iowa.
Democratic attempts to link Mr. Bush's policies with gubernatorial elections
may not be effective because local issues mostly predominate.
"I think races for governor are usually decided on local issues: What are you
going to do for our state? Not how popular the president is," Vilsack said.
In a sprawling country, there are also wide differences on cultural and political
issues. A good example is gun control, which urban and suburban voters on the
East and West Coasts embrace but which are reviled in hunting states, particularly
among white males, a demographic group that has become difficult for Democrats.
"In Iowa, we're not particularly keen on gun control," Vilsack said.
Democrats say they will try to make Mr. Bush's policies an issue this fall,
particularly in New Jersey, a wealthy and suburban state carried easily by Al
Gore last year.
"I think New Jersey will give us an opportunity to road-test themes and messages
for elections around the country in 2002," said Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.
In New Jersey, public-opinion polls show Democrat Jim McGreevey well ahead of
Bret Schundler, the Republican candidate, while the race in Virginia between
Democrat Mark Warner and Republican Mark Earley is close.
In Wisconsin, a state that went narrowly for Gore last fall, voters so far have
a favorable impression of Mr. Bush, said Gov. Scott McCallum. "He is doing well
with the people. Midwesterners tend to look at the person, what his character
is, what type of person you are."
DIGITAL EXTRA:
Watch yesterday's trade discussion on C-SPAN online, and learn more about the
ongoing conference and the governors association at:
http://projo.com/extra/governors/
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