Mullings A Political Cyber Column By Rich Galen

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Ind...Indep...Independent Counsel

Friday, June 23, 2000

The only way the Gore campaign could get more snakebit would be if it were in a scene from the first Indiana Jones movie.

The Gore "Prosperity Tour" has been interrupted yet again, for about the fifteenth time. On this occasion the distraction is the modestly unnerving news that an investigator has recommended the appointment of an independent counsel to investigate Mr. Gore.

This is why there is nary a whisper of complaint from the Republican Elites in Your Nation's Capital about the way the Bush campaign is being handled. Their Democratic counterparts, on the other hand, spend a good deal of their day, every day, rolling their eyes and shrugging their shoulders as they regard the Gore campaign.

The Battleground Poll jointly produced by Republican Ed Goeas (of The Tarrance Group) and Democrat Celinda Lake (of Lake Snell Perry and Associates) has Bush leading Gore by 12 points - the largest lead of any of the recent national polls.

Ms. Lake's analysis begins by saying "In the doldrums of early summer voters - particularly Democratic voters - have turned their attention away from politics and, as a result, Al Gore's campaign is in a lull." Later in the same paragraph: "The poll does not reflect � the full impact of the Prosperity Tour."

� Or the appointment of an independent counsel. (Mullings's comment, not Celinda's.)

The other morning Mullings attended a breakfast on behalf of the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from New Jersey - Bob Franks. I forget - between visits - what a truly good person he is.

When Mullings first came back to Washington, Franks was part of a four-person committee which met once a week. The other three were Senators Paul Coverdell of Georgia and Spence Abraham of Michigan and Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn of Washington State.

The connection between them? They had each been a GOP state chair. Unlike most of their colleagues in the House and Senate who have wonderful ideas which are completely impractical, these four understood not only what had to be done, but what had to be done to get it done.

The Democrat in that New Jersey race is Jon Corzine who, as you know, spent $34 million in the primary. There is no way Franks is going to be able to match Corzine dollar-for-dollar. Happily, he doesn't have to.

Two public polls taken after the June 6th primary show Corzine leading Franks by only seven points - 43-36. According to Dave Sackett, (also of The Tarrance Group) who is doing Franks' polling, Corzine spent 34 million � to get the generic vote.

The GOP Platform committee is meeting today in Billings, Montana - a city which may not have had time to recover from a Mullings visit just one week ago. The 2000 Republican platform, it appears, may be a departure from the very specific, very narrow series of planks we have seen in the recent past.

This platform will more closely mirror W's theory of governing: Set out a limited number of broad goals, then go out and get the best minds working on the ways to get there.

The lumber for the Republican platform was selected, sawn, dried, and finished starting seven years ago during the campaign against Ann Richards. It's merely being assembled this summer.

Mullings occasionally gets an e-mail which starts: "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery �" which generally causes me to press the speed dial button for ace attorney, Bill Schweitzer. However a friend who lives and works in London sent me such a note and his web site is really cool - it's like watching "question time" on C-SPAN: http://www.political-antenna.com.

There was an article on the wire, the other day, saying that the country of Zimbabwe, which is having elections, has refused to certify outside observation teams to oversee the process. I fully expected to get a phone call from the International Republican Institute (which cancelled my mission to Azerbaijan last month) saying they now have a trip for me.

Lucy, 'splain this: Reruns of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire had higher ratings than the originals. Ok. Let's watch together and this time we'll play for money. To raise interest in the Conventions, the GOP and the Democrats should change them to "Who Wants to be a President" with your host - Tiger Woods. Floor reporter chores will be handled by Leonardo DiCaprio.

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Copyright © 2000 Richard A. Galen

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