UNIVERSAL GENEVE
tyLe& tow
Negative Ads
No More
Rep. Ron Wydea, D-Ore., is
known on Capitol Hill as a nice
Jewish boy, so perhaps it
shouldn't be surprising that he's
decided to take
the high road in
his battle to re-
place retiring
Sen. Bob Pack-
wood, a Repub-
lican.
Last week,
Mr. Wyden an-
nounced that he
would with-
draw all nega-
tive advertising
in what was be-
coming — by
Oregon stand-
ards, at least —
a political mud
fest.
The 47-year
old legislator,
who was a Ron Wyden:
founder of the Mall-in winner?
Oregon Gray
Panthers — an activist group for
the elderly — accepted some of
the blame for the ugly campaign
tone, an admission rare in big-
time politics.
"Unfortunately, when my op-
ponent began his negative ads, I
responded, and it spiraled out of
control," he told Oregon voters.
Mr. Wyden is facing state sen-
ate president Gordon Smith, a
conservative Re-
publican, in the
nation's first
mail-in election
— an experi-
ment that, some
political experts
predict, could
result in an
above-average
turnout.
"He's always
been a policy
sort of guy," said
a campaign
source. "He was
upset because
the negative ad-
vertising was
crowding out
any real discus-
sion of the is-
sues."
The eight-
term congressman needs an
edge; Mr. Smith is outspending
him three to two. The Wyden
forces are gambling that the
voting public is getting tired of
the politics of anger and sus-
picion.
Bibi's Not Winning
Friends Or Leaders
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Likud leader Benjamin Ne- to sources here, was largely a
tanyahu must be hoping for a Re- function of an overloaded sched-
publican takeover of the White ule for the whirlwind trip. And
House after the
Mr. Gore's visit
November pres-
was mostly an
idential election.
exercise in
How else to
showing the
explain his
flag, not a
peevish decision
chance for sub-
not to meet with
stantive negoti-
Vice President
ations.
Al Gore in Is-
"It's not cus-
rael?
tomary to give
Although the
the opposition
administration
leader equal
is officially neu-
time," said a
tral as Israeli
source in Wash-
ington, who
politicians gear
up for their elec-
pointed out that
Mr. Gore met
tion, the person-
with Prime
al connection
between Mr.
Minister Shi-
mon Peres for
Clinton and top
an hour. "Bibi
Labor leaders is Benjamin Netanyah U
no secret.
may have been
Peevish attitude.
right that there
That connec-
tion apparently prompted Mr. was a message in the ten-minute
Netanyahu to spurn a meeting offer, but it doesn't make any
with Mr. Gore because the Vice- sense for him to alienate the peo-
President could only offer a ten- ple he may have to work with if
minute session.
he kicks Peres out."
The short meeting, according
:
(810) 358-2211
28411 Northwestern Hwy. • Suite 250 at Beck Rd. • Southfield
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