8A -The Michigan Daily -Thursday, February 10, 2000
CAMPAIGN 2000
Forbes calls it quits, cancels Michigan appearance'
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - After spending
more than S66 million of his own money in a
relentless six-year bid for political viability,
Republican publisher Steve Forbes abandoned
his second presidential campaign yesterday
with little to show for his investment.
The shy, bookish conservative called it quits
after third-place finishes in the New Hampshire,
and Delaware primaries, according to advisers
who said Forbes would announce the decision
today in Washington.
His departure triggered a scramble among
the remaining contenders for his anti-abortion,
anti-tax supporters on the conservative right. It
also set the stage for a two-way race between
Conservative candidate spent $66 million
national front-runner George W Bush and Sen.
John McCain of Arizona, the surging underdog.
"I'm going to be working hard to appeal to his
voters," Bush said as he prepared for a clash with
McCain in South Carolina's Feb. 19 primary.
Fresh off a landslide victory in New Hamp-
shire, McCain made his own bid for Forbes'
supporters. "Most Republicans think my tax cut
... is far more conservative than Governor
Bush's tax plan. I think they'll be headed in my
direction," he said between campaign stops.
The appeals underscored that Forbes, more
than the previous six GOP candidates who
dropped out of the race, left his mark on the
political scene he failed to conquer. His flat
income tax plan became a national issue in his
failed 1996 presidential race, and this year he
helped popularize GOP economic themes such
as health care savings accounts.
He also is one of the GOP's top fund-raising
attractions. Exit polls in the first three contests
showed that Forbes 'fared best among voters
whose top priority was taxes. He also did well
with people looking for a candidate who stands
up for what he believes.
In the end, Forbes failed to convince Republi-
cans that he could win in November.
"His candidacy failed to connect with Repub-
licans outside of social conservatives in Iowa. All
the money in the world isn't going to change
that,: said GOP strategist Scott Reed, who man-
aged Bob Dole's 1996 campaign which was
damaged by an onslaught of critical Forbes ads.
Republican analysts said Bush stood to gain
most because Forbes had siphoned conservative
voters from him. McCain may pick up Forbes
backers tired of the party establishment, but the
impact is probably marginal, analysts said.
"Presumably the advantage goes to Bush, but
the truth is (Forbes) doesn't have enough suppo*
in the upcoming primaries to really make a dif-
ference," GOP consultant Tony Fabrizio said.
Forbes, in Michigan for a series of campaign
events, canceled yesterday's schedule and flew to,
New Jersey for a press conference today after
finalizing his decision and informing staff,
according to two senior advisers who spoke on
condition of anonymity.
Gore unveils
families with
SOUTHFIELD (AP) - Vice President Al introduced at
Gore yesterday unveiled his plan to help fam- that would
ilies save for post-secondary education during public schoo
the Democratic presidential candidate's cam- extra S500r
paign swing into Michigan. double to S
Gore said his National Tuition Savings Pro- helps pay for
gram would allow families to invest funds in school distric
a savings account where their money would Bradley s
guaranteed tax- and inflation-free. "We need said the can
to make it easier for parents to pay for college plans to put
tuition," he told students, parents and educa- need areas a
tion activists at this Detroit suburb's Bussey cation.
Center for Early Childhood Education. "Bill Bradl
"We should not be piling such high burden the time but i
of debt on the young college graduates who tiatives on w
come out of the college and universities with poverty," Lud
the equivalent of a home mortgage even During a
though they don't own a home." . Gore told a:
His Democratic rival, Bill Bradley, also student thats
proposal
higher e
n S8.5 billion education proposal in helpir
allow parents to choose which and asses
o1 their children attend, give an Gore a
million for charter schools and posal, m
16 billion the federal fund that would b
r disadvantaged and low-income could ge
cts. pledgedi
pokeswoman Kristen Ludecke the best
didate last October put forward ing, univ
600,000 more teachers in high- of parent
nd revamp early childhood edu- Earlier
phant cl
ley has talked about education all 6 were e
t has been integrated into his ini- chair an
orking families and ending child tried to l
decke said. question
question-and-answer segment, More co
Southfield-Lathrup ii igh School microph
standardized testing is important ly said: "
to help
Lucation
ng evaluate a school's performance
ss needed resources.
also said that under his education pro-
nore counselors and psychologists
e available in schools so children
t help before there was a problem. He
to provide teachers and parents with
schools, smaller classes, more train-
versal preschool and the involvement
s in lifelong learning.
r at the school, Gore visited the Ele-
assroom where 13 children ages 3 to
ating lunch. Seated in a toddler-size
d munching on a baby carrot, Gore
hold their attention by asking them
s about a microphone above him.
ncerned about her stomach than the
one, 4-year-old Lavon Karcho polite-
Carrots please."
APP
Presidential hopeful Al Gore smiles as he leaves from Detroit Metropolitan Airport for Dayton, Ohio,
yesterday. Gore was in Michigan pushing his secondary education initiatives.
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Former pres
* Poll of Michigan voters shows
Bush, McCain in statistical tie
two weeks before GOP primary
LIVONIA (AP)-- On behalf of the son seeking to
follow in his footsteps, former President George Bush
accepted endorsements yesterday from Michigan law
enforcement groups as a new poll shows the race in
this state's approaching primary a statistical dead heat.
While campaigning in this Detroit suburb, the
father of Texas governor and Republican presidential
candidate George W. Bush accepted for his son the
backing of the Police Officers Association of Michi-
gan, the state's Deputy Sheriff's Association and the
Michigan Fraternal Order of Police.
"This is a powerful endorsement," the elder Bush
1
iaent campaigns ror son
said at Livonia City Hall in a surburb ranked among leads 52 percent to 37 percent, the poll indicated.
the nation's safest cities with at least 100,000 resi- Conservative publisher Steve Forbes, who alo
dents. "I hope it rings out through this state. I hope with Alan Keyes each got the support of 4 percent
the folks in South Carolina hear it; as you know, those polled, canceled yesterday's campaign stops in
we're engaged in hand-to-hand combat down there." Michigan and apparently has withdrawn from the
South Carolina's primary is Feb. 19, three days GOP race - something the elder Bush considered
before Michigan's. surprising but otherwise opted not to discuss.
A Detroit Free Press/WXYZ-TV poll released "I really would prefer to stay out of that," Bush
yesterday showed Bush and Sen. John McCain of said before directing additional questions about
Arizona - Bush's chief ival -- in a virtual dead- Forbes to his son, who his father said "can be an
heat in the Michioan race. Of 300 likely primary vot- effective president for construction change."
ers surveyed Fri day through Monday, 45 percent During the Livonia gathering heavily represented
favored McCain to 43 percent for Bush. The poll's by police officials, the elder Bush said "the fact that
margin of error of plus or minus 5.5 percentage law enforcement people are here supporting my s
points means the two were neck-in-neck. says a lot about his commitment" to police issues.
When the Democrats or independents were "I can say this with parental pride: He won't let
replaced by Republicans only in the count, Bush you down," the former president said.
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