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. ir'Total prin?- reak PQc Pa ' IInl(. * FREE Welcome Party * FREE Spring Break Party Pack * RT Air Transportation *7 Night Hotel Accommodations * RT Transfers to anJ from Hotel *Over 30 Hours of Open Bar * 14 Free Meals - -~- T~a ke~---~ ~ ~~r- Ir $50 O F F *rfcue/. c ,r±CANCUN__ 1-800-446-8355 ww.sunbreaks.com 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. fr 1 4 marketing?. S a m { iA