The Morning After President Clinton got mixed reviews in Wednesday morning papers from editorial writers who watched his Jan. 19 State of the Union address the night before:
Albany (N.Y.) Times Union: "An impeachment trial in the daytime and a heavily orchestrated speech in prime time? Mr. Clinton appears unfazed by such circumstances."
The Boston Globe: "The greatest contradiction is that President Clinton, with so much to offer, should have brought down such discredit on the office he holds."
Corpus Christi (Texas) Caller-Times: "Seizing the one moment when his enemies had no alternative but to sit mute before him, Clinton made the most of it."
The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer: "Was like one of those family gatherings where one hardly mentions the dreadful secret that everyone knows."
The Post and Courier (Charleston, S.C.): "The President, against the surreal backdrop of his ongoing impeachment trial, characteristically proposed something for everybody."
Charleston (W.Va.) Daily Mail: "We have tonight the spectacle of a discredited President attempting to lead the nation he lied to."
Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.): "Uncowed by the scandalous events of the past year . . . he used the occasion to reach out to America."
The Knoxville (Tenn.) News-Sentinel: "If the times were less serious, the legislative agenda President Clinton is putting before Congress would be almost laughable."
Las Vegas Review-Journal: "An effort by the White House to persuade Senate jurors against conviction, to have Mr. Clinton appear presidential."
Los Angeles Times: "No one could overlook the fact that only hours earlier Clinton's lawyers began presenting their defense in his trial before the Senate."
The Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star: "The impeachment trial overshadows everything."
Star Tribune (Minneapolis): "Had the potential to go down in history as one of Washington's most awkward moments."
The Miami Herald: "Made diamond-clear that he intends to remain in office until the final minute of his term."
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tenn.): "It isn't surprising that the atmosphere of unreality that enveloped his speech lent the same quality to many of his policy proposals."
The New York Times: "His speech was designed to be bold and to try, even in depressing circumstances, to show his political resilience."
New York Post: "Clinton pulled out all the stops last night in the drive to save his presidency."
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "The state of Bill Clinton's presidency was a little stronger Tuesday night than when the day began."
San Francisco Chronicle: "A surreal day."
San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News: "Clinton demonstrated the theatrical mastery which makes him a superb politician."
As for the GOP . . .
Republicans got noticed for their body language during President Clinton's State of the Union address:
Tom Shales of The Washington Post described GOP leaders as "sticks-in-the-mud and sourpusses . . . such studied grumps as [House Majority Leader Richard K.] Armey, R-Texas, sat there like Jabba the Hutt, frowning and supercilious . . . immovable and dour. . . . It only made them appear petty and churlish on television."
The Austin (Texas) American-Statesman's Bob Deans: Republicans "sat stone-faced . . . pressing themselves deeply into their seats."
The Baltimore Sun's Paul West: "Clinton was loudly welcomed with ritualistic cheers, though few Republicans . . . appeared eager to shake his hand."
Los Angeles Times' James Gerstenzang: "Republicans appeared noticeably restrained."
The New York Times' James Bennet: "In all, Mr. Clinton was interrupted about 98 times by the usually partisan applause."
The New York Times' Alison Mitchell and Katharine Q. Seelye: "Republicans were studiously polite, although two House leaders, Dick Armey of Texas and Tom DeLay of Texas, noticeably did not applaud."
The New York Times' Francis X. Clines: "House Republican leaders who led the impeachment campaign remained noticeably undemonstrative."
United Press International reported that Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., "after sitting through" the State of the Union, "remarked, 'That's got to be the worst I ever heard.' The apoplectic Lott added: 'The man has no shame.' "
San Francisco Chronicle's Carolyn Lochhead: Democrats "rose every few seconds in extended boisterous ovations for Clinton," while Republicans "mostly sat, sometimes applauding politely, but generally looking deeply cynical. Some seemed to be gritting their teeth, others sometimes chuckled, as Clinton claimed credit for welfare reform and budget surpluses that they pushed through against veto threats."
Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Michael Paulson: Armey and DeLay "glowered throughout the speech, rising only to applaud home-run slugger Sammy Sosa."
The Miami Herald editorial: "It was evident in the faces of some of his harshest critics--House Majority Leader Dick Armey appeared particularly pained--that this President would not be beaten, or even bent."
Can the Compassion
Do not doubt Dan Quayle's opinion about the headline-grabbing slogan promoted by Texas Gov. George W. Bush, who could face Quayle in a 2000 bid for the Republican presidential nomination. In a recent letter to supporters, Quayle announced, "I have ordered my staff to never--ever--utter the words compassionate conservative! This silly and insulting term was created by liberal Republicans and is nothing more than code for surrendering our values and principles."
On Quayle 2000 Exploratory Committee letterhead, the former Vice President went on to describe his campaign plans: "I am on the verge of announcing my candidacy. . . . My deadline for developing a draft platform for a presidential run is firm: Friday, Jan. 29. . . . I am sick and tired of watching the Republican Party and our conservative values take it on the chin from Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and the liberal Democrats. I have had it up to here with Republican leaders who are more interested in pleasing The New York Times and appearing on Meet the Press than standing up for what is right and the people they represent." (1/15 letter)
Reed-ing the Field
Republican strategist Ralph Reed recently reviewed the GOP presidential lineup, labeling it "the strongest field that we have had in this party since 1980. . . . I think if Elizabeth Dole decides to get in, she would be very formidable." On Lamar Alexander in the early contests: "I think Lamar is a guy who, if he decides to run hard in those primary states, could be formidable." On Dan Quayle: "I think Vice President Quayle is somebody that a lot of people are underestimating and could be surprised. . . . He's got high name recognition, I think he'll be able to raise money, maybe not in the thousand-dollar chunks, but in the low dollars in direct mail." (Hardball With Chris Matthews, CNBC, 1/18)
Partying in 1999
Richard L. Berke of The New York Times has concluded that the pressure to raise money for the early schedule of 2000 presidential primaries means that in "many ways, this year is more crucial than 2000" for winning the party nominations. The "maneuvering has grown especially intense" since Jan. 1, with candidates and potential candidates "engaged in bidding wars to recruit strategists and scrambling for people to raise money." Republican media consultant Mike Murphy: "There's almost an irrational gold rush with these guys. It's like you get a prize if you announce by the end of January." Ed Gillespie, an adviser to Rep. John R. Kasich, R-Ohio: "The jockeying is white-hot intense." (The New York Times, 1/19)
Adultery Meter
Time magazine's "Buzz-O-Meter" asks, "Will adultery be a litmus test in the 2000 election?"
William J. Bennett: "If adultery is part of your baggage, forget it." Arianna Huffington and William Safire "now say private life should be off limits." (1/25)
Traditional Values Coalition Chair Louis P. Sheldon "plans to insist" that White House campaigners "answer his questions on character and sexual indiscretion." Sheldon: "It's a healthy cleansing process. It's not McCarthyism." American University professor James A. Thurber: "It may mean we'll have more boring candidates. But maybe we need more boring candidates." (Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Sun-Sentinel, 1/17)
Mark Z. Barabak of the Los Angeles Times writes that in 2000, no candidate can win "simply by running as the purist of the pack." Democratic pollster Paul Maslin: "It's not as simple anymore as saying, 'I'm honest, I have integrity,' or 'I'll never lie to you.' . . . People are just too skeptical." (Los Angeles Times, 1/18)
Romancing the Black Rock
Mediaweek reported that Elizabeth H. Dole has TV executives "cooing and squawking" about her recent "coup" on CBS. She "walked off with an hour of prime time" just before stepping down as president of the Red Cross and ramping up speculation that she will run for President.
On Christmas Eve, CBS ran the American Red Cross Celebrating Miracles special. Dole got six segments. A GOP consultant: "Yes, it did look like The Liddy Dole Christmas Special." The show's chief producer was Melinda Farris, an "operative" in the Bob Dole '96 campaign and also the consultant for Elizabeth Dole's Oprah-like talk at the '96 convention. Leslie Moonves, president of CBS Corp.'s TV division, when asked "if he thought CBS had been used to launch" Dole's campaign, said: "We never looked at it that way, either before or after. But I was surprised that she resigned so soon after the program aired." (Mediaweek, 1/18)
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