This document is from the collections at the Dole Archives, University of Kansas. http://dolearchives.ku.edu ( . • /{15 r· ~;~dy:·· to ~ help Dol~ . ' . ., . Hutchinson News Friday, January 13, 1995 Page 5 -By'Cbris Koger '· , ~ ~ e Hutc,hln s'on NeWs . · Kim Wells has much to · be proud of. .:.. ; ·. · · · ' · • .•· • • · ·l • r 1 Dole takes steP 1:0W8rd '96 White House nm. He took nver the helm of the ) Kansas Republican· party in 1990, By John King precursor to !'- form'al candidacy, stalled in New Hampshire, where Tenn~ssee Gov. Lamar .Alexander, including Wisc.onsin's. Tommy 1: ju·st as incumbept" Governor Mike AP Political Writer allowing fund-raising to get under ·then Vice , President George Bush who already has formed an ex· Thompson and William Weld of · . Hay.den ·lof!t ··to, Democrat Joan WASHINGTON - Senate Ma­ way before a formal announcement. won to begin his march to the ploratory committee and plans to Massachusetts. Finney. He hi).S since helped the "I believe we must rein in the nomination and ultimately the announce his candidacy in 'late jority Leader Bo\> Dole moved February or early March. That is Dole would enter as the putative party rebound_from . the financial closer to a 1996 government at home and reassert White House. front-runner; he now runs ahead of problems it :suffel,'ed because of pre,sidential run American leadership abroad," Dole At 71, many have questioned also the likely timetable for · an President Clinton in head-to-head that, tripling the donor base. Thursday by es­ said in a statement announcing his whether Dole is too old to make the announcement by former Vice Wells has also seen the sweep­ race. He would be 73 in 1996, and President Dan Quayle, who has told polls. But while his post as Senate tablishing a fund­ move. "I haven't yet officially ing' Republican triumphs Kansas .only Ronald Reagan has been associates recent health problems leader gives him ari unparalleled r a i s i n g c o m­ thrown my hat in the ring, but you legislators epjoyed 01i the state elected president at that age. But will not deter him from entering platform among the GOP prospects, mittee and said could say this is the first step .... I and na~ional.lev:el during the No­ the Kansas senator has remarkable the 1996 race. it could also complicate his effort he would make a am deeply honored by the out­ because of time demands and the vember election. .· final decision in pouring of support, and it's time to stamina and quieted some of those Other potential candidates in- likelihood of controversy as his Wells is·. iiot', however, looking give our donors. and volunteers a concerns with an aggressive travel elude Patrick J. Buchanan, the late March or conservative commentator who agenda sometimes differs from the to the past too much these days. early ApriL vehicle for getting involved early." schedule on behalf of Republican The Garden.City native, now iiv A 1996 run for the Republican candidates during the 1994 cam­ bruised Bush with a 1992 primary more aggressive and more . con­ Papers e s­ challenge, and Pennsylvania Sen. servative platform of House Re­ ing in Lawrence, recently an­ tablis hing the nomination would be the third paign. nounced · that. he· will not seek a So far, Texas Sen. Phil Gramm is Arlen Specter, who has called for publicans. Dole for President Exploratory presidential bid by Dole. His initial thi~d term · as the Republican Committee were filed late Thurs­ 1980 candidacy was short-lived, but the only Republican to have filed a the party to abandon the anti- In announcing his . exploratory state chairman ·. of Kansas, and day morning with the Federal he won the the 1988 Iowa caucuses declaration of candidacy, and he abortion plank in its national plat- committee, Dole said it would be ...... ............................ _ ..... "••• ... -o" ... Election Commission. Such com­ to get his second run off to an plans a formal announcement on form. Several GOP governors are run ·by Jo-Anne Coe, a lon~rtime speaks· of a role in a possible impressive start. But Dole then Feb. 24. Close behind will be former also said to be looking at the race, Dole political aide. presidential bid for Sen. Bob mittees are frequently used as a · Dole. · · "It's not a job you can do too l long," said Wells, referring to his decision to relinquish the chair- man's job, which is infinitely more demanding during election years. Sunday, January 15, 1995 THE WICHITA EAGLE SA "We had a very good year. I had really only intended to serve one term, · but I'm glad I served the second term. It's probably a good time to leave, because it Filibuster reform something doesn't get any better than this," . Wells said. "The chairman's job is not a paid position, and on any day, you devote an hour or two to to talk, talk, talk, talk.about the job. During the campaign in the fall of '94, I spent an equiva­ By Tom Webb the minority," she said. · the Contract with America can now lent of two to three days a week. Eagle Washington bureau Kils<lebaum said: "I think having be delayed In Important respects." You definitely have to have a WASHINGTON - The next time the abiUty to filibuster Is an Impor­ The solid Republican vote sur· flexible schedule in the way you Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., complains tant protection for the minority. We prised and disappointed the bead of make an honest living outside of about Senate Democrats blocking sometimes abuse It, we often over­ a bipartisan reform group, Action politics." and stalling, keep this in mind: Dole use It, but It's Important . protection, Not Gridlock. Wells, a lawyer for Gilmore and bad a golden chance to curb grid· and It should remain part of the "Immediately after the election, a Bell in Kansas City, doesn't dis­ lock, yet voted to keep It Senate." couple of our advisory committee count a potential run for public A group of Senate Democrats re­ Others gave different reasons. members, a couple of Republicans, office, but wouldn't say where - cently tried to overhaul the Senate's Sen. Robert Byrd,D-W.Va., said that contacted Sen. Dole to see if be or in what capacity - he might filibuster rule, a popular stalling tac· without the right to talk a measure woWdn't consider supporting the run. tic th!lt allo~ a minority of senators to death, "These _poor little old .ell~." said .,Sandy Newman, the "At so91e point, that might to prevent the states like West Virginia, they will group's executive director. "But ob­ happen. I may run, myself, but Senate from be trampled underfoot" viously that wasn't something he that's not at the top of my list," voting at all. To be sure, the filibuster does was ·Interested In doing." . he said. · · Fill busters empower the minority. It lets as few In the old days, senators bad to . A former intern in Dole's offic'e were rare a as 41 of the 100 senators prevent the talk, and keep talking, In order to in the siimmers of 1969 and 1970 generation ago Senate from voting at all. .That's one filibuster a bill. That was the -prac­ who was later hired to work full­ but are now reason Republicans used It so much tice during the 1950s and 1960s, time in his Washington, D.C. of­ used so contin­ last year, to block what they viewed when senators from the South tried fire fr.om 1975 to 1977, Wells ually that some as lousy Democratic. bills. to obstruct civil rights bills, paQ!ing managed Dole's 1980 and 1986 veterans of Now Republicans c:Ontrol the Sen· the hours by reading day and night Senate campaigns and worked for both parties ate, and the filibuster will let Demo­ from telephone directories and his 1988 presidential campaign. If have banded crats block what they think are cookbooks. Dole decides to run again, Wells together to say, Dole lousy Republican bills. But reform Starting about 1970, It became wants to be there. Enough! advocates view the cycle of revenge much easier. A senator ctmld an­ "If the senator runs for pre~i­ "We bad and obstruction as a great opportu­ nounce that he or she was· blocking dent, I'd like to help him out, but twice as many filibusters in the nity missed. a bill, and unless supporters could I'm also here to help Governo.r 103rd Congress as we bad in the "That's a great falling of the Sen­ Immediately muster 60 votes, the (Bill) Graves," said Wells, who entire hundred years of the 19th ate 'this year," said former Sen. Wll· Senate. would move on. was stringer for The Hutchinson century," said Sen. Tom Harkin, D­ liam Pro'tmire, D-Wis. "They could Harkin's proposal would J!ave lnl· News as a Statehouse reporter in Iowa "Oearly this Is a process that have done It In the first day or two, tlally kept the 66-vote requirement the early 1970's. His father, Bob is out of controL" IM after that, It's much harder to do but gradually lowered ·It over a mat· Wells of Garden City, is well­ Harkin bas proposed curbing the it Because they failed to act, they're ter of days, to 57, then to 5( then known in Kansas radio, and was filibuster by gradually diminishing now left with the cei1alnty that ..