Dale Bumpers Folder Citation: Collection: Records of the 1976 Campaign Committee to Elect Jimmy Carter ; Series: Noel Sterrett Subject File; Folder: Dale Bumpers; Container 69 To See Complete Finding Aid: http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/library/findingaids/Carter-Mondale%20Campaign_1976.pdf ·Fulbright vs. Bumpers: The · Despite its relatively small size Ar­ us all on and, instead, to define issues kansas probably h·as · more Iegisiative he has to make against the record of PO\i•er in Washington than any other . Bill Fulbright." · _ state in the Union. Its senior senator· Bumpers, the Gazette points out, "has John McClellan, is chairman of the Sen: 30 years of Fulbright's record to ex­ ate Appropriations Committee. Its juniot· amine, and surely he must object to scl1alor is J. W. Ful�right, cliairman of something Fulbright has done . So far; !he Senate Foreign Relations Commit­ Bumpers is just running against Con­ tee. In !he House, another supremely gress and 'foreign relations' ... He is powerful Arkansan , Wilbm·. Mills is . very nearly standing in contempt of hi3 ch'airm;in of the key Ways and 1\I�ans · own constituency." Committee. · Arkansas has had a special pride h 'Fu!bdght, who is now running for a Fulbright since his youth. He wRs the s_ixth term, is "junior" only because captain of the university of Arkan�as McClellan, 78, has served even longer football team; he won a Rhodes Schol­ in the Senate. It's hard to recall any arsltip, and he returned to become the state ever having at one time . su'ch a state university's youngest president. In concentration of influence on Capitol 1942, as a freshman congressman, he in­ Hill. New York and California are each troduced the historic Fulbl'igbt resolu­ a·bout 10 times larger in population than tion, which -became a· beacon for U.S. AHiansas, but between them they can't post-World War II foreign policy. cl.aim the chairmanship of a single ma­ But the nation' has also come to have j or· committee. a stake in his career, for he has turned ··In a few weeks, though, Arkansas · out to be a towering figure as chairman could lose· some of its pre-eminence if of th_c Senate Foreign H.clations Com­ i lS star, Bill Fulbright, is defeated for mittee · where, puttilig partisanship re11ominalion by Dale Bumpers, a young aside, he has steadfastly and effectively two-term govcn1oi· \rho aspires to Ful­ oppo�ed the war-mongering or both bi· ight 's seat. The, election (said to be Democratic anrl Hepublican Presidents. toitch and go) is acutely uncomfortable Supported by a remarkably united fo�-- many' voters who have previously committee, he was in the forefront of sL1Plwrtcd both men, but who 11011· un- . the fight to end the,Vietnamesc war and happily, have to choose between th�m. the bombing of Cambodia. Under hlm, =Bumpers has been a populat: governor the Tonkin Gulf resolution was re- wnose moderate policies have won the . pealed, and the Senate reasserted its stJpport of many 'voters who would hav'e constitutional covers over warmaking. preferred to· have him seek a third Restraints have been placed on military teh:n as governor on 1\-Jay 28 (considered . aid to military dictatorships, along with a-sure thing), and then run for the Sen­ re-examination of U.S. foreign commit­ ate- four years from now when Sen. ments. As a result, headstrong Presi­ McClellan is expected to retire at the dents will no longet· find it easy to drag .age of 82. the Uniif'd States into recklzss interven­ Since Bumpers has generally support­ tions abroad. ed Fulbright's actions in Congress, it ic: Nevertheless. d espite his opposition hard Iot· mall\' to understand whv he to !he President ·over Vietnam, Ful­ suddenly decicled to run for the Senate bright is now working extremely closely. ll!is year. The best explanation seems I with Mr. Nixon's secretary of state, to lie that he is simply a young man in rt "Arl.-an!;as has luHl SfJedal fJricle in Fulbright siuce his youth." Henry KJssingcr, in trying to bring �-hurry who wants to si rike while his about a viable peace settlement in the JA:i!itical iron is hot. 1\-liddle East and a reliable d etente 'vith : ·As the campaign nears the stretch, The Bumpers dilemma has been sharply ple lo tum· out a veteran incumbent Russia. It is· no secret that Dr: KissingeJ' ho\yever, this situation is causing him analyzed' -by the slate's leading news­ senator, one of the most honored men S n t e even feels J1is e a e collaborator is playing some embarrassment, for he is not in a - paper, . the esteemed Arkansas Gazette ever r ared in Arkansas, wi't:hout I an indispensable role. making a c<Jse against him!" The paper I position to complain - about Fulbright of Little Rock. st�nds that he has previously approved. Bumpers, it says, ''.is asl).ing the peo- challenged the govemor "to stop puttinG © 1974, LGS Angeles 'l'illles I I(' <Rowland. Evans and Robert No·vali ·'"' _, �Sen. Fulbrigli( 'OnlY a l'v!iracle>Can Save Him' • � '.:0�\ ; . �· ! . � l.' � :·: -<_, ' HOCK, Ark:-Th'e e s n . him il e � than over the ena . ' �obscuritv a small�to\\•n lawye 't· :, ;_:LJTTLE r a o ·:· t or 2-to-1 s tor of: fout· just a popularity contest: It's the most ­ ·;;-for the probable defeat of n. ;J. W ..-: f\n_ti-ful'b ight sentiment has so hard-, jear� a go t_o score _ -_ Se - � a stunning upset : crucial election in America." The vig' · ,:-Fulbright:· by Gov., Dale� ened th f"()nly a · n ·i� - o Butnpe1:s·: in-: a i11'iracle ca save him. -f r governol' 'over 'Orval Faubus and orously pro-Fulbright Arkansas Gazette the i\fay 28 Sen te Democrati� pi·itnary, . : That" stems 'partly fro a feeling _ nt rop Hockefeller, Bumpers at 48 e a m Wi h _ r fers to the governor editorially as ;�an e ·ent that ·would propel an impor here that Fulb ight who' mai 1l::tins no is one of t.he mos popular politicians \ - r , i t , "Smilev" Bumuers. •dant new figu e into ·national politics, :. residence_ in Arkansas; has become dis- in the state's, hist r -. _ . , , · r o y. _ But �tronge;· medicine is needed to - _,,can be · r ly ex·plainecLby 'a tant and -.unapproachable as cliairm� n Bu pers nationa1 image is ' pa t v{hispereCI The m that beat Bumpers, a superb campaigner :,.comment to Bumpers at _ a 'roadside of the Foreign Relations Committee in of a new ·breed southei·n liberal. but· ' and stump speaker whose· "governor: · · - · · ' - Wash ngton. "Bill's a s t ihan ' restaurant. i . lot mar er he vie1\ s hi1hself in ore as· a centrist ship h3s been widely acclaimed. T here [,;, A retired Nlethodist. minister pledged the rest of us in Arkansas," says a :and privately derides. '.'limousine lib- · is.eonsequeutly apprehension in_ the : Bumpers his vote;. then confided: "But. · country lawyer who formerly sup- ' · erals!' �\Iost importimt; lower-income Bllli1pers camp that Fulbright's digni- do tell· the truth, governor I'd, even . ported him but no backs· Bumpers. whites who backed Wallace r la , - · w .can e te fied and- restrained criticism will .in- man '. l "If d ' believe t at ''to '• , vote for a colored - against Fu - " you · on t h , just ask Bumpers as they cannot to Ful- teiJsify ii1to all-out 'assault as election' I · . ;<bright.'?:. uch incidents 'are con1mon-·· him.:'; � _ · . , . · '· · · bright. : S . · - _ . : _ a _ h I , . d y 11ears. T at prospect. terrifies: :jplace. leading to this con sensu : Beyond<'· personalit -· considerations - · 1\lthough Prof. At'thur Schlesinger s Any- y Bumpers supporters, not because it 1 ul Fulbright in �s a murky icleol.ogic )nco pati?il- ·-body co d beat · Arkansas �i al !ll ,Jl', and _ the l'!'ew Repu�lic have com- may defeat hi:n but becaus·e it ll)�Y j i:i 1974. · 1ty betw�en Fulbnght- <md ·his native" me c d - n e - puhhc mourmng over ·the scar him for a fu ture national role. j , Thus. his defeat would stem-not from state. To blue-collar workers �n.d farm- proi)able loss of Fulbright for ,the l)b-� , When Bumpers was considering· the ' ed 'Arkan·sas· :..the; ,\ atcrgatc . syndrome ·polluting--·'- ers· who carri for George· eral cause in foreign. policy, Fulht·ight · - 1'aM' against Fulbright· early··this··y�ar, 'Was i gton p iticians, - r ev n _ Wall ace in 1968, i le no on n o e o · ; h n ol n_o _ e Fulbr ght's- batt - k ws h1s ly_ cha ce t surv}v is n -. ar(aide asked an Arkansas labor-leader, -- g ' : · · �·.Bumpers�-· -,unquestioned; :popularity. a ainst· )he Yietnam ·w ar_ confirms·--- more mundane iss.ues.: "$c-nio'rity is ·an ; his' opinion.c Bumpers wol!ld' win; the ''1fa'ther, ··aft�i--.36-:' t eir instinctive identification him asset to· a o an-omalous years of h of small state," ��� t ld uncom-: ' union man said, but th'e battle would representing Arkansas in th as a "liberal"_ ancl "egghead" (though, prehencling s u en s est r un o e Senate, t d t at, W a k .J i r b e so 'bitter that Bumpers' nationar e in o i re ord is that ege m the string• has finally· run out on th fact, his y t ng c not all Coll , in Fort S ith this week.