Opinion Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, June 6, 1984 Jackson resurrecting Ike's ploy 1 percent Ur By DAVID S. BRODER delegates were seated, “the nomination would be seating. Taft resisted, as he was hound todoif jm ^ati Columnist lor The Los Angeles Times Syndicate - tarnished,” as the Times put it. “The ‘steal’ there­ hoped to be nominated, and the first natioj :aiiy ur WASHINGTON — With some prompting from fore was reinforcement of the basic Eisenhower television audience ever to see a nominatingcn Tuesday landslides Gary Hart and the ghost of Dwight Eisenhower, vention heard hours of oratory from the Esc Ihe state slogan, ‘Taft can’t win.’” Jesse Jackson has put his finger on the tactic that Hart launched the same tactic against Mondale hower side on the theme, “Thou shall not steal oldie ait Every time an election comes around, could create a national television drama this sum­ several weeks ago by claiming that 587 Mondale Pressured by this propaganda assault plii ^a’^ ^ people are reminded to get out and mer, destroy Democratic hopes for a calm con­ delegates are “tainted” by the fact that they were public opinion it generated, the delegates it budge vote. Some candidates call you on the vention, and conceivably frustrate Walter Mon­ chosen in states where union political-action com­ rowly approved the “fair play” rules amendmet ,ear’s en phone and ask if you’ve voted yet. Cam­ dale’s plan for neatly nailing down the party mittee (PAG) money was used to finance the and then forced Taft to yield most of thedi ; In ar paign workers may knock on your door presidential nomination. Mondale delegate slates. pitted delegates. Eisenhower’s nomination [, House Ji and ask the same question. Jackson tipped his hand when he commented Mondale has promised to return the PAG con­ came inevitable. aid the farious s Often, a person’s response is, “The that what he is contemplating is like “the Eisen- tributions, but last week Jackson got into the act, other guy’s going to win anyway.” Or, hower-Taft challenge” at the 1952 Republican arguing that “if the money is tainted, so are the Clearly, in the current situation, if a news; P111^^ “Oh, one vote won’t make any differen­ convention. delegates.” sion of the “fair play” rule were invoked a ru ce.” That Jackson, who was only 10 years old that So far, Jackson is alone in threatening a cre­ Mondale’s 587 “tainted” delegates were noli ,ii ” But Saturday’s run-off elections illus­ summer, knew the almost-forgotten story of that dentials fight against the Mondale 587. But lowed to vote on any credentials challenge,Mu Durinj trate that just one vote can make a dra­ convention fight should send shivers down the Hart’s campaign manager, Oliver Henkel, has dale would lose control of the convention-mi laid, stan matic difference. spines of unity-minded Democrats. put Democratic National Gommittee officials on probably the nomination. In the race for the Democratic nomi­ Robert Taft, the Ohio senator and hero of Re­ notice that if Hart did well enough in the final nation for Texas senator, Lloyd Doggett publican regulars, came into Chicago that sum­ primaries to have a chance of stopping Mondale, But equally clearly, such a tactic is not limi came out ahead of Kent Hance by a mer as far ahead of Eisenhower, Earl Warren he too may join in such a challenge. work in 1984. Neither Hart nor Jackson everi AS mere 476 votes — something less than and Harold Stassen as Mondale figures to be crated Europe or attained the status of natioi am two votes per county. ahead of his two competitors going into San Neutral party officials say the challenge to the hero that Eisenhower enjoyed. While the pn Cl I ^ Only 18 votes separated Max Hoyt Francisco this summer. The New York Times put delegates has little basis in party rules. In any convention polls in 1952 showed Eisenhowei and Joe Barton in the Republican run Taft just 74 votes short of nomination as the con­ case, they expect Mondale to control the conven­ likely winner, if nominated, the polls todaysfc I off for 6th Congressional District rep­ vention opened. tion committees where this will be decided. But President Reagan heating any Democrat. Garde resentative. Out of desperation, the Eisenhower forces Jackson’s reference to the Eisenhower-Taft fight So the conditions that made the tacticworki ifcts l*1' One vote can make a difference. charged Taft with a “Southern steal” of dele­ clearly shows that he understands that need not 1952 are missing this year — or at least atik * If either Doggett or Hoyt was your gates. Their complaint was that many of the Taft- be the end of the story. moment. But just because a tactic won’t wi name, sa choice, you could have solidified their controlled Dixie Republican parties had barred The ingenious device the Eisenhower forces does not guarantee it will not be attempted legist. leads. Victories by a precarious 18 votes enthusiastic Democrats-for-Eisenhower from used to break Taft’s grip and force him to give up “You’l — such as Hoyt’s — can be lost if the re­ voting in their caucuses. The dispute centered on the delegates that might have made him the nom­ If Jackson is serious about pursuing his i| he activ count shows any discrepancies. Dog- Texas, and pro-Eisenhower politicians and edito­ inee was the beautifully named “fair play” dated version of the Eisenhower strategy,at aid Dr. gett’s margin of fewer than two votes rialists trumpeted “the shame of Mineral Wells,” amendment. Hart decides to join him, the home screens products per county may decrease. the town where the delegates were picked. newspapers will be filled with emotional char^:Sret*‘enl' that Mondale is winning with “tainteddelegates' Likewise, if your candidate was The national committee and the credentials A group of pro-Eisenhower governors ad­ keting fo Hance or Barton, you should feel guilty committee both voted that the Taft delegates vanced the notion that, as a matter of “fair play,” That kind of convention may not domuchti prices. T that you didn’t get out and vote. All it were legitimate, under the rules. But the Eisen­ the challenged Taft delegates should not vote on Jackson’s or Hart’s chances. But it will certaiti alway in< takes is a few people out of a large con­ hower forces kept up the cry that if the “tainted” their own — or other challenged delegates’ — improve Reagan’s prospects. you are b gressional or senatorial district to make Durinj a difference in a race this close. for water Never believe that your vote doesn’t time to strike. matter. Remember, if you think you Trying to avoid the campaign jinxes “Then don’t really care who is elected, you are year com just as stuck with that candidate as any­ Hollowa; one who voted for him or her. By HELEN THOMAS He will walk with royalty at Buckingham Palace, and in somelrishi Agriculti Think about that when the Novem­ Columnist for United Press International nals his ancestry has beentraced back to an 1 1 th century monarch. the Text ber elections roll around. WASHINGTON — President Reagan says he is running “scared” in He has plenty of television on his trip abroad, making both themoit Station a his re-election campaign, even though the polls and the pols are reassur­ ingand the nightly news shows. mem spe — The Battalion Editorial Board ing. When he returns the next big stage will he the Olympics, which her “Peopl formally open at the end of July, playing to an audience of millions. ever, tha The president was asked once more to speculate on his re-election attract in Adel to the spectacular appearances his Oval Office picture takit The Battalion chances when he was interviewed by an Irish Television correspondent weather i C1SPS 045 360 and he refrained on grounds that he is superstitious. and ceremonies in the Rose Garden, which can occur daily if he In mai Mendxrrof ' “I find it impossible to speculate or suggest that I am going to win,” he chooses. can be us Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference said. “I think it jinxes me if I do that. So I’m always going to behave as if The advantages of the incumbency have not escaped him andhet added. I certainly campaign from the White House even if it is not called that.Th and Dur The Battalion Editorial Board I’m one vote behind. I’ll run scared.” Secret Service would love it and it would ease the problems considerab!' insecticid Rclxxa Zimniermann. Editor In advance of the Republican National Gonvention, which is being Bill Robinson, Editorial Page/Assistant City Editor called a coronation since the ticket is already set, the president is being se­ but for the man who likes to run as if he is 25 points behind, it’s notlikei Shelley Hoekstra. City Editor Kathleen Hart. News Editor lective about his appearances. He is going for the high visibility on plat­ that Reagan will not hit the road. Dave Scott. Sports Editor forms that will enhance his presidential and statesman image. But the full-scale campaigning is not expected to begin until afterll The Battalion Staff His trip to Ghina caused a “blip” upward in the polls, says top aide Mi­ traditional Labor Day kickoff. Assistant News Editor......................................................................................................Den.t Brown Stall Writer*..........................................................................................................................Robin Black. chael Deaver. And his 10-day journey to Ireland, France and England is On the other side of the coin, the Republicans are sitting on thesidt Kari Fluegel.