*DON’T FRIGHTEN THE ELDERLY: On October 18, the United Seniors Association (USA) launched a "Stop Scaring Seniors Now Campaign," warning senior voters to be on the look out for Social Security and Medicare scare tactics used by dishonest politicians. Said USA Chairman Charlie Jarvis, "With just two weeks until Election Day, power-hungry politicians are sinking to the lowest political tactics and coordinating carefully-crafted efforts to scare America’s seniors on Social Security and Medicare." Jarvis said that despite the liberal rhetoric, seniors favor free-market solutions. "Our September National Survey of Senior Voters shows that an overwhelming 83% of seniors believe Personal Retirement Accounts are important to give their children and grandchildren a more secure retirement future," he said.
*PLANNED PARENTHOOD’S LAST STRIKE: With less than two weeks to go before the balloting, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund announced last week it was unleashing a $2-million program to help pro-abortion Senate candidates in 35 states through direct donations, door-to-door canvassing, mass mail and phoning programs. "The U.S. Senate is our last defense against the Bush Administration’s anti-choice program," declared Planned Parenthood President Gloria Feldt. "It’s the Senate, stupid!" The funds and activities would be concentrated on close races in Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire and Texas.
*LIBERAL GOP SPOILERS: Although conservatives are expected, in the name of "party unity," to go along with Republican nominees who are considered moderate and liberal, those on the left of the GOP often feel no such compunctions. In New Jersey, retiring liberal GOP Rep. Marge Roukema has for months refused to endorse conservative Scott Garrett, the Republican nominee to succeed her in the 5th District. (See "Races of the Week," page 14.) Now, former Michigan Gov. William Milliken, a longtime liberal GOP icon, has taken a strong shot at his party’s nominee for governor. A Republican TV ad campaign on behalf of conservative candidate Dick Posthumus is "race-baiting, morally wrong, and politically stupid," Milliken charged in a press release. He said he was referring to ads that link Democratic nominee Jennifer Granholm to Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and "what the GOP claims is her support for reparation payments to the descendants of slaves."
*WILL CHAFEE SWITCH? With all the rumors that Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R.-R.I.) will switch to the Democrats if his vote is needed to stop Republicans from taking control of the Senate, HUMAN EVENTS’ John Gizzi asked Chafee’s office for comment. "He told [CNN’s] Wolf Blitzer, ‘I’m going to stay a Republican,’ and he said about the same thing to [the Capitol Hill periodical] Roll Call," Chafee press secretary Jeff Neal told Gizzi. "I don’t know how many other ways you can say it." Neal added, "Of course, you never, ever absolutely rule out doing something," but quickly said he "cannot envision a situation in which the senator would be forced to make such a radical decision." Another reason betting is strong Chafee will remain a Republican: His brother Zach Chafee was appointed by President Bush as U.S. attorney in Rhode Island and is considered one of its future stars by the state GOP.
*BIRDS BEFORE OUR BOYS: Turncoat Sen. James Jeffords (I.-Vt.) has joined with Democratic Senators Joseph Lieberman (Conn.) and Pat Leahy (Vt.) to preserve laws that place the nests of birds over the lives of American servicemen. As animal population patterns change and development of land around military bases increases, more and more "endangered species" have chosen to live on military installations. These animals are preventing the military from conducting proper training of America’s young troops since it is illegal to harm or displace them or hurt their environments.
For example, San Diego’s Camp Pendleton hosts 40,000 Marines, the same Marines who are assigned to Persian Gulf conflicts and will likely lead the way into Iraq. But, reported the San Diego Union-Tribune September 26, "Because the base’s coastline is a nesting ground, the Marine Corps has gradually lost unfettered use of its four primary training beaches on the West Coast-the same sandy schoolyards where Marines prepared for the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II." Instead of restoring the right of Marines to train properly, the senatorial trio says that existing law provides enough flexibility. They oppose retaining Pentagon-sought and House-passed language in this year’s Defense authorization bill that would exempt military bases from many endangered species and migratory bird laws. The bill is currently in conference.
*NICKLES OUT: Regardless of whether Republicans win back a Senate majority or not, Sen. Trent Lott (Miss.) is apparently assured of another term as GOP leader. Senate Republican Whip Don Nickles (Okla.), long considered a possible challenger to Lott-especially if Republicans lose Senate seats November 5-announced last week that he would not run for leader under any circumstances. He also noted that the Mississippian has sewn up enough votes to be re-elected. Four-termer Nickles, who believes the GOP will take back a majority, said he intended to run for chairman of the Budget Committee when the party’s conference meets in December to elect officers.
*AFTER NICKLES: After six years, Senate Republican rules term out Nickles from his present leadership spot. Already competition is fierce among Senate Republicans to be No. 2. With their re-elections both assured this fall, conservative Senators Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and Larry Craig (Idaho) are already sounding out colleagues and potential colleagues for the whip’s job. Unannounced so far but almost always mentioned as a possible candidate is Bill Frist (Tenn.), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
*BASE BELAFONTE: Entertainer Harry Belafonte refuses to apologize for or retract the vicious, racist comments he made about Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, the first African-Americans to head a President’s foreign policy team. Instead of hailing this example of America’s racial tolerance and the triumph of ability regardless of race, Belafonte called them "house slaves" for serving under a Republican President who does not advocate left-wing policies. Further exhibiting the intolerance of the liberal establishment, Jesse Jackson chimed right in, siding with Belafonte instead of criticizing the racialist notion that all blacks must think alike and all must be Democrats.
Belafonte claims that he convinced the Africare foundation to drop Rice-one of the most powerful people in the world during this time of impending war-from an October 24 dinner at which Belafonte was to receive, without irony, the Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award. Africare, however, attributes Rice’s drop-out to "scheduling conflicts." Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott (R.-Miss.), decided not to attend the event but was still listed as one of its "national honorary patrons." The other national honorary patron, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D.-S.D.), was still scheduled to attend. Powell and Rice, when asked about Belafonte’s slur, both gave low-key dismissals of the entertainer’s remarks, with Rice elegantly responding, "I don’t need Harry Belafonte to tell me what it means to be black."
