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Show for mtcj tolbs bra Barbara By MARYLN SCHWARTZ Dallas Morning News - HOUSTON The Republicans call her "our national treasure." Barbara Bush, "the silver fox," adoring wife, everybody's favorite grandmother. No one gets nasty about Barbara, not even a little snitty. Well, not until now. Suddenly, the gloves are off, and people are talking about more than just the popular first lady's cookie recipes and her devotion to wiping out illiteracy. She still knits and talks about the family dog, Millie, but the first lady is no longer just the grandmother in the kitchen. She's making political speeches for her husband, even if she likes to call them "Now, I'm sure she's a lovely lady at home with the grandkids. But she's being used as her husband's secret weapon, and in that capacity, she's not as sweet as she looks. I knew her years ago, and she was a nice lady. But she could be formidable, and she knew how to get her way. God help you, if you got in the way. You don't want to be the object of her biting - HOUSTON The difference between the way women have been showcased at the Democratic and Republican national conventions boils down to one key campaign ingredient money. Democratic female candidates have been feted and fawned over this election year, while Republican women, especandidates, have cially pro-lif-e sometimes found attention and money hard to come by. Republican 'Party officials here say there's no reason the Year of the Woman "Stardust" cannot rub off on their candidates Judy Black, president of the Women's Leadership Network, a Pro-choi- ce Republican women's support group, denies that Democratic female candidates have any advantage over Republican women. Money, however, is a key issue. To counter the deep pockets of groups like Emily's List, which Democratic supports female candidates, a group of Republican women founded WISH List last year to give money to Republican women! pro-choi- ce pro-choi- ce v V j 1 AP Photo First lady Barbara Bush and son George share a laugh during President Bush's acceptance speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention in Houston. The first hint of things to come was in the August issue of Vanity Fair magazine in an article called "Barbara's Backlash." one who would kill you. No one sat around and gossiped about Mrs. Bush. I don't think it was that people loved her. It was just like when "Even Barbara Bush's step- your mother said, 'I Iwve eyes in mother is afraid of her," the article the back of my head. ' ' ' said. People close to her talk about The stepmother, Willa Pierce, "the look." If Barbara Bush focuses it your way, they say, explained nervously it is not politicross her to correct step"you're in for it." She's not the cally d in much so would same "I lady you see in get daughter: trouble if I said something she photos playing with her grandchildren. She has an agenda. Shake didn't agree with." Then the writer, Marjorie Wil- that boat, and you're sure to get "the look" and all its conseliams, quoted an anonymous former aide who said, "People said quences. People outside the Bush circle Nancy Reagan would kill you if I But her. about said stuff bad got a rare glimpse of "the look" you the Bush was Mrs. during the Republican National always thought white-haire- More recently, Sally Atwater, Democratic convention in New wife of the late Republican Nation- York last month. Women spoke by the dozens at al Chairman Lee Atwater, started a group called Leader PAC to sup- the Democratic convention port GOP female candidates re- something the GOP can't duplicate because there are fewer elected gardless of their view on abortion. Mrs. Atwater says her political Republican women to choose action committee raised about from. g The Republican $100,000 and gave the maximum allowable contribution to the 32 woman speaking at this week's Republican women who won GOP convention, because of the office she holds, was Labor SecreHouse primaries. Republicans this week have also tary Lynn Martin. It wasn't highbeen holding lighted publicly, but Martin supfundraisers for female candiports abortion rights. The GOP proudly notes that 25 dates. Georgette Mosbacher, wife of Bush campaign aide Robert women addressed the convention this year, including three members Mosbacher, hosted a $l,000-a-hea- d fundraiser for Leader PAC at of Congress and three Cabinet secher home in an exclusive section of retaries. At last month's Democratic convention, at least 40 womHouston. Republicans have tried this en spoke, including a senator, week to showcase accomplished eight members of Congress and at Democrats but women, say least one governor. party the top two featured female speakRepublicans are touting this Barbara Bush and Marilyn convention as evidence the party is ers Quayle were selected because of supportive of women. Women make up 42 percent of whom they married. the official delegates to the conTexas state Treasurer Kay Bailey Hutchison was temporary vention, up 10 percent from four chairwoman of the convention, years ago. And of the 25 GOP women who addressed the convena her fairly giving 13 were featured during Texas as not but tion, role, nearly high as Gov. Ann Richards got at the prime time television coverage. highest-rankin- high-profil- $100-a-pla- e, high-profi- PEOPLE." - flag-wavin- g, slogan-chantin- Newspapers sign-thrustin- g, g, life-si- ze A7 V extra-marit- al rd across-the-boa- rd off-limi- ts DRI-McGra- carbohydrate-bloate- herd, d pro- viding a visual backdrop for TV; holding up signs that somebody else has painted for them, shouting chants that somebody has told them to chant, not really listening to most of the speeches but trained to cheer wildly at cejlain key words: SPEAKER: Blah blah blah blah and so I say, my fellow Republicans or Democrats, that it's time for a CHANGE. DELEGATES: MOOOOOOOOOOO. You have your protesters, never talking, never reasoning, communicating exclusively by hurling out loud angry slogans mixed with a fine spray of saliva. And you have your news media personnel, who are of course perfect except for needing more money and power and less etc. So it makes sense to hold a single, joint Democratic-Republican-conventio- m supply- inn ALL PRODUCTS FROM SPEAKERS OR ENTERTAINERS FEATURED AT EDUCATION WEEK. Other lit Specials include: In-Sto- re Lioo House Redpes. Dozens of recipes from one of Salt Lake Gty's favorite restaurants. Reg. $16.95, Sale price $10.99. The Land and Culture of New Testament Times. Illuminating insights to New Testament study. By ; D. Kelly Ogden. Reg. $16.95, Sale price $8.49. Where Jesus W alked: An Evening with Michael of humor and song from a minutes video. 77 McLean, $ talented performer. Reg. 9 95, Sale price $8.99. If Only You Believe hi Yourself: .1a 1 Keeping Your Family Together When the World is Falling Apart Dr. Kevin Leman explains reality discipline and shows how you can make it work in your family. Reg. $18.00, Sale price $13.99. The Character Code. Di. Taylor Hartman takes his Color Code theory a step further, showing how you can acquire the positive traits from other "colors," while maintaining your core personality. Reg. $19 95. Sale price $16.99. Deseret Book University Mall: R 1201 South University Avenue: 375-100- 9 n, the only problem being that, when the opposing nominees and their families gather on stage at the end, there could be some friction, and we'd run the risk of exposing the nation to an unseemly display such as Tipper Gore and Marilyn Quayle roiling around the floor w happing each other with their pumps. So we should definitely do it. w ((Flinll!Ol((Ditt0WI BJ COW 20 OFF pi L h -- by; e um u,m a Hsoni koh -- rt le Anyway, now that both the Republicans and the Democrats are HOUSTON Taking a bold done nominating people, I think step forward for change, the Reit's time we took a look at the publicans nominated George Bush venerable and historic institution and Dan Quayle Thursday night in of the presidential convention and a spectacular ceremony culminatasked ourselves if there is any way ing in fireworks, laser beams, muit can be made less stupid. that sic, cheering, whooping,, stomp-- : My main suggestion is that, ining, stead of holding two separate conconga lines, which is a major waste ventions an strike air Values, Family against Baghdad and the dropping of our nation s precious balloon the parties should from the Astrodome ceiling of resources convention. combined hold one blue and white 250,000 red, This would be easy, because inflatable women. I may have some of these details both parties' conventions contain exactly the same elements, perwrong because I was not technicalcerthis when in the Astrodome forming exactly the same funcly Houstions: in I a was occurred. emony You have your politicians ton establishment, the legal and who run the country, the is Richard which name of people printable who have Heads' Bar and Restaurant. Hang: always run the country and is walls and the wljo always WILL run the ceilings ing from one of the world's largest privately country getting up on the podium owned collections of unoccupied and angrily demanding change. You have your delegates, brassieres. Also there are numerous signs putting on dorky hats and eating as and bumper stickers, one of which, many as eight brunches in a single in my opinion, sums up the essence morning, then lumbering out onto of humanity's needs and aspira the convention floor to form a vast Knight-Ridd- Convention when PBS-Treporter Judy Woodruff started asking questions the first lady did not like about the president's policies and a possible affair. The icy glare and hostility came through loud and clear. Barbara Bush's close friends are appalled that people are saying such things and are quick to lash out at the Vanity Fair story. "It was just terrible and unfair," says Mildred Kerr of Houston, the Bush friend whom the Bush dog Millie is named after. "She's wonderful, hard working and loyal. I don't know why anyone would even want to finish that Vanity Fair article. It was much too long." Other newspapers and magazines are also preparing articles on the first lady. "They are going to try and make her like Hillary, and it won't work," said Iris Dawson, a Michigan Republican. "You can't hit at Barbara because she's too good a mother, too good a wife and too good an American." te writing special commentary from either the Republicans or the Demthe Republican convention in ocrats. It says: "I NEED MORE MONEY AND POWER AND Houston. LESS (bad word) FROM YOU . HOUSTON George Bush, down in the polls as he begins his last campaign, has decided proposed tax cuts, beyond sayAmerica needs a swig from ing he would propose to "reRonald Reagan's magic elixir duce taxes across the board." of tax cuts to Details won't come until after fix a sick economy. the election, administration ofNever mind that candidate ficials said. Bush once dismissed a similar Supply-sid- e conservatives have been pushing hard for ploy as "voodoo economics. ' ' This time around. Bush says steep cuts in personal tax rates he has just the approach that similar to those enacted by Ronwill keep the tax cuts from balald Reagan in his first term. looning an already massive They would like the top rate of 31 percent reduced to 28 perbudget deficit. For every dollar in revenue cent. the government loses from lowSuch a package could cost the er taxes, he will demand that Treasury $371 billion over five Congress cut a dollar in spendyears. Bush also proposed a novel ing by controlling the costs of benefit approach to reducing the budget mandatory government deficit allowing taxpayers to programs. But there's a problem: Bush earmark up to 10 percent of has tried to get similar spending their tax payments each year to cuts out of Congress for the past reducing the $4 trillion national four years and failed. debt. It's unclear how many would Bush's dilemma is that half of the federal government's respond, however, since the $1.5 trillion annual budget is money siphoned off to debt re- duction would trigger automat- consumed by entitlement proit is cuts in gov-- . there he must ic grams and look to finance any meaningful ernment spending, including entitle- cherished middle-clas- s tax cuts. the Social Security ments. far by For the most part, private" has been biggest entitlement were not impressed-witeconomists put by Bush, but the Bush's proposals. They administration has targeted the next two largest programs, complained they would do little the sluggish econ-om- y to jump-staMedicare and Medicaid, for rebecause stimulus of tax the since ductions every year taking reductions would be offset office. A fact sheet distributed by cutting government spending. David Wyss, an economist at the White House suggested Hill Inc., the Bush could get $300 billion in the reductions over country's largest private forespending next five years by curbing the casting firm, said he was disappointed that Bush did not do growth in entitlement promore to spell out what he would grams. Reductions of this magdo to address the country's nitude could finance "signifieconomic problems long-tercant tax reductions," it said. ' But beyond citing a rejected in a second term. Bush billion entitlement cut $30 John Mueller, a leading -side economist and former-i- y put forward this year, the administration did not say where a top adviser to Housing Secall of that money would come retary Jack Kemp, said he from. believed the president's packNor did the president reveal age was "just what the economuch about the shape of the my needs." across-the-boa- Editor's Note: Mfami Herald tions better than any document or humor columnist Dave Barry is speech that has yet been emitted by er Page - Consolidating both conventions would preserve balloon resources By DAVE BARRY THE HERALD, provo, Utah, By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer Money determines visibility of female candidates at conventions By SUSAN SCHAUER Herald Washington Bureau 21, 1992 Bush tax plan takes cue from Reagan prescription H "conversations." Houston acquaintances have even been quoted talking about the first lady's biting sarcasm that at times they feel has been cruel. "People say that privately, but not often publicly," said Mary Ballard, a Houston Republican and abortion-right- s advocate. "But now some people are going to speak out more because they think she betrayed them by not coming out for pro choice." "Don't get me wrong," she added. "They don't hate her. They think she's admirable in many ways. But she's going to have an enormous influence on this election. She's open game now, just like Hillary (Clinton). Friday, August " . I |