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Show The Salt Lake Tribune NATION Sunday, February 25 AAT 1996 Age Doesn't Matter as Thurmond Gears Up for Last Hurrah By John Monk arm. 93-year-old American man has a Compiled by Tribune National Desk life expectancyof 3.5 years. So why is South Carolina Sen Strom Thurmond, who turned 93 | dates handilyif the election were held now, according to a national poll by Time magazine and CNN Voters polled last week favored Clinton over Sen. Bob Dole 52 percent to 39 percent, givingClinton back a lead that had shrunkto 3 percentage points — a virtual dead heat — in the Time-CNN poll last month. Clinton's lead wasan evenlarger 54 percent to 35 percent over Pat Buchanan. The conservative commentator was considered too extreme by 54 percent of the voters in the poll But Buchanan's support has more than tripled in the past month among Republican and Re- publican-leaning voters. If they were choosing a nominee now, 36 percent would pick Dole, com- pared with 21 percent for Buchanan, 18 percent for former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander and 8 percent for publisher Steve Forbes. Although Alexander's support among Republicans vaulted from 3 percent last month, the poll spelled out a reversal for his ABC” refrain, “Alexander Beats Clinton.” Clinton got 53 percent to Alexander's 35 percent PICKIN’ ON PAT CBS-TV’s “Late Show With David Letterman,” here are the top 10 ways Pat Buchanancelis New Hampshire win: and pizza with the Grand Wizard 9. Chased a group of Canadian tourists back across the border. 8. Fendedoff the advancesof a drunkenElizabeth Dole 7. Threw confetti made from the Bill of Rights. 6. Went down to the college quad and whipped himself some hippiea-- 5. Drank bottle of victory champagne from Mark Fuhrman 4. Invaded aPolish restaurant 3. Wrote some newlyrics for “God Bless America.” Attended an early victory party for Bill Clinton. 1. When asked what he’s going to do now, shouted, “I’m gonna crap outta Dis- LIGHTS, CAMERA, CARVILLE There was a lull in James Carville’s life while the GOP candidates chewed up each other. So what did President Clinton's ‘92 campaign boss do with himself? He made another movie. The political operator spent four days in Memphis filming ‘The People vs. Larry Flynt.” Carville portrays the prosecutor who goes after the notorious Hustler publisher, played by Woody Harrelson age. He used to keep barbells in pected to break a record that may never be broken again — at 93 longer jogs. U.S. senator ever. vious oldest senator, Theodore Green, a RhodeIsland Democrat whoretired on Jan, 3, 1961. If he wins again this year, Thurmond would be 100 yearsold in early 2003, when his term would end. He is confident he can win evenin the faceof the previously unthinkable — public questioning in his home state about whether he should retire Age doesn’t matter if health holds, Thurmondinsists. “For the next ‘several years, whocan do more for South Carolina than I can?” “It would take a newperson 20 or 30 years to get where I am now.” Skill and luck maybe on Thurmond's side. He has carried off upsetafter upset, from beating an incumbent in 1928 for hair trans- State newspapers, His hearing is somewhat off, but his vision is good, and he walks without assistance, though he sometimeswill take a person’s Thur must knowhis first 50 years, long before he became the grizzled elder statesman Gingrich. He also is head of the Senate Armed Services Commit tee, which oversees a $263 billion To understand Thurmond, you As a young man. he risked his life and his career many times. He loved women anddanger. Always flexible, he has changed from a race-baiting white supremacist before 1960 to a leading backer of defense budget Until this year, open criticism of Thurmondhasbeen rare A belovedicon, the senator has civil rights. helped thousands of people to ride a glider into Normandyon get jobs andsteered millions of dol In 1941, he braved an angry mob to takea suspected killerinto custody. In 1944, he volunteered to home state pro- D-Day. A showboat, he loved to be pho- sional office does hundreds of tographed with beautiful women lars of jects. “‘pork” Each month, his congres- favors for constituents — every- unfailingly supportive of Thurmond, are starting to focus on his age “No one can cheat mortality forever, not even Strom Thu thing from getting passports to cutting red tape for urgent bonemarrow transplants. In a small state like South Carolina, Thurmond may have done a mond,” wrote The Spartanburg favor for more than halfthe pop: ulation, or someonein their family. It's one reason why, along with his excellent staff, that he and was married twice — each time to a woman far younger than he. Whatis moreattractive than a pretty woman?” Thurmond eyes brightening Yes, he knows he’s politically incorrect, but says, “I don't see anything wrong with admiring pretty girls.” aoDinareeees county Don’t eryto school superintendent to surviving — and thriving — after he switched from Democrat to Republican in 1964. Sohe figures he take your phone. can win this year, He does promise, however, “Thiswill be the last time.” Thurmond doesn't read books, he doesn’t go to movies, His childrenare of college age; he’s separated from Nancy, his wife of 28 years. Most of his life revolves around his job and honing his health The day a reporter interviewed him in his Washington office, Thurmondhad earlier performed the basics of a regime he’s done most his life — 50 minutes of exercise and a low-fat, high-fiber breakfast. The exercise included 20 minutes of twisting, bending and stretching. There are push-ups, sit-ups and weightlifting. A 20minute ride on stationary bike Then, breakfast. “I had grits and egg whites the yolks are not too good for you, you know,” Thurmond says. He downed ba- a minutes/month only $19.99” and Doctors Thomas A. Kurrus, John B, Stanchfield, Introducing the AT&T GoPhone® Charles Ayers Blaine W. Glad and MarkR. Oliver of Internal Medicine Ltd. are pleased to welcome D. Scott Burton, M.D. From AT&T Wireless Services Dr, Burton receivedhis medical degree fromthe Bowman Gray School of Medicinein 1991 andcompleted his internal medicineinternship and residency at the University of Utah Department of Internal Medicine, He is BoardCertifiedin Internal Medicine. Dr. Burton has a special interest in cholesterol Complete Package for Only $39.99 disorders, heart disease, disease prevention and holds a Beiter master’s in exercise physiology. He is currently a member of St. Marks’s Hospital Medical Staff For informationor appointments says tempore of the U.S. Senate (a post dency — after Vice President Al Herald-Journal in a recent editorial headlined “Thurmond Should Retire.” I hope I won't have one Thurmond Gore and House Speaker Newt historically bent Burnet Maybank dropped mondsnaps, “Excellent! It better be. As president pro held by that body's most senior member), Thurmondis third in line for succession to the presi ean, of Pickens, S.C. In the past says Hoilman, she’s voted for Thurmond, but doesn't think she will do so now becauseof his age & COLUMBIA St.Mark’sHospital pleasecall 261-9651 his think about the future,” says Thurmond. “When something happens, forge ahead.” Thurmond’s ultralong record of accomplishments may be the thing that defeats him ‘He needs to retire and let somebody else take over,” s: Sen. Strom Thurmond his office and knock out push-ups for visitors. No more. His swimming, once three times a week, is downto once a week. He also no the oldest lampoon Asked about his health eaCe na) BatterySpecialists Seeaty it] TG an Shop—. OTSae RTLs Includes: © AT&T 3812 Cellular Phone © Overnight Charger © 95 Minute Talk Time Battery i eee re : Seer TT WATT is errta DT eTeeaty - ATEN GR eae Pea aC ae CRS sr|as TTTa a ST ReeComEtG meeat eek eCiettoem eT Burrus CaRAATEg zemi ahAe Ly MRLCLe Internal hor eto ¢ Convenient Credit Card Billing ¢ Extended Evening and Weekend Hours** AI&T Wireless Services 1160 East 3900 South, Suite 120 Salt Lake City “Includes 120 Minutes of evening “Evening hours from 6:00 pm to 8:00 om Monday 2, the “They've all come and gone — That's one dayolder than the pre- deadof a heart attack his staff deny > bomb neyworld!”’ nana, an apple, skim milk, and a glass of half-orange, half-grapefruit juice. He has made concessions to years and 94 days old, he will be days — something Thurmond and ‘I don’t think about the past, I a diet like I do? Do youthink the average person has an optimistic attitude towardlife like I do?” Minutes later, Thurmond points at an office wall, where photos of 10 presidents stare down, from Franklin Roosevelt (who served from 1933-45) to George Bush, who finished in 1993. In 1932, Thurmond attended the Democratic convention that nominated Roosevelt Thurmond has seen how health aired rumorsthat hehadanille gitimate black child, but offered no firmevidence. In 1993, his oidest daughter, Nancy, 22, was killed by a drunken driver. Come- to grasp complicated issues these plants for being Tang-colored Thurmond doesn’t dwell on this you think the average person has just may win his last hurrah influences politics. In 1954, he won his Senate seat when incum dians ‘Do you think the average per- son exercises like I do?” the South Carolina Republican growls in a grits-thick twang. “Do I'm still here,’ says Thurmond, born in 1902 On March 8, Thurmondis ex- hind-the-scenes behavior say Thurmond doesn’t always appear l¢|) From anothersix-year Senate term? Thurmond loves questions like that anecdotal evidence frompeople familiar with his be. In 1991, his wife left him. In a Washington Post article 1992, in December, gearing up for yet CBA: CLINTON BEATS ALL PresidentClinton could beatall three leading Republican candi- Moreover, These past few years, fate has pummeled Thurmond KNIGHT-RIDDERNEWS SERVICE WASHINGTON — The average nth. Phone must be activated within 7 days. Offer Friday Weekend hours from6:00 pm Friday to 8:00 om Monday valid for new vations only Requires © 2-anonth service agreement. Other restrictions may apply |