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Show THE DALLY HERALD, Prove. | = ursday, May 9, 1996 Dole’s speaking skills a little rusty By MIKE FEINSIL.BER takes a while. Bob Dole is going to get better at it. He must.” Associated Press Writer makingisn’t everything WASHINGTON — BobDole in Speech politics, of course, and in the likes to say he’s a doer, not a talker, but talking is what politicians do if they hope to become president. And talking is not Dole’s strong suit. primaries Dole managed in a month todispatch all eight of his rivals for the Republican presiden- tial nomination — some of were skilled orators — and won On the stump, Dole is capable enough delegates to clinch the of moving audiences to tears — nomination. but just as capable of rambiing, or undercutting his main point with a wisecrack. That's especially the case when he speaks without a written text or has one but ignores it, “He won't stick to his speeches; he has a contempt for the prepared word. He drives speech writers nuts,” says Wayne Fields, a Washington University English profes- “Bob Dole is going to get better at it. He must.” — Neil Newhouse, polister n or Bob Bill Kristol, the editor of a conser- children with Bill Clinto e Dole, they'd probably itoos the ing Dole. “I'm just repeat what fing so poorly he would lose, Dole , answered by attacking the critic, tifyingly. “Liberals, men, women not the criticism. “So who is Bill Democrats. Republicans, Conserv. atives.... eit Kristol? He’s — who — what has Syndicated columnist Rober he done?” 'S appearance Dole asserted that he'd had “a Novak called pretty good week,” but it all came “the worst single television. inter view since Teddy Kennedy's 1979 out in a jumble. “We passed the terrorism bill, encounter with Roger Mudd” (in even though the Democrats frus- which Kennedy blathered when trated — made us, made us vote 14 asked why he wanted to be presidifferent times. We're concerned dent). vative magazine and a former Dan Quayle aide, that Dole was run- about terrorism — Oklahoma City disaster,” he said. Healso seemed to be bragging that he was a big spender: focus group said,”he replied, mys. The job Dole holds as Senate majority leader provides rewards for smoothing over differences, keeping options open, finding “We passed the health reform compromise, rounding the edges, n't filibuster. It's going to go to lem before making a connection bill that the Democrats fought for knowingthe details. None ofthese two years. I offered a $10 billion qualities are desirable in a presisor who studies political rhetoric But in the fall he will be pitted amendment, got $8.4 billion ofit, dent or a presidential candidate and followed Dole around in 1988 Pollster Newhouse said Dole ast a president who, even crit- andI thoughtthat was pretty good. to analyze his performance as a s concede, is a glib speaker. No We gave the Democrats a vote on “skips to what we're going to do public speaker. matter, said House Speaker Newt the medical savings account; did- in Washington to solve the ‘probThe problem came out in stark relieflast January when Dole gave Gingrich Tuesday: “This is not a country that elects an entertainer- the Republican reply to President in-chief.” Clinton's State of the Union address and came across as stiff and distant. Dole said he wasn't any good at speaking in an empty roomfroma TelePrompTer. Of Clinton he said, “He's a good speaker, a better speakerthan I am.” Dole’s former pollster, Neil Newhouse, noting that the senator hasn't faced strong re-election competition in 22 years, thinks he is simply rusty “He's still getting his campaign wheels on,” Newhouse said. “It In interviews on television, Dole frequently talks in legislative conference, where I'm a conferee. with the voters on what the probSo I —I think before — you know, lem is.” before the others break out the champagne,let’s see what's in the shoptalk. Sometimes he can be final package.” downright unfathomable. On April 21, he appeared on “Face the Nation.” The transcript has become aclassic example of how bad things can go when he has a bad day Heoffered a puzzling discourse on issues of the moment. He put down little-known critics a nd in the process came across as harsh. Asked about an 1 by This may have made sense in Washington, among people who followed the issue. Did it make sense outside of Washington? Finally, Dole was asked what he meant whenhe saysthatif parents had to chose between leaving their Maybe none of this matters Dwight D. Eisenhower, who had all kinds of trouble using the language, twice ran against one ofthe most eloquent politicians of the age, Adlai E. Stevenson. Eisenhowercarried 41 states the,first time, 43 the second. Ronald Reagan, another landslide winner, often fumbled when speaking withouta script. A Devsion Just in Time For MOTHER’S DAY!! CATNAPPER ROCKER/RECLINER Top of the line and very comfortable!! nan eh Delivered! = rw AP Photo ir claimed as the world’s t store in Seoul, South “TheSofa King Tr Boh 785-9799 feet in length, 39 feet nade by U.S. jeans | TRSOlson’ 4 Soper “¥Gardens 550 S. 500 W. 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