Kemp Says Negative Campaigns Won't Run in New Hampshire

Aired February 13, 1996 4:11 pm

JUDY WOODRUFF, Anchor: Well, former Housing secretary, former New York Congressman, and a veteran of past presidential primaries, Jack Kemp, joins us now with his perspective on the Iowa caucuses. All right, Pat Buchanan says it's a contest between him and Bob Dole. Lamar Alexander says it's a contest between him and Bob Dole. Which is it?

JACK KEMP, Former HUD Secretary: Neither. There are four people coming out of Iowa, and obviously, Bob Dole, Pat Buchanan and his brigade had a strong showing, Lamar had a strong showing, Steve Forbes was disappointed, but he'll be there in New Hampshire, so I'd say there are four people going into New Hampshire.

WOODRUFF: Where does Pat Buchanan stand at this point? I mean, is this something who can win the Republican nomination and go on to win the election?

KEMP: Well, Pat Robertson finished second in Iowa and finished fifth in New Hampshire. New Hampshire is different than Iowa. Is not as socially conservative. There's much more concern about taxes and growth and hope and the future. I don't mean to downplay Iowa, but clearly, when only 98,000 voted in the Iowa caucus, that was not a big turnout. That's something that has only been focused on by a few people. Buchanan got a real bump out of Iowa, but this, in my opinion, is still a four-man race and the people of New Hampshire are going to want to see, what is your message, what is the content of the message, and are you going to listen to Ronald Reagan, with regard to the 11th commandment, thou shalt not speak ill of thy fellow Republicans. Stop bashing each other and tell us where you're going to lead America in the 21st century.

WOODRUFF: Are you saying that that's what Bob Dole, and in particular-

KEMP: No, I didn't mean that on any one person. Basically, there were a lot of negatives coming out of Iowa, and I think the people in New Hampshire, you might say, are the wine testers. They're going to look at all the wine and taste it, test it, and let it swirl around in their mouth. They're going to meet you personally, and they want to know what's the content of your message, what is your hope and vision for America in the 21st century, so-

WOODRUFF: What do you think Bob Dole's message is going to be in New Hampshire?

KEMP: Well, Bob Dole- well, first of all, he and Newt Gingrich appointed me to head up a pro-growth tax reform commission, so from that standpoint, Bob Dole clearly is someone concerned about that issue. I think the message is not yet clear, nor is it clear about a lot of other people. A flat tax, in and of itself, albeit I have been sympathetic to the idea- not only sympathetic to a flat tax, but supportive of a single tax rate system, a flat tax is not the answer, per se. It is restoring mobility and opportunity and allowing people to move from being a wage-earner to somebody who can maybe own their business some day.

WOODRUFF: But Steve Forbes went all over the State of Iowa, he's been over part of the country, spent over $4 million in Iowa alone, saying- talking about hope, growth, and opportunity, and the flat tax, and he got only 10 percent of the vote.

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KEMP: He also, unfortunately, in my opinion, allowed himself to be caricaturized as not concerned about the social issues, and I think he is. As a friend of his, I say that with some degree of personal understanding. But he allowed himself, again, to have a negative campaign, and he basically is a very positive, very optimistic person, about the future of our country, and I think there is where the hope is for New Hampshire - to force the candidates, all of them, to tell us what is their vision of America as a family moving forward and as Ronald Reagan said in 1980, not leaving the poor, not leaving anybody behind.

WOODRUFF: Do you think that'll change with regard to Forbes in New Hampshire?

KEMP: I really don't know. I'm not in day-to-day contact with their campaign or anybody else's campaign, but I think all of the candidates have to tell us, what is your view of America? Is it hopeful, or is it pessimistic? Is it dynamic, or is it static? Do you see people as wage-earners, or do you see that as a stage in our lives in which we move into somebody who wants to save and invest in the future?

WOODRUFF: Both Steve Forbes and Bob Dole have sought your endorsement. Are you going to endorse either one of them?

KEMP: Judy, as I sit here before you tonight, I do not know. I've- I'm not ready to endorse, let me put it that way?

WOODRUFF: What would it take?

KEMP: I'm going to watch New Hampshire a little bit, and see how the campaigns are being run. Probably no one wants it anymore, after I didn't get into the Iowa race, but clearly, I think content, message, the platform, the vision of America as a family instead of a coalition of groups that are mad at somebody else.

WOODRUFF: You're not just waiting to see who comes out ahead?

KEMP: No, I'm not. I waiting to see what the message is, and clearly, how they're going to position themselves to work with Congress. I don't want to see a negative campaign. I want them to follow the Reagan 11th commandment.

WOODRUFF: All right, Jack Kemp, thanks for being with us.

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