Governors Ridge, Engler Offer Strategy to Spread Dole Message

Aired May 14, 1996

JUDY WOODRUFF, Anchor: Joining us now, Governor John Engler of Michigan and Governor Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania.

[interviewing] Gentlemen, thank you both for being with us. Governor Ridge, to you first. The polls are showing that there really has not been much movement for Senator Dole up in the last couple of months. What do you think is the source of the problem his campaign is having getting off the ground?

Gov. TOM RIDGE (R-PA): Well, I don't think there's any problem whatsoever. I think Senator Dole came through a tough, challenging, real, real difficult primary season. He not only survived, he did very well, clinching early. I think he spent, appropriately so, the past six to eight weeks putting together the defining strategy, a Victoria strategy, as we prepare to move toward the next phase if the campaign, so I don't believe there's any sense of problem among any of the 18 governors that were here today, or the 31 governors that are out there anxious to campaign in their states with Bob Dole.

WOODRUFF: Well, Governor Engler, if that is the case, then why are governors anonymously telling reporters, including my colleague Gene Randall, that they are concerned that the Dole campaign hasn't put a message out, it doesn't have a vision yet.

Gov. JOHN ENGLER (R-MI): Well, I think those Democratic governors out to speaking anonymously, go right on the record so we can rebut them. But I think that Tom made a good point. These poll numbers that are so preoccupying, and note that CNN runs a lot of polls. But on the Sunday before the election in 1990 when I won, I was treated as being 14 points behind by the most recent survey of one of our state papers in Michigan. So, I think the message with Bob Dole today is that we really feel that the agendas, our agenda in 1996, that there's a lot that we can run on where we contrast neatly with Bill Clinton.

Clinton is trying very hard not to be the liberal in this race, but Dole is the legitimate conservative with the record. He's for cutting taxes, reforming welfare, doing the things American families really care about. I think that we'll have this squared up very nicely. The convention is the key launch of the campaign, and then September and October, as always, we'll settle it out. What's different is that it's so early with the nominees in place. I think there was kind of struggling what- how to fill up the time, and probably taking polls is the wrong way to do it.

WOODRUFF: Well, governor, I want to ask you about the convention in a minute. But, Governor Ridge, do you think that message that you and Governor Engler just described is getting out there to the public?

RIDGE: Oh, yes, I do. I mean, there is a preoccupation for those who analyze the political arena with polling. And to a man and a woman who's ever been involved in this process, that's a snapshot of today. It may give you some general direction as to where you go- need to go tomorrow politically. Bob Dole doesn't need any poll. Republicans don't need any poll. We know because Republican governors have talked smaller government, welfare reform, tax cuts, growth and opportunity-

WOODRUFF: -And, governor-

RIDGE: -And we've been able to do that. That's the Dole message. That's the Republican message. And we know the ultimate poll is election day. That's why you have 31 Republican governors.

WOODRUFF: Well, governor, yeah, we all- I think we all realize that polls are snapshots. But as you know, as we all know, what people look at are the trend, and the trend is flat at best for Senator Dole. In your state of Pennsylvania, the numbers I've seen show him, what, 17 points back, and that's just one set of numbers; in Michigan 14 points back. What is it specifically in your state - let me go to you now Governor Engler - that Bob Dole needs to do to get moving?

ENGLER: The first thing we do with Bob Dole in Michigan is start to introduce Bob Dole to the people of our state who are actually going to cast their ballots next November. Bob Dole is largely unknown, and I know this is a stunning bit of news here in Washington, but-

WOODRUFF: -He's unknown after having served in the Congress for 36 years?

ENGLER: Isn't that amazing? But he was a member from Kansas, and certainly he's been a most distinguished, long-serving Senate Republican leader and majority leader. But people really don't know Bob Dole. A lot of people in Michigan don't realize that he came to Michigan to recuperate after his war injuries and then-

WOODRUFF: -And he won the primary there.

ENGLER: He did win a primary there with no money, beating Pat Buchanan who was actually on television. But people really don't know Bob Dole's life story. They don't know about this common-sense conservative out of Kansas, what he's stood for, the legacy of leadership, and I think that we should just run the campaign according to the way we think it ought to be run, stop listening to the people who want to give us the free advice because that's what it's worth, and then introduce Bob Dole and then talk about cutting taxes, contrast to Bill Clinton's middle-class tax hike, talk about reforming welfare, contrast to Bill Clinton's vetoes, talk about balancing the budget-

WOODRUFF: -Let me just jump in here. Excuse me. Governor Ridge, do you think that it is all right to wait until the convention in August? I mean, one of you said just a moment ago, I think it was Governor Engler, but I'm not sure, that the convention is the key. Can Bob Dole wait until August to really launch his campaign?

RIDGE: First of all, Bob Dole will not wait until August to launch the campaign. That was one of the reasons we got together today to talk about what we can do as governors, very successful governors who have not only talked the conservative Republican message but have delivered on the promise of change, unlike a president who has talked the message but has not delivered on the promise of change. And what we will be able to do over the next couple of months, campaigning with Bob Dole in our respective states, is bring that message back home to folks where they've seen it work.

And, clearly, I don't think there's any governor, Republican or Democrat, ever elected who saw a lot of movement from the primary through probably end of August, beginning of September, in just about any campaign. There- this campaign is not in the doldrums, it's on the move, they know where they want to go, they're going to be in campaigning with us. We're very comfortable where we are right now.

WOODRUFF: Governor Engler, there was a southern governor, Republican governor, and by the way, that's what I was talking about, Republican governors we're quoting here, a southern Republican governor who told Gene Randall that he told Bob Dole eight months ago he should step aside from his Senate leadership position and focus on the presidency.

ENGLER: Well, I don't disagree with the characterization that somebody may have said something. I'll assume that they did. But I really think that the tone today was very upbeat. I personally think Bob Dole should continue to be the majority leader of the Senate. I was the majority leader of the Michigan Senate when I ran back in 1990. I had to balance two jobs running for governor. That's just something you do. But being in that position allows him to be the leader of the Senate, but it also talks about what he would do under a Dole administration, and I think that's what he'll do.

And my reference to the convention is that I do think that's what's sort of- the bulk of the American population will sort of come back after the Olympics, sort of put a little focus back on politics again, and I think the speech there, Bob Dole laying out the vision, sort of a celebration on the part of the party-

WOODRUFF: -So when you see these numbers today that we're reporting that show 57 percent of the people think Bill Clinton deserves to re-elected, that doesn't concern you.

ENGLER: I, frankly, don't even look at your numbers at this point. I mean, it's just-

WOODRUFF: -All right.

ENGLER: -It's just way too early and they really don't matter at all.

WOODRUFF: Governor Ridge, the story- we're reporting another story today, that is, that the congressman from Nebraska says he has the distinct impression after talking to Bob Dole that he's going to offer the vice presidential slot to Colin Powell. Did Bob Dole tip his hand at all in his conversation with you all today?

RIDGE: He did not, and we don't expect him to do so. And, fortunately, we think that among the universe of options out there Bob Dole has a lot of incredibly talented men and women from whom he could draw a running mate and a partner to lead America, and we're confident that he will.

WOODRUFF: Governor Engler, as you know, your name is being mentioned over and over again. Have you had any conversations in the last day or two with the Dole people, with Senator Dole himself?

ENGLER: This is a shock. We're going to make some news. But not only in the last day or two have I not talked to him, but not at all. Not even one time at any point in time, and so I-

WOODRUFF: Who do you think he will pick?

ENGLER: I don't know. I mean, I think that- I have said consistently that whoever he chooses that his choice will be readily accepted by the convention. And does, as Governor Ridge indicated, have that luxury. I mean, there are people in Congress, in the House and Senate. There are governors and they are people who have served with distinction at the national level. So he's got a wide range of choices. He ought to pick somebody that he's comfortable with and he thinks will help him.

WOODRUFF: On that modest note, Governor Engler, I'm going to thank you.

ENGLER: You're welcome.

WOODRUFF: And thank you, Governor Ridge of Pennsylvania.

RIDGE: You're welcome. Nice to be with you.

WOODRUFF: Thank you both.

ENGLER: You're welcome.

RIDGE: You're welcome.

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