Richard Lamm Discusses Possible Candidacy

Aired June 3, 1996

GENE RANDALL, Anchor: The California contingent of Ross Perot's Reform Party held a state conference this past weekend in Los Angeles. One speaker who made a big hit was former Colorado Governor Richard Lamm, touted by some as a possible standard bearer for the party. And Richard Lamm joins us from Denver.

RICHARD LAMM (D), Former Colorado Governor: That Ross Perot himself isn't running, and number two, that we could conduct at this late hour a credible campaign. Where's the money going to come from? How can anybody run for president at the last minute?

LAMM: Yes. I think that, as you know, the Reform Party has put in for matching funds, and whether or not that comes about- I think the- the real question I think is probably whether or not the national press would take my issues seriously. I'm arguing a whole series of very tough issues, and I think that they need to be discussed in a campaign. I think that the people are ready to hear some of the tough issues facing America. But neither political party has got an agenda, in my opinion, that is going to keep American great.

RANDALL: Governor, I understand that you started a fire under some of the delegates at this Reform Party convention in Los Angeles. Once they heard you, they decided maybe you ought to take a shot at the nomination. But are you convinced at all that Ross Perot is looking for anyone other than himself to head the ticket?

RANDALL: Have you asked him?

LAMM: Oh, yes, I've asked him. Oh, yes. We had a nice talk. You know, I think that Ross Perot realizes that he is sort of a target for an awful lot of people in the nation. I think that he played a very valuable role in '92. I think the reason that Bill Clinton is more fiscally responsible is because of Ross Perot and his charts. And I think- I look at this almost as a teach-in, that when people are talking about reducing taxes in a time of unprecedented spending, I think that we really ought to- somebody's got to come along and say, 'How are we going to retire the baby boomers?' 'How are we going to pay for health care?' We've got to touch Social Security. I mean, in my opinion, you've got to look at all the sacred cows.

RANDALL: And if you do run, tell me the top three priorities for issues.

LAMM: I think that, actually, an agenda that realistically balances the budget, which means taking on entitlements. Pete Peterson [sp] said it so well - he said trying to make fiscal sense out of the future without taking on entitlements is like trying to clean the garage without removing the Winnebago. The second issue, I guess, would be campaign and election reform, and the third would be to reduce immigration - the immigration issue would be my third big one.

RANDALL: Governor Lamm, let's talk political reality. Polls are showing Ross Perot with anywhere from 12 to 15 percent support in the electorate. You are far less known than Ross Perot. Wouldn't that put you at a distinct disadvantage if you were to decide to make a run?

RANDALL: Governor, you were a three-term chief executive on the Democratic side in Colorado. You were an early supporter of Bill Clinton in 1992. What is it that has so turned you against this incumbent president?

LAMM: I think that the way that he is pandering to the elderly on Medicare - I think that Medicare is every bit as serious as the Republicans say it is, and even more serious. I think that any thoughtful person looking at the budget realizes we're facing trillion- dollar yearly deficits in Medicare. I think also that the trial lawyers can go into the White House and get him to veto products liability-

But it's not Bill Clinton. I think the two political parties are both controlled by their extremes, Bill Clinton as well as any of the rest of them. But I think both political parties have almost fatal flaws in it. I think that one of those political parties is going to be the Berlin Wall of the '90s, that something is going to collapse in one of those political parties.

RANDALL: Does that mean you will support Ross Perot if, in fact, he decides to run for president?

LAMM: I will not.

RANDALL: Well, then what would you do? Will you not vote?

LAMM: Oh, I'm sure I'll vote. Oh, sure I'll vote. But I just don't know. I don't know what Ross Perot's party- if Ross Perot runs, I don't know what the Reform Party is going to stand for. I am really passionate about my issues, not my candidacy. I am really going to try to- I would love to go any place I can to talk about the issues that I see facing America. I think there's five orphan issues that neither political party are willing to face, and I want to talk about those issues.

LAMM: I- my- my timetable, I guess, would be whenever Ross Perot decides what he's going to do - was there even an opening? Second of all, I guess that I would be very doubtful that I would really want to be- very doubtful that I would want to - what did you say? - jumble things up. I really would want to talk about the issues that I think are facing America, wherever they lead.

RANDALL: All right, Governor, thanks very much.

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