Dole Finally Talks Whitewater On The Stump

By Marc Watts/CNN

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AllPolitics, June 14) -- Buoyed by new poll numbers, Republican Bob Dole finally touched on an issue, Whitewater, that he had never mentioned in a stump speech. It happened as he attacked the Clinton Administration on the secret FBI files (192K WAV sound).

"I read about the FBI files and nobody in the White House knew anything; funny how they got there, they don't know how other papers got there either, Whitewater," Dole said. "They just showed up one day and after a couple years they discovered them."

And at a rally in Georgia, Dole didn't hesitate to boast about his new poll standings (96K WAV sound). A new CNN/TIME Poll shows a narrower, 49-43 percent lead for Clinton, compared to his earlier double-digit margins.

"We're catching up," Dole told a cheering crowd.

Earlier in the day, the former senator told reporters he sensed that there was some movement his way. "They day I announced my resignation in May, I could tell the people they had a full-time candidate and money started coming into state and local committees," he said.

But Dole still feels Clinton has the upper hand because he can make news every day, while Dole has to work for it.

However, Dole has generated news regarding the tobacco industry this week. On Wednesday, he said he doesn't feel the government should regulate nicotine. On Thursday, a reporter asked Dole if he'll stop accepting money from tobacco companies.

"I don't know if I have taken any money from tobacco companies," Dole replied. But the Clinton-Gore campaign released a document showing Dole has received more than $350,000 from various tobacco companies or groups over the past 16 years.

"Am I supposed to tell someone in a legal business you can't contribute?" Dole responded.

This story originally appeared on CNN's "Inside Politics."

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