• It Takes a Guru
• Dole Gets Gored Again
• Jones Wants Her 20 Minutes
• Getting Tough
• Farmers for Dole
• Whose Charity?

It Takes a Guru

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, June 25) -- Everyone seems to be in line for a jab at Hillary Rodham Clinton, whose consultations with psychic researcher Jean Houston and imaginary conversations with Eleanor Roosevelt have predictably been dubbed "guru-gate." Massachusetts Gov. William Weld, whose wife is a cousin of Eleanor Roosevelt, said the late First Lady hasn't mentioned Hillary in any of his recent conversations with her. New York Gov. George Pataki told a press conference, "I'm a little bit late because I was just talking with Teddy Roosevelt." Even the president has taken a shot at his wife, telling a New York audience that the past few weeks had been "dominated by (Southern church fire) flames and Eleanor." Hillary tried her hand at humor to downplay the controversy, telling a Nashville family values convention that she just talked to Eleanor Roosevelt, "and she thinks this is a terrific idea."

Dole Gets Gored Again

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, June 25) -- Of all the political heavy-weights (and spiritual advisers) in Clinton's camp, Vice President Al Gore has become the most vocal critic of GOP presidential hopeful Robert Dole. In his latest attack, Gore blamed Dole for blocking campaign finance reform efforts in the Senate so he could continue to take special interest money (!60K WAV sound). A Dole spokeswoman defended the former Kansas senator, saying Dole twice proposed legislation that would form a commission to study the problem. Both Clinton and Senate Republicans have included campaign reform among their election-year promises, and each side blames the other for the stalled reform efforts.

Jones Wants Her 20 Minutes

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AllPolitics, June 25) -- Following the Supreme Court's decision to hear arguments over whether President Bill Clinton should have to face the Paula Jones civil suit while in office, Jones accused him of abusing his presidential power. "If the man's innocent, why did he take it all the way to the Supreme Court?" she said in an interview with the Press-Telegram. Jones's suit, filed in May 1994, seeks $700,000 in damages for a 1991 incident when then-Governor Clinton made sexual advances to Jones. "He has said on numerous occasions that his lawyers could beat me in court in 20 minutes, and I'm waiting for my 20 minutes," Jones said. "It'll happen. I'll have my day. Bill Clinton's just trying to avoid the inevitable."

Getting Tough

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, June 25) -- President Bill Clinton announced his support for a constitutional amendment protecting crime victims' rights, coopting yet another traditional GOP issue. The president has not endorsed specific language, but most proposals would mandate notifying victims of court proceedings and release dates of convicts, and allowing victims to object to plea bargains and to testify at sentencing hearings. Clinton's endorsement marks the first time he's supported amending the Constitution. Republicans are already criticizing the president for piggy-backing onto what they believe is their issue.

Farmers for Dole

VINELAND, N.J. (AllPolitics, June 25) -- Presumptive GOP nominee Robert Dole's wife Elizabeth Dole told New Jersey farmers that her husband, who grew up in a farm family, has always been supportive of agricultural programs. Although campaigning for her husband, Liddy spent the day chatting with farmers at an area market instead of discussing the specifics of agricultural policy. When asked if she had a spiritual adviser like Hillary Clinton, Mrs. Dole answered, "My church."

Whose Charity?

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, June 25) -- House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his political action committee GOPAC used six different non-profit foundations to generate at least $6 million in tax deductible contributions that were outside the jurisdiction of federal election law, according to the Los Angeles Times. Democrats reacted immediately, with House Minority Whip David Bonior calling Gingrich "the most corrupt political figure of our times." The Times article said the foundations "formed an innovative approach to political organization that, in the view of many tax experts, stretched the rules governing charitable groups."