Dole Hits Clinton, Media; Crowds Like It

DALLAS (Oct. 25) -- Any Republican presidential candidate who has to campaign in Texas in late October is in some trouble. That said, Bob Dole gave 'em quite a show in the Lone Star state today, working his way through Houston and Dallas with his rhetoric blazing. "We have the president of the United States sitting down there with 900 FBI files. Might be one of yours," an energized Dole told a Dallas rally. "Might be one of yours. And then we have the president of the United States who won't say he will not pardon someone who did business with him and might implicate him later on. Where is the outrage in America? Where is the outrage in America?" (288K WAV sound)

Dole also dismissed as impossible Bill Clinton's plan for federal financing to put another 100,000 police on the streets.

"Mr. President, Mr. President, where are you? Oh, you're out there talking about a hundred thousand police," Dole said. "We won't live long enough to see a hundred thousand police from this president on the streets of the United States of America. Tell the truth, Mr. President! Tell the truth, Mr. President!"

Dole's other barrel opened up on the media, his language reminiscent of former President George Bush in the last gasp of his 1992 campaign. Dole asked, "When will the American people rise up and say, 'Forget the media in America! We're going to make up our minds. You're not going to make up our minds.'"

Dole's media mind-set is not likely to improve with a story from the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper alleging he had an affair a quarter century ago. "What about this report you had a mistress in '72?" reporters shouted at Dole. "You are worse than they are," he replied.

Having dispensed with that, Dole moved ahead. Apparently unwilling to take "no" for an answer, Dole -- while he was in Ross Perot territory -- tried again to get his support.

"I don't like having to run against two people," Dole said, "because every vote for Perot is a vote for Bill Clinton and Bill Clinton knows it, I think Ross Perot would know it. If he doesn't want Clinton...he ought to say, 'Vote for Bob Dole.'" (160K WAV sound)

On the trail, Dole is pumped up. His rhetoric is sharp, the crowds are good and responsive. It is like it should have been in late August, but Dole believes it is still not too late.

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

Dole Hits Clinton, Media; Crowds Like It

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