Mondale has ‘hit his stride’

Press, 13 April 1984, Page 8

Mondale has ‘hit his stride’

NZPA-Reuter Philadelphia

Walter Mondale’s campaign strategists think he has found the right style to clinch the Democratic Presidential nomination while his floundering rival, Senator Gary Hart, searches for “new ideas” to revive his fortunes. Mr Mondale drubbed Mr Hart by 47 per cent to 35 per cent in Pennsylvania, a state that many analysts had considered must win for Mr Hart.

In spite of Mr Mondale’s impressive victory in the Pennsylvania primary election on Wednesday, both sides agree that the battle for the nomination is far from over.

The fight now heads into Hart country — the south, south-west, and west.

Mr Mondale goes into the final leg of the campaign with more than 1000 of the 1967 delegates needed to win the nomination at the Democratic convention in July, and with the campaign’s momentum clearly on his side. After an initial flourish Mr Hart has slipped badly, losing primaries to the former Vice-President in the main states of Illinois, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Mr Hart’s campaign manager, Oliver Henkel, said that the Colorado sena-

tor would become more aggressive on the campaign trail, going after Mr Mondale with a new “give ’em hell, Gary” fervour.

A Hart spokesman, David Landau said, “We need to be more aggressive. It is clear from polling data that Gary’s message does strike with voters. What we need to do is better connect that message with Gary.” Opinion polls in Pennsylvania said that many voters had found Mr Hart vague on issues and too concerned with image. They suggested that his once-bright appeal as a new ideas leader in the mould of the late John Kennedy had lost most of its bloom.

The next big campaign battle will be the caucuses on May 6 in Texas, where Mr Hart claims strength but where Mr Mondale again has the support of a large section of the political establishment and the trade unions.

The New York Governor, Mr Mario Cuomo, a Mondale backer, has said that Mr Hart, “Still has his cowboy boots on and they could prove to be terrific running shoes.”

Mr Mondale’s campaign chairman, James Johnson, said that he thought Mr Mondale had now hit his stride and had found the right hard-hitting style to beat Mr Hart.