Cuomo popular after Hart’s withdrawal

Press, 13 May 1987, Page 12

Cuomo popular after Hart’s withdrawal

NZPA-Reuter Washington United States polls show the withdrawal of Gary Hart from the 1988 presidential race has left the New York State Governor, Mario Cuomo, among the most popular Democratic contenders — despite his earlier announcement that he would not run. Mr Cuomo withdrew from the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination three months ago, saying he could not devote his energies to both governing his state and campaigning. Mr Hart’s abrupt exit from the. campaign after revelations that he spent a week-end in the company of a 29-year-old actress was expected to increase pressure on Mr Cuomo to reconsider his decision. Meanwhile, a new report said Hart aides knew in advance about a media stakeout of the candidate’s Washington townhouse on May 1 and 2 but did nothing about it.

Mr Hart decided last week to abandon his quest for the White House after embarrassing allegations about his extra-marital activities. He had been considered the Democratic front-runner, and his departure left a bevy of lesser-known candidates vying for the nomination. Mr Cuomo said in a television interview this

week that Mr Hart’s withdrawal had created an impression of disorder in the Democratic camp. “Psychologically, what appears now is disarray. It’s not really disarray, but there’s a kind of implicit suggestion that the Democratic Party this late in the game can’t provide a clear direction,” Mr Cuomo said.

A “Los Angeles Times” poll showed the Massachusetts Governor, Michael Dukakis, with a slim five-point lead for the Democratic presidential nomination. But the poll found that if Mr Cuomo had not decided to sit out the contest, he might well be the front-runner. Seven per cent of the 393 registered Democrats who took part in the survey volunteered Mr Cuomo’s name on their own after being asked to choose from a list of candidates that did not include him. Mr Cuomo’s showing was enough to tie him with the black activist, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, in the runner-up spot. “Time Magazine” published a poll taken before Mr Hart dropped out of the race which showed Mr Cuomo ranking second among Democrats even though he said he was not running. “Time” said the telephone poll of 750 adults,

which was conducted hours before Mr Hart withdrew, found he still dominated the competition but that his popularity had slipped. “Time” said 26 per cent of the respondents favoured Mr Hart as the Democratic presidential candidate, down from 37 per cent in January, followed by Mr Cuomo with 18 per cent, up from 14 per cent in January. The poll found that without Mr Hart, 20 per cent backed Mr Cuomo. In a television interview, Mr Cuomo dodged the question of whether he would accept the Democratic nod if, in the event no clear-cut leader emerged at the party’s convention next year, he became a draft candidate.