Democrat hostility ahead for Bush

Press, 10 November 1988, Page 8

Democrat hostility ahead for Bush

By

LARRY EICHEL

of Knight-Ridder Newspapers

George Bush heads to the White House without a mandate and faced with a hostile Congress led by Democrats who deeply resent him for the kind of campaign he ran.

The election results gave the 64-year-old VicePresident an overwhelming win over the Massachusetts Governor, Michael Dukakis, ensuring the White House will stay in Republican hands for four more years after Mr Reagan steps down on January 20. A travel-weary Mr Dukakis conceded defeat graciously at a rally in Boston as the room throbbed to the sound of Neil Diamond’s record ‘‘Coming to America” — a wistful relic of his failed campaign. His wife, Kitty, stood nearby blinking back tears.

“Just a few minutes ago I called Vice-President Bush and congratulated him on his victory,” Mr Dukakis said to groans from supporters who accused Mr Bush of dirty, negative campaigning. “He will be our President and we’ll work with him as this nation faces major challenges ahead. We must work together.”

In Houston, his home base, Mr Bush responded in kind and emphasised he wanted to reconcile with the Democrats and sweep away the bitter dregs of this campaign as fast as possible. He congratulated his opponent for his “genuinely friendly” call and pledged: “We will move again for an America that is strong and resolute in the world, strong and bighearted at home.” Then he added: “And when I said (in the campaign) that I wanted a kinder and gentler nation, I meant it — and I mean it ... I mean

to be a President of all the people.” A delighted Mr Reagan, who had campaigned hard for Mr Bush and urged voters to “win just one more for the Gipper,” issued a statement of congratulations that also complimented Mr Dukakis for a gallant campaign effort. Mr Bush, now officially President-elect, had every

reason to be conciliatory considering the voting trends in Congress were running opposite to those for the Presidency. The Democrats appeared to be building on already strong majorities in both the Senate and House of Representatives. With a few major states including California still uncounted, Mr Bush had won at least 35 of the 50 states to eight for Mr Dukakis. The Vice-Presi-dent had locked up 323 electoral votes — 270 are needed for victory under the indirect United States system — to 98 for the Governor. Mr Bush’s victory fell short of Reaganesque dimensions — the President won 49 of the 50 states in 1984 — because Mr Dukakis was able to capture the major prize of New York and possibly Illinois along with his populous home state, Massachusetts. The President-elect is a self-styled Texan with

Yankee aristocrat roots, who has prepared for the Presidency with a quar-ter-century in politics, long Government service and eight years apprenticeship to Mr Reagan. Mr Bush is an athletic and youthful-looking man fond of jogging, fishing and fast boats. Although his official voting address is Houston, his favoured retreat is a sprawling oceanside home in Maine. He was born into a socialite New England family of great wealth and position — his father was the Connecticut Senator, Prescott Bush — but also became a millionaire in his own right in the west Texas oilfields after World War 11. Before serving as VicePresident, he had been United States Ambassador to the United Nations, its envoy to China, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, a Congressman from Texas and Republican Party chairman.