Second-fiddle hopefuls woo GOP vote

By Mike Glover, Associated Press, June 13, 1999

DES MOINES -- Elizabeth Dole pledged more aid for farmers and talked of "courageous conservatism." Lamar Alexander said President Clinton "has been diddling" while farmers have gone broke. Representative John Kasich of Ohio touted his work as head of the House Budget Committee.

While Governor George W. Bush of Texas was attracting nearly all of the media attention with his initial trip to Iowa, these three candidates for the Republican presidential nomination descended yesterday on the Iowa State Fairgrounds to talk farming with shirt-sleeved producers at the World Pork Expo.

Campaigning separately, another Republican, conservative activist Gary Bauer, said Democrats will pay a political price because of military weaknesses exposed in the Balkan bombing campaign.

At the fairgrounds, Dole touted a 10-point farm program that would cut taxes, boost exports, and help producers.

"The next president, whoever she may be, must stabilize the farm economy by exercising leadership to expand domestic markets and increasing exports," she said.

Iowa produces a quarter of the nation's hogs and has suffered from low commodity prices.

Rivals of Bush, the GOP front-runner, have attacked him for vagueness on issues.

"I think that people in Iowa want straight talk," said Dole, the closest contender to Bush in most polling. "I think they want people with the courage of their convictions. That's what I call courageous conservatism, and that's what I'm bringing to the table."

She rejected suggestions she was taking a shot at Bush, who describes himself as a "compassionate conservative."

"I'm speaking for Elizabeth Dole," she said.

All the contenders sought to play on the local flavor of the Pork Expo.

"I haven't seen so much pork since the highway bill passed Congress last year," Kasich said. "The values that are practiced every day on the American farm are very special."

Alexander also focused on farming, saying he would boost export subsidies, farm research, and the use of ethanol-blended fuels. Clinton got most of his fire.

"While Bill Clinton has been diddling and Al Gore has been cheerleading, more farmers have been going out of business than during the farm crisis of the 1980s," Alexander said.