enator Bob Smith should have been a contender. Or at least that was what was running through his mind the other night as he heard George W. Bush speak at the Lincoln Day Dinner in Keene, N.H. Smith, still nostalgic for his erstwhile presidential candidacy, said there ''may be another time'' for him to run in the future. If he does, though, it will be as a Republican - no inexplicable switches to the Independent Party like last time. ''Do I sit here with a little tug at the heart?'' Smith said. ''Sure. I do have regrets. I wish now that I'd stayed a little longer. ... But there's no point living in the past.'' (Globe Staff)
Last time, it was personal?
Is the tax fight between George W. Bush and Steve Forbes really just an old personal grudge? Not quite. But this isn't the first time Bush has accused Forbes of making up lies. Back in 1988, before either man was in politics, Forbes Magazine published a rather nasty story about Silver Screen Management Services - a film financing company in which Bush was an officer. Silver Screen sued Forbes for defamation, complaining the magazine misrepresented its financial dealings. A judge in New York threw the case out. Needless to say, after Bush's complaints about Forbes's accusations that he raised taxes as Texas governor, the Forbes camp wouldn't mind voters here doing the same thing today. (Globe Staff)
THEY SAID IT
''No, this is Al Gore. No, it really is. ... No, it's not your grandson talking. No, it's me, Al Gore.''
VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE
Telephoning undecided votersin New Hampshire
IN THE NEWS
N.J. town takes it back
CINNAMINSON, N.J. - The New Jersey Conservative Party's leadership, which Wednesday endorsed Arizona Senator John McCain, yesterday rescinded the endorsement at the urging of its members. ''In speaking with NJCP members throughout the state, I have received strong criticism for [endorsing McCain] and I therefore must rescind the endorsement,'' said party chairman Len Marshall. Marshall said he had violated the spirit of the party's by-laws when he endorsed McCain in the primary races throughout the country without members' consent. Marshall said members will decide whom to endorse at the party's convention April 8. (Reuters)
Trump thrown off New York ballots
ALBANY, N.Y. - In a victory for supporters of Reform Party presidential candidate Patrick J. Buchanan, a state judge yesterday removed developer Donald J. Trump from the party's presidential primary ballot in New York. State Supreme Court Justice Thomas McNamara also said Trump's supporters did not obey New York's election laws, which require a presidential candidate to submit 5,000 signatures from enrolled party members to get on a party's ballot. The ruling eliminates Trump from the entire New York Reform ballot. (AP)
