Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 28, 1983)
Demos’ chances outlined Kulongoski: Glenn is best bet By David Steinmetz Of th* Emarakf In the 1984 presidential elections, Democrats must make the decision that their number one priority is who can beat Pres. Ronald Reagan, says Ted Kulongoski, a guber natorial candidate in 1982 who is now working for presiden tial candidate John Glenn. Kulongoski and Republican Dave Cargo, 1984 candidate for Oregon state treasurer, spoke Friday as part of the Robert A. Taft Institute of Govern ment seminar at the University, sponsored by the political science department. While the race will be close, Kulongoski con cluded Glenn has the best chance of winning. I think the (Democratic) candidate will be John Glenn,” he said. Each Democratic candidate will win some states, so he predicted the convention will make the final decision on who the candidate will be. Kulongoski stressed the im portance of the Democratic coalition. "In the end, no Democrat will be able to win the presidency without the South,” Kulongoski said. Glenn has a chance at that because he is a former astronaut, and the two major industries in the South are cot ton and the aerospace in dustry, he said. Also, the military is important in the South — Glenn is a retired col onel in the Marine Corps. Neither former Vice Presi dent Walter Mondale nor Sen. Alan Cranston, D-Calif., will do The greatest danger in 1984 will be when Reagan asks: ‘Are you better off now than you were before 1980?’ Forty percent of the nation — the ones with good jobs — will says ‘yes.’ About 30 per cent will say ‘no.’ ’ well in the South, he said. Cranston has copied George McGovern’s campaign strategies, Kulongoski said. "He wants to capture the liberal wing” of the Democratic party, then slide back into the middle of the party and grab the rest of it, he said. "I don’t think it will work.” Glenn, on the other hand, “is right in the middle." SONY WM2 ujRLKmnn u is on SALE reg. $149.9*' 1#^ ^ 13th & Kincaid ■ V M Mon Frl 7 30 5 30 Sat 10:00 3 00 BOOKSTORE Supplies #8*4331 Values from BARGAIN RECORDS AT THE BOOKSTORE ADD TO TOUR ltr< ODD COLl.T.CTIOn SOW ✓ ROCK ^ JAZZ ^ CLASSICAL ^ COUNTRY ^ EASY LISTENING BO0KSTORI If Reagan is rejected for be ing on the far right, someone on the far left will not be selected, Kulongoski said. Instead, voters “will pick so meone stable, in the middle” — a “good, American hero” like Glenn. The Democratic candidate should do well in the South and the Northeast, but will fair poorly west of the Mississippi, he said. Winning four of the states in the West will be doing very well, he said. Democrats can no longer depend on women and minorities to support their can didates, Kulongoski said. "If Democrats want to get the votes of the women, it’s on the economic issues. That’s the issue they’re wor ried about." It’s not social issues, like abortion, he said. The economy and foreign policy will be the two main issues of the campaign, Kulongoski predicted. The ability of the Democrats to ad dress these issues will decide their success in 1984, he said. Reagan’s lack of a set economic policy will make it more difficult for Democrats to challenge, he said. Democrats need to tell the people “they care." Part of the reason Reagan was able to win the 1980 presidential election was because “the Democrats did too good from 1930 to 1980," Kulongoski said. “We were too successful because we made a middle class that became too af fluent, and this is what Reagan made his greatest strides in to." With increasing inflation, they were "no longer getting ahead," and even their wage increases were no longer help ing them keep pace. Reagan accurately assess ed the middle-income group as frustrated and no longer willing to pay taxes to help others. He appealed to puo pie's self-interest and won, Kulongoski said Now, the “greatest danger in 1984" will be when Reagan says: "Are you better off now than you were before 1980?” Some 40 percent of the nation — the ones with good jobs — will says yes. About 30 percent will say no — the minorities and low-income people, Kulongoski said. The Democratic party fights for that 30 percent, "but they mmm Emerald photo Ted Kulongoski, Oregon campaign coordinator for John Glenn, stumps for the presidential hopeful, and offers a theory for a democratic victory over the Republicans. don’t get out there and vote.” Foreign policy is an issue that “Reagan controls com pletely,” Kulongoski said, but the Middle East is the "Achilles’ heel" of the presi dent because he cannot con trol the situation there. Reagan’s success in 1980 also had to do with his ability to discern what Americans believed with regard to foreign policy. Because of the Iranian hostage situation, he conclud ed "Americans felt pushed around." "All Reagan said is: ’Elect me and you won’t get pushed around.’ ” Kulongoski said isola tionism will be a major issue in 1984 There is “a strong anti foreign sentiment by blue col lar workers." especially in heavy industrial states, he said. It is especially anti Oriental and anti-Asian. Reagan's policies on foreign policy and economics are two examples of his perception, Kulongoski said. "He's reading the pulse of where he thinks the people are at, and he’s addressing those issues." Reagan’s flaw is in appeal ing to "little segments of the population, although it won't mean anything in the long run." Kulongoski said he is a believer in platforms, parties and participation. “If you don’t have a strong party system, the strong drift towards dollars will continue. You can offset that by your participation. The only way to bring back the power of the in dividual is to make the can didate accountable." Dave Cargo, former gover nor of New Mexico, com mented on the Republican party’s chances in 1984. He said the Republicans will run “a very strong race.’’ Although Reagan “has a philosophy of a kind of economic Darwinism — the survival of the richest," if the economy is "up" it will be very important in the election, he said. As part of his strategy, "Reagan will move to the mid dle on ecology,” Cargo said. Republicans need to be more responsive to the black and Spanish-speaking vote, he said. "Republicans have written off a lot of the black vote, which is tragic." But blacks are now more open to listen to what the Republican party has to say, Cargo said. The Spanish-speaking vote is a tremendous reservoir of votes that has not been ad dressed, but will be very im portant in the coming years, he said. I I O OFF ANY REOULARLY PRICED MERCHANDISE wilh this coupon Coupon expires 7/7/83 Limit one coupon pet purchase ALBUMS, CASSETTES, SINGLES BUTTONS, T-SHIRTS CARDS. PHOTOS POSTERS & — Across the street from the Cl of O Bookstore 886 E. 13th • 345-1010 MORE CIEE STUDENT i R * Lowest fares to EUROPE/ASIA. SOUTH PACIFIC/AFRICA ‘EURAILP ASSES/ INTTL IO/AYH issued on the spot! 'USSR BUDGET TOURS 'EUROCENTRES - Intense language study centers ‘WORK ABROAD PROGRAMS 1314 NE 43rd *210 Seattle. WA 98105
