Crime Takes Centrestage In Us Presidential Race

With the November 5 presidential election approaching, crime took the spotlight as underdog challenger Dole unleashed a broadside on the Clinton record on crime during a Villanova, Pennsylvania, appearance.

Dole moved away from emphasising his economic programme centred on a across-the-board personal income tax rate cut which has not attracted the public's fancy. The country is reaping the bitter harvest of what this administration's liberal policies have sowed, said Dole. It is time to get serious about violent crime and drugs in a way that we have not seen in our government over the last four years, he said.

Campaigning in Cincinnati, Clinton also seized on fighting crime as an issue which, a recent US News & World Report poll showed, ranked above improving education, cutting taxes and improving the economy as a top job for the next president.

 

Clinton seemed to pre-empt Dole's address by pointing to his own anti-crime record and winning the endorsement from the 270,000-member Fraternal Order of Police. Getting police backing for re-election was an important symbolic reward for Clinton since the organisation of local police strongly endorsed Clinton's opponent four years ago, Republican President George Bush.

The endorsement gives Clinton ammunition to fight Dole's attempt to portray Clinton as weak on crime.

The president of the police union, Gilbert Gallegos, said in announcing the endorsement: We support those candidates who support our fight against crime and our struggle for better working conditions, salaries and due process rights for all police officers in this country.

In his speech, Dole said his crime programme would include plans forcing prisoners to work to pay restitution for crime victims and costsof imprisonment, doubling money for prison construction, tougher sentences for violent juvenile offenders and hastening instant background checks for gun buyers.

In other campaign developments on Monday:

Dole's running mate Jack Kemp continued reaching out to minorities by going to a black neighbourhood in Newark, New Jersey, but in turn he was grilled by black students.

Kemp was put on the defensive when he was asked about his flip flop on affirmative action programmes for minorities.

I did not flip flop. I have never supported affirmative action that led to quotas. I have always supported, continue to support affirmative efforts of government to open up equality of opportunity, Kemp said.

Dole said he wanted to exclude Reform Party candidate Ross Perot from presidential debates.

I don't think he's a viable candidate, Dole said of Perot in an interview aired on ABC's Good Morning America. I'd like to have one-on-ones with President Clinton.

The Commission on Presidential Debates said it planned to announce a decision on Tuesday on whether Perot, or other minor party candidates, would be permitted to debate.

The Perot campaign released a list of 40 Republican members of Congress who, contrary to Dole, said Perot should be included in the debates as should his running mate, economist Pat Choate.

An ABC News poll taken from Wednesday to Sunday showed Clinton ahead of Dole 49 per cent to 41 per cents with Perot at 5 per cent. That was the closest poll in three weeks.

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup tracking poll also released Monday put Clinton 17 points ahead of Dole, 51 to 34 per cent, with Perot at 8 per cent. That was Perot's best showing in weeks.