Portsmouth Herald RAN 2/8/96 Pg. A1 By Susan Maddocks Herald Staff PORTSMOUTH - Predictions and observations, from Pat Buchanan. Sen. Bob Dole's grip on the brass ring is slipping. Money bags Steve Forbes is single-handedly sweeping away the traditional door-to-door, down-home campaign style of New Hampshire with slick, expensive advertising, and gobbling up a large chunk of voter support in the process. And as for America: The economy will crumble if something isn't done about the NAFTA and GATT trade agreements. Free trade, U.S. involvement in other countries' problems, and federal funds for abortion are unraveling the seams of the country's fabric. Buchanan - Republican presidential candidate, outspoken pundit, former McLaughlin Group talking head, and co-host of ``Crossfire'' - is talking here. And he's taking his second bid for the Oval Office very seriously as he stresses themes of family, morality and protectionism. Recent polls show Buchanan running in third place in the New Hampshire primary, trailing front-runners Dole and Forbes by less than the number of uncommitted voters. On Tuesday, he captured the highest number of delegates in Louisiana's caucus. In contrast to his pugnacious rhetoric in 1992, Buchanan has wrapped his message in a softer package this year. ``It certainly is less `in-your-face' than 1992,'' said Michael Biundo, Buchanan's New Hampshire deputy campaign manager. When he went against Bush, it was the singular issue of taxes and Bush's broken ``no new taxes'' pledge that drove the campaign and advertising, Biundo said. This time the issues are more far-reaching: jobs, family, morality, American interests, he said. It's not just the rhetoric that has changed since '92, however. The 10-week high-profile sprint that divided New Hampshire Republicans four years ago has been replaced with a more grueling ``marathon,'' Biundo said. Buchanan admitted he was tired when he had a casual sit-down with the Portsmouth Herald recently. ``We got up at 5 a.m. today and I've had too much coffee,'' Buchanan said. Wearing a powder blue shirt, gray suit pants, and carrying his suit jacket, he leaned forward at the meeting table, casual and friendly. Seasoned in the political arena - he was an adviser to three American presidents - and in the communications field - he was a longtime syndicated newspaper columnist, co-host of CNN's ``Crossfire,'' host of Mutual Radio's ``Buchanan & Co.'' and fixture on ``The McLaughlin Group'' - Buchanan could certainly make a point. When pressed to explain the rationale that American troops should only be dispatched to global trouble spots when it serves vital interests of the United States, Buchanan said an effective world leader has to make tough decisions - that the U.S. cannot continue to stretch its limited resources. ``What did we do when there were mass killings in China? I was there when Nixon was shaking hands with Mao Tse Tung ... sometimes we have to shake hands with one butcher to deal with another butcher,'' he said. At the time, it was in the best interest of the country: the beginnings of diplomatic relations and the policy of detente, which paved the way for improved relations, Buchanan said. ``We've got Rwanda ..., we've got horrible things being done all over the world. The United States can't solve all of them,'' Buchanan said. Instead, ``The U.S. has got to select things (to participate in) that are in the vital interest of the United States,'' he said. ``We can't send American troops everywhere.'' Buchanan, 57, was exempt from military service due to a bad knee, according to a December article in GQ magazine. It is with equal zeal that Buchanan decries the two major trade pacts signed under President Clinton: the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT). ``There was a time when `Made in Japan' meant junk. If you got something with `Made in Japan' on it, you threw it away,'' Buchanan said. Today, Americans are being swamped with Japanese imports, squeezing out U.S. competitors, he said. Import tariffs should be levied on those products as they are in Japan, he said, adding that such tariffs saved Harley Davidson. ``When Reagan was president, we found out that the Japanese were dumping bikes here. Reagan applied tariffs to the foreign bikes,'' and troubled Harley Davidson regained its hold and today thrives, he said. ``What's wrong with saving Harley Davidson? ``People are beginning to realize that we all worshipped at the altar of foreign trade for too long.'' It should be fair trade, not free trade, he said. Another threat to American businesses and jobs is the troubling trend of companies moving manufacturing plants to countries with fewer costly restrictions, such as environmental controls, he said. ``With the NAFTA agreement, if you move a plant to Mexico, you can pollute all you want ... there are no rules'' and the workers can be paid a dollar an hour to produce, Buchanan said. ``We need to have ... taxes on foreign goods that discriminate for our companies,'' Buchanan said. ``We need to make America independent from other countries.'' Independence is a chord that runs through Buchanan's campaign, which has him taking stands on contentious, high-profile issues like abortion to more obscure issues. On a campaign stop this year in Hanoverton, Ohio, Buchanan chided those he termed ``multiculturalists'' for demanding the Confederate flag be taken down, according to the GQ article. ``Those were the greatest generations that America produced,'' Buchanan said. He reportedly sees the Confederacy as part of the same American past that includes the steel industry of Youngstown, Ohio, according to the GQ article. Conservative roots Buchanan's ultraconservative convictions were in place at a young age. Born in Washington, D.C., he was raised in a conservative household, to which he attributes much of his political bent. He also cites William Buckley's National Review and political mentor President Nixon as forces shaping his politics. Buchanan was a Nixon speechwriter and adviser for eight years, starting in 1966. He later served as assistant to President Gerald Ford and as White House communications director for President Ronald Reagan. During his eight years with Nixon, Buchanan traveled to China and was present at the final Moscow-Yalta summit in the summer of 1974. He was with President Reagan at both of his summit meetings with Mikhail Gorbachev, according to campaign literature. Buchanan is the author of ``Right From the Beginning,'' a bestseller about growing up Roman Catholic and conservative in Washington, D.C. Despite his media savvy, Buchanan has not dominated the radio, television or newspaper market with advertisements. The $6 million fueling his campaign cannot buy the air time that millionaire Steve Forbes can, a predicament that unsettled Buchanan's bid. ``He (Forbes) complicated our strategy,'' he said. Originally, Buchanan planned to do battle with Gramm, setting himself apart as the ``true conservative'' before going after front-runner Dole. Forbes' money and advertisements scuttled that idea, he said. As he stumped in New Hampshire, Buchanan said the tons of cash his opponents are spending on political advertisements could change the way the first-in-the-nation primary is run. ``Maybe we are seeing the passing of an era,'' Buchanan said. It used to be that an underdog could go head-to-head with a front-runner by going to coffee shops, factories and other places people congregate, he said. ``I love the campaigning in New Hampshire, going to the Dunkin' Donuts and all the newspapers,'' he said. ``The question is, `Can you buy the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary?' I guess we're going to find that out.'' Buchanan has run two television commercials in New Hampshire, appearing on WMUR-TV in Manchester and cable channels, Biundo said. The latest strikes a pro-family theme, ending with the candidate sitting on a couch with his wife Shelley and some of their relatives' children. The Buchanan campaign is also running television advertisements in Iowa and Louisiana, Biundo said. ON THE ISSUES - Abortion: If elected, Buchanan said he would work to reverse Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case that is the foundation of abortion rights. He is opposed to abortion under any circumstance, even in the case of rape. When queried about the issue during call-in show, ``You Make the Call,'' on CMUR-TV in September 1995, he told host Jack Heath he could not think of a justifiable situation for abortion. -l Affirmative action: Buchanan said he is opposed to affirmative action and would eliminate it. He would also set aside quotas, he said. ``We need to outlaw the federal classification of American citizens by race or ethnicity, and end all discrimination and all preferential treatment,'' Buchanan said. - American troops in Bosnia: Buchanan said he is against the presence of ground troops in Bosnia. During a recent interview, he expressed dismay at the continual role of America as the ``world's police.'' In Bosnia, he said he would support an air and sea presence, however. Overall, Buchanan favors restricting the U.S. military involvement in other countries unless such a move would specifically benefit this country's interests. ``I hope it succeeds. But American troops do not belong policing the boarders in the Balkans,'' he said. ``Europe has to take responsibility for itself. ``We are reducing our forces while at the same time we are expanding our commitments,'' he said. ``Some day we're going to find out we can't cover everyone.'' - Balanced budget: ``It's shameful that the U.S. government exports billions of dollars in aid to foreign governments to balance their own budgets when we can't balance our own,'' Buchanan said. ``American society is over-regulated, overtaxed, overburdened by government. We need tax cuts across the board and an end to the bias tax code against investment and savings,'' Buchanan said. ``Any balanced budget amendment must have a tax limitation provision so politicians cannot use it to raise the government's share of the people's income.'' - Campaign finance reform: Buchanan has accepted $10,000 in PAC money from pro-life groups, press secretary R.B. Forbes said. Buchanan, however, said he supports campaign finance reform. He would ban mass-mailings done by House of Representative candidates and restrict how both the House and Senate candidates raise money, the press secretary said. - Crime: ``Mr. Buchanan believes crime is a serious problem,'' Forbes said. ``He believes a lot of the problem is caused by the cultural war.'' Buchanan has said that he believes parental control is paramount in addressing crime. - Entitlement programs: Buchanan said he understands the need to reform Medicare. However, he believes the budget priorities are wrong. The president needs to take an ``America first'' position and cut foreign aid to ``Third World, socialist governments,'' and loan guarantees to countries such as Vietnam, Buchanan's press secretary said. - Federal gun control: Buchanan has consistently been a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. - Foreign policy: Once a self-described supporter of free-trade, Buchanan said he now believes import tariffs should be tacked onto goods manufactured by countries that do the same to American exports. In addition, Buchanan said the United States should begin distancing itself from other countries, pulling out troops and other costly overseas actions. ``Eisenhower said we should stay in Europe for 10 years then leave, or they'll be dependent,'' Buchanan said. ``He was right.'' He is strongly opposed to both NAFTA and GATT. - Tax reform: Buchanan said he supports the flat-tax concept. However, he would grant home mortgage deductions and those for charitable donations. A 17-percent rate should be the greatest amount paid, one applied to huge businesses, he said. - Term limits: Buchanan said he supports term limits. He would support restrictions on House of Representatives members to three terms and Senate members to two terms. He also said he believes term limits should be applied to federal judges. - U.S. support for the United Nations: Calling it a ``bloated bureaucracy,'' Buchanan said U.S. soldiers should always be governed by the United States, not the United Nations. - Welfare reform: Buchanan said block grants should be given to states to equip local governments to handle welfare. VITAL STATISTICS Patrick J. Buchanan - Age: 57 - Residence: McLean, Va. - Experience: Patrick J. Buchanan has been a senior advisor to three American presidents. From 1966 through 1974, he was confidant and assistant to Richard Nixon. In 1974, he served as assistant to Gerald Ford. From 1985 to 1987, he was White House communications director for Ronald Reagan. In December, 1991, Buchanan challenged President George Bush for the 1992 Republican presidential nomination. He ran in 33 state primaries, receiving 3 million Republican primary votes. His professional career began in 1962, when he was 23. He was chosen as the youngest editorial writer for the St. Louis Globe Democrat. His political career began three years later, when he became the first full-time staff member in what would later be called ``The Resurrection of Richard Nixon.'' During his eight White House years, Buchanan traveled with President Nixon as one of the 15-member delegation to open up the People's Republic of China. He was present at Nixon's final Moscow-Yalta summit in 1974. He was with President Reagan at summits with Mikhail Gorbachev, in Geneva and Reykjavik. The last of Buchanan's three books, ``Right From the Beginning,'' was a Washington best-seller about growing up Catholic and conservative in the nation's capital in the 1940s and 1950s. - Education: An honors graduate in English and Philosophy from Georgetown University, Buchanan received his master's degree from the Columbia School of Journalism in New York in 1962. His articles have appeared in publications ranging from Human Events and National Review to the Nation and Rolling Stone. He has been a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist, co-host of CNN's ``Crossfire'' and host of Mutual Radio's ``Buchanan & Co.'' In February 1993, Buchanan founded The American Cause, an educational foundation, dedicated to the principles of freedom, federalism, limited government, traditional values and a foreign policy that puts America first. - Family: He is married to the former Shelley Ann Scarney. The couple has no children.