RAN 10/27 By KEVIN LANDRIGAN Telegraph Staff
PORTSMOUTH Republican presidential hopeful Patrick Buchanan said retired Gen. Colin Powell is more liberal than any major GOP candidate in the race and failed to show leadership during his military career. "When has General Powell ever been a great leader?" Buchanan asked rhetorically before later stacking his potential rival up against two of America's best-known generals of the World War II era. "General Powell, from what I understand, was a reluctant warrior during Desert Storm. There's nothing wrong with that, but this is not Douglas McArthur or George Patton we are talking about," Buchanan told the Portsmouth Rotary Club on Thursday. Left unsaid, however, was that Buchanan also questioned the wisdom of the Persian Gulf War -- and right up until the U.S. invasion of Kuwait opposed the Bush administration foreign policy. Buchanan spent much of the first day of his two-day swing through New Hampshire trashing the most prominent Republican candidates, present and perhaps future in Powell's case. Buchanan said the two most well-financed and organized Republicans already running Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, R-KS. and Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas have been on "both sides" of most major issues. "They have gone back on both sides of virtually every issue," Buchanan said of Gramm and Dole during a morning talk show on WTSN-AM in Dover. "That's not the kind of politics of conviction we need in the White House." While Buchanan spent plenty of time whacking away at his rivals, he also pushed his stand on trade issues. The conservative talk show host proposed that a hefty duty be placed on foreign fishing vessels on any catches they obtain while in U.S. territorial waters. "This is the least we can do to maintain what is an American myth, the New England fisherman is as American as apple pie," Buchanan said, inspecting catches of cod and flounder as they came off a boat at Portsmouth's commercial fishing pier. Roger Haymon, manager of a cooperative of commercial fishermen, said such tariffs on fish caught by other than American boats have helped the industry in past years. "It's a natural idea to go after the guy who is shooting you in the foot," Haymon said, referring to large Russian and Norwiegan fishing trawlers that catch huge amounts of American cod and other ground fish. "This has been used in the past to our benefit, so why not now?" Buchanan's play for the vote of those dependent on the fishing industry dovetails with his image as the "trade hawk" in this 10-person GOP field. During his speech to the Portsmouth Rotary Club, Buchanan said he would end the U.S. role in such global entities as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. "When I take office, that new world order comes crashing down," he said. Buchanan has been the candidate most critical of Powell's politics and of late has even ridiculed the idea he would seek the GOP nomination. Powell's views on many social issues are against Buchanan's agenda, including Powell's support for abortion rights, affirmative action and gun control and opposition to voluntary prayer in the school. "I believe Colin Powell is basically to the left of anyone who is running in the Republican primary," Buchanan said. "He's called himself a Rockefeller Republican. I think at best he's a Rockefeller Republican. I question if he's any Republican at all." Buchanan said the nomination will be won by either Dole, Gramm or himself and the other two rivals have a checkered past of voting for increases in taxes and "giveaway, trade treaties" such as NAFTA. He said the GOP-led Congress made a mistake making deep reductions in spending on Medicare for senior citizens while leaving in place millions in foreign aid, the bailout of Mexico and congressional perks. "Phil Gramm is younger than I am. I know he doesn't look it, but he is. He's only been there (in Congress) 15 or 16 years but he's got a $2.5 million vested pension. That's ridiculous," Buchanan said. Buchanan also tried to cool talk of him leading a third party effort in 1996 if he fails to get the nomination. Buchanan said earlier this month that he would consider such a draft effort if the party nominated someone who was not an acceptable conservative. But a supportive caller to Buchanan Thursday morning who urged him to join forces with 1992 independent candidate Ross Perot got this response: "We can win this nomination if every guy like you forgets this third-party talk and votes for me in New Hampshire three and a half months from now." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Telegraph The daily newspaper of Nashua and P.O. Box 1008 southern New Hampshire since 1869 Nashua, NH 03061 voice: (603) 882-2741 fax: (603) 882-2681