Nashua Telegraph, July 7, 1995. Alexander and His NH Walk</TITLE. </HEAD> <BODY><PRE> The Nashua Telegraph, July 7, 1995 Alexander takes his contention in stride By KEVIN LANDRIGAN (Telegraph Staff) CONCORD -- Republican Lamar Alexander began a 90-mile walk to meet presidential primary voters Thursday, insisting any of four "Washington senators" running will be unable to beat Democratic incumbent Bill Clinton. "Bill Clinton is going to be no pushover, but we better nominate someone who can defeat him and then nominate someone with the skills, the energy and the vision to lead us into the next century," Alexander said at his campaign walk kickoff at the Capitol Diner in Concord. "I'm ready to do that. I don't think that person will come from Washington, D.C. I come from the real world." Wearing a plaid shirt, khaki pants and hiking boots, Alexander, 54, said this campaign strategy will help him become better known, like it did when he won his second bid for governor of Tennessee 17 years ago. Alexander said he was wearing the same shirt Thursday that he wore in 1978, when he walked 1,100 miles through his home state. This much shorter trek will be spread over 20 days during eight months and will focus solely on the population centers of the state -- from Concord south to Nashua and then over to the seacoast. "I am deeply grateful to New Hampshire for creating a playing field, a level playing field where we can get out our blue suits, get out of our airplanes at 30,000 feet and meet the people," Alexander said. Polls show Alexander is running back in the pack of the nine GOP hopefuls, but he believes this campaign walk -- plus a $300,000 media advertising and mail effort -- will put him into contention in New Hampshire and Iowa, the first caucus state. "I remind people about the story of the tortoise and the hare," Alexander said. "The tortoise won that race." Alexander spared little expense for the walk's opening day, bringing his Dixieland band on a flatbed truck in the morning and hosting a barbecue picnic in Pembroke. Campaign supporters wore T-shirts advertising the walk and operated a shuttle bus to bring reporters and any followers back to the diner if necessary. The Washington senators to whom Alexander referred were Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, R-Kan.; Phil Gramm, R-Texas; Richard Lugar, R-Ind.; and Arlen Specter, R-Pa. Alexander noted he served as a White House aide under the late President Richard Nixon and as secretary of education for former President George Bush. "I served five years for two presidents, long enough to get vaccinated, not long enough to get infected," Alexander quipped. "I know Washington well enough to not get skinned when I go there." State Rep. David Welch, R-Kingston, agreed a congressional background will not help the GOP nominee in 1996. That's why he chose Alexander rather than someone even more conservative. "I find myself with a different mix of people supporting my candidate," Welch said. "I think that's what makes him a serious contender -- that he can appeal to a broad political segment." Political hopefuls here have tried to make the campaign walk a road to success in the past and failed. The most recent was three-time congressional hopeful Ted de Winter of Greenville in his first bid for the 2nd Congressional District nomination in 1990. But U.S. Rep. Charles Bass, R-N.H., said it should help Alexander get in touch with what is on the minds of voters in the state. "The more time he spends in New Hampshire one on one with people, the better off he is," said Bass, who attended Alexander's event. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Telegraph The daily newspaper for Nashua and P.O. Box 1008 Southern New Hampshire since 1832. Nashua, NH 03061 (603) 882-2741 Newsroom fax: (603) 882-2681 </PRE> </BODY>