Word: whitmanic
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Just a few years ago, the triumvirate of Governors William F. Weld '66 of Massachusetts, Pete Wilson of California, and Christie Todd Whitman of New Jersey were hailed as the future saviors of the Republican Party. The "3 W's" of moderate Republicanism-fiscally conservative (tax and spending cuts) and socially liberal (pro-choice, pro-gay rights)-seemed to offer the perfect combination to lure the Republican Party back to the center from its Buchananite extremes. With their message of keeping the government out of the pocketbook and the bedroom, they could sell the all-important swing voters...
...Governor Whitman, she now finds herself in a surprisingly tight re-election fight against a little-known Democratic challenger. This despite three strong points in her favor: her national popularity after aggressive tax-cutting early in her term, a well-received response to President Clinton's State of the Union address, and her status as one of the biggest draws on the Republican speakers' circuit. Although she'll probably win, Whitman will have to earn her victory the old-fashioned way: by first overcoming voter anger directed at her for rising property taxes and the highest automobile insurance rates...
...Jersey, Whitman is simply paying the piper for her own sales pitch of four years ago. She won her first campaign for Governor by bashing incumbent Jim Florio for his tax hikes and pledging that she would reverse the trend. While income taxes were cut, her failure to control property taxes and auto insurance rates undercut her credibility. As any consumer knows, cheaper peanut butter is no bargain if jelly and bread still cost a fortune...
...real question, though, remains: What are the consequences of the poor judgment of Wilson, Weld and Whitman for the "silent majority" of moderate Republicanism...
...else done, we would take the fancy headline type back to the wooden cases and carefully drop the letters into their compartments, thunk, thunk, thunk, a contented coda to Whitman's bawdy song. And finally we would turn the lights out and close the shop door, taking a last glance at the press dimly highlighted by the glow from street lamps. We were sure it would be there for us the next week...