Word: winging
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Baker has indeed shown that his style is one that avoids confrontation. He helped steer Reagan into a Central American "peace plan" partnership with House Speaker Jim Wright. He engineered the strategy of selling Robert Bork to Congress as a distinguished moderate rather than a centurion of right-wing values. And he prepared the ground for the President's reluctant compromise on a budget plan. Had such strategies proved successful, Baker's conservative critics might have forgiven him. But given the results, even some of his fans are wondering if he is the wrong man for the times...
...Reagan's political power inevitably fades, he has two choices: rallying his right-wing disciples for a few flaming defeats that will polarize the political landscape for 1988, or building the coalitions necessary to preserve his legacy. Baker's goal of carving a niche for Reagan as a national political teacher during his final year requires that the President have a secure platform from which to lecture. Baker must show that his nonconfrontational approach can produce results that will prevent the White House from becoming nothing more than a stagnant pond for lame ducks...
Last week at debates in Florida and Washington, Gore stepped up his strategy of accentuating his differences, provoking his opponents to leap on him after he implied they were engaged in the "politics of retreat, complacency and doubt." Richard Gephardt accused him of "pandering to the right wing of our party." Said Paul Simon: "I don't think it helps any of us to be knifing each other." Such criticism, said Gore's campaign manager Fred Martin, is a "sign of Al's success...
...diagrams with 2,000 activities that would fill up that whole wall. People say, 'Oh, my God!' " But the diagram becomes a road map. You can use it to figure out that a two-week delay at Step 16 is going to cost $100,000. The alternative is to wing it, which can get expensive -- especially if you count the $287 coffee breaks...
...planned review brought a lash of criticism from left-wing delegates. "Champagne Socialism," they called the new thrust, grumbling that the party was abandoning its traditions to court the growing middle-class voters. Said Leftist Stalwart Tony Benn: "The part at the top is in a panic-stricken rout and is prepared to say almost anything in an attempt to pick up votes...