Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Dole left to carry GOP's colors Date: Tue, 10 Nov 92 15:13:22 EST Message-ID: \SE A;NATION \SS (WS) \HD Dole left to carry GOP's colors \BY ASSOCIATED PRESS President Bush's fall from power makes Sen. Bob Dole the leading voice for Republicans exiled in the political wilderness. As the GOP leader in the Senate, Mr. Dole heads a minority party that can no longer look to the White House as its ultimate source of power. This is unfamiliar territory for the Kansas senator, who served as majority leader in 1985 and 1986 and as minority leader with Republicans in the White House for the past six years. He is still trying to define his role as leader of the loyal opposition, but he's made it abundantly clear that Republicans won't roll over for President-elect Bill Clinton. "I am willing to work with him on issues where we think it's in the national interest and where we believe we should," Mr. Dole said Friday. "But he didn't get a mandate that in effect tells us that we have to stand aside and let everything pass." On Sunday he threw down a gauntlet by attacking Iran-Contra prosecutor Lawrence Walsh's office as a "hotbed of Democratic activist lawyers." He charged that the pre-election re-indictment by Mr. Walsh of former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger in the Iran-Contra case was a calculated move to hurt Mr. Bush's re-election chances. Mr. Dole called for a special prosecutor to investigate the special prosecutor. "It was outrageous that they would have this indictment of Weinberger with a note sort of bringing George Bush into the loop the Friday before the election," Mr. Dole said on CBS-TV. "I think there ought to be an investigation." Senate Republicans meet today to elect their new leaders, and Mr. Dole expects to retain his position. He faces no active opposition, GOP aides say, but he will be under pressure from conservatives to adopt a confrontational strategy in dealing with Mr. Clinton. With at least 42 Republicans in the Senate, Mr. Dole will lead a minority that could effectively block consideration of legislation in the Senate by denying Democrats the 60 votes needed to stop a filibuster, the unique Senate tactic of unlimited debate. "We're not going to try to create gridlock or filibuster," Mr. Dole said. "But on the other hand, we have to use whatever procedure we have as a minority party. Republicans are going to be players. We weren't wiped out. We're going to be heard from." He and House Minority Leader Robert Michel of Illinois will be the top elected GOP officials nationally once Mr. Bush leaves the White House. "I want to broaden the base of our party," he said. "I want to win elections, not lose elections. So it's going to be anything I can do to attract more people and go after some of those [Ross] Perot supporters and after Perot himself." This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM