Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.news,americast.usa-today.news From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: news Tue, Sep 22 1992 Date: Tue, 22 Sep 92 04:55:02 EDT Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: News USA TODAY Update Sept. 22, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network POWS WERE LEFT IN VIETNAM: The U.S. government believed American servicemen were left alive in Laos after the Vietnam War ended, former President Richard Nixon's top aides Melvin Laird and James Schlesinger told a Senate committee Monday. Questioning will intensify Tuesday with the appearance of Henry Kissinger, Nixon's former secretary of state, who conducted the negotiations that ended the war. VOTERS WORRY ABOUT ECONOMY: Voters still are worried about the economy, and many say public officials don't care what they think, but the mood about the presidential campaign has improved. The latest USA TODAY:CNN:Gallup Poll finds two of three say candidates are discussing issues voters care about, up from half in February. Three of five see a candidate who will be a good president, up from two of five in January. CONFIDENCE IN CLINTON GOES UP: A USA TODAY:CNN:Gallup poll shows half of voters say the candidates have good ideas for solving the country's problems, up from 29% in January. Brookings Institution political analyst James Sundquist credits more voter confidence in Bill Clinton. The poll found 66% of Republicans and 68% of Democrats see a good candidate. Half of independents agree. There is a 3% margin of error. BUSH, CLINTON HAVE NON-DEBATE: On a day that might have seen the first presidential debate of 1992, candidates George Bush and Bill Clinton are shadowboxing instead. Clinton will be in East Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, where a bipartisan commission had scheduled the first of three 90-minute confrontations. Bush is sending party chairman Rich Bond there. The next possible date for a debate is Sept. 29 in Louisville. BRADLEY TO ANNOUNCE PLANS: Mayor Tom Bradley could become the newest political casualty of the Rodney King mess. Bradley, 73, holds a press conference Thursday to announce whether he'll seek a sixth City Hall term. The bets are he won't. Pundits say Bradley has been keeping a low profile for somebody who has to face voters in April. And his press secretary is working for Dianne Feinstein's U.S. Senate campaign. DEMOCRATS LEAD MONEY RACE: The race to raise money found Republicans falling far behind Democrats last month. Reports filed Monday with the Federal Election Commission show the Democrats put their money machine into high gear in August, raising more than twice as much as the Republicans. The Democratic National Committee raised $17.3 million to only $7.4 million by Republicans. POLL SHOWS BIG CLINTON LEAD: Poll variations continue. After weeks of national polls showing the race narrowing to about 10 points or less, a new ABC:Washington Post poll Monday showed Bill Clinton expanding his lead to 21 points (58%-37%). Clinton led in the poll by 15 points Sept. 13. CHICAGO GETS PEDOPHILIA RULES: Chicago Archbishop Cardinal Joseph Bernadin Monday unveiled perhaps the most comprehensive pedophilia policy of any of the USA's 197 Roman Catholic dioceses. The archdiocese will establish a panel to investigate priests accused of molesting children and a toll-free number for pedophilia victims, Bernadin said. WEISS WIDOW JOINS CANDIDATES: One week after the death of Rep. Ted Weiss, his widow - Sonya Hoover, 58 - joined a crush of candidates vying to succeed him on the West Side of Manhattan. Other candidates include former Rep. Bella Abzug, city Councilwoman Ronnie Eldridge, and state assemblymen Jerrold Nadler and Richard Gottfried. Manhattan Democrats meet Wednesday to choose the candidate. CONGRESS HURRIES TO ADJOURN: After working at a snail's pace for most of the past two years, the 102nd Congress is rushing - to adjourn. The effort to leave Washington by Oct. 5 is fueled by two factors: Partisan gridlock on most important issues and bipartisan fears of a fickle electorate. What began as an ambitious legislative agenda last year will likely end with 13 spending bills to keep the federal government afloat. U.N. DIPLOMATS WARY OF USA: President Bush received a warm diplomatic response for his support of the "critical" role of U.N. peacekeepers in the former Yugoslavia Monday. But diplomats remain skeptical the USA will provide troops, logistical support and money to back up its promises. White House officials say a proposed "no-fly zone" in Bosnia is in limbo, and they don't want to use U.S. airpower. IMF PUTS PRESSURE ON FED: The Federal Reserve is coming under political pressure not to cut interest rates. Leaders of the International Monetary Fund, one of the world's key financial institutions, say they want the Fed to refrain from slashing rates again to spur the U.S. economy. IMF officials say a rate cut could destabilize global currency markets by widening the spread between U.S. and German short-term rates. DOW JONES OPENS ON DOWNSWING: The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials opens at 3320.83 Tuesday after closing down 6.22 Monday. The New York Stock Exchange composite opens at 231.89, down 0.50. The American Stock Exchange market value opens at 382.72, down 2.78. The NASDAQ OTC composite opens at 588.58, down 0.54. COOL IN UPPER MIDWEST: A strong cold front will pass through the Midwest and the Appalachians Tuesday. Cool weather will cover the Great Lakes and pass over the southern Plains to the Gulf coasts. The western Plains will begin a warming trend. Dry, warm weather is slated for the Rockies westward. Isolated thunderstorms may dot southern Arizona and New Mexico. The Pacific Northwest will be warm. News Editor: Kate Coughlin. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution purposes violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM