It's Bush v Clinton again as Arkansas goes to the polls

The Sunday Telegraph ^ | November 3, 2002 | Julian Coman

[MadIvan]

Arkansas residents will today and tomorrow witness what the rest of the country never got a chance to see: a political contest between George Bush Jr and Bill Clinton.

On the stump at Ouachita Baptist University, deep in rural Arkansas, the Republican senator Tim Hutchinson is standing in front of a cardboard cut-out of the President of the United States.

"I have a personal relationship with George W. Bush," he tells an audience of 300 students. "He is a good friend of mine. And President Bush will be here on Monday to push us over the finish line in the closest and most important Senate race in America."

Sixty miles away in Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas, the local Democratic Party chairman, Ron Oliver, is also preparing for a distinguished visitor - one whose credentials are more local if not quite as current.

"Mr Clinton will arrive back here on Sunday," said Mr Oliver, whose office walls are lined with photographs of the former president in his youthful days as governor of the state. "We will have the help of the best political campaigner of the previous century, back on his own patch, to give us the edge and get the vote out."

Control of the Senate is in the balance in Tuesday's congressional elections, with each party currently holding 49 seats, one seat vacant and one held by an independent.

Arkansas, the small southern state best known for its catfish suppers and the escapades of Bill Clinton, has once again taken political centre-stage.

The Senate race between Mr Hutchinson and the Democrat hopeful, Mark Pryor, is too close to call. The prize, amid the most tense congressional elections in recent memory, is valuable enough to have attracted the biggest names that the Republican and Democratic party machines can offer.

Anticipating the loss of at least one seat to a Republican in a handful of tight Mid-West contests, Democrats believe that they require a "flip result" of their own in the south to maintain control. Arkansas, which became a Republican Senate seat for the first time since the Civil War at the last elections, is the top target.

President Bush will speak at the Republican stronghold of Fayetteville tomorrow afternoon, on the eve of the national poll. Ex-president Clinton will speak today to the black Democratic heartland of Jefferson County. No other state can match that line-up.

In Little Rock, Mr Clinton's power base when governor of Arkansas and presidential candidate, it is quite like old times. Doe's Steakhouse is again full of politicians, strategists and hangers-on.

Waitresses at the Plaza Grille restaurant wistfully remember the times when tips were good and the gossip was even better. "It was never a dull moment with Bill Clinton," said one.

Pardon me whilst I'm sick in the corner - Ivan

In a race defined by who the two candidates know rather than what they say, the Republicans countered the Clinton factor with an extraordinary array of star appearances last week. Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, toured the state yesterday.

Charlton Heston, known locally as "Moses" after his most famous film role, spoke on the same platform as the Republican candidate the day before. Oliver North also made the trip to Little Rock.

The two candidates have meanwhile made a spirited attempt to keep a grip on their campaigns. Mr Hutchinson accused his opponent of favouring tighter legislation on gun ownership, a certain vote-loser in Arkansas. Mr Pryor responded by appearing in a television spot wearing military fatigues and brandishing a rifle.

Democrat campaigners have gleefully accused Mr Hutchinson, who is closely associated with the religious Right, of lax moral standards following his divorce and subsequent remarriage to a member of his Senate staff. To ram the point home, Mr Pryor appears on the hustings with a Bible. The poll ratings remain stubbornly even.

Among young Republicans at Ouachita Baptist University, there was a distinct air of apprehension. "Clinton is an operator and a pretty unscrupulous one at that," said Stuart Jones, the chairman of the university Republican group.

As he spoke, a student removed the cardboard cut-out of Mr Bush. With a fraught Senate campaign reaching its final stages, Mr Hutchinson will be relieved to see the President in the flesh tomorrow.

[MadIvan]

Just a perspective on the Arkansas race from the UK Telegraph. ;)

I hope Clinton loses this one. He needs to have the knife twisted in his back.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[Lurking2Long]

Unfortunately, it's Hutchison who needs to lose this one for abandoning his wife and screwing around with a young staffer whom he later married.

"Clintons" are in every party; it's how the members of that party react that shows the true differences between Democrats and Republicans.

[BonnieJ]

I don't understand the backlash about his affair and marriage to a staffer. These things happen and he has not been known as a ladies' man or womanizer, like so many of the others. He simply fell in love with someone else, a sad fact in many marriages. Not a crime. Not even surprising. He's not Gary Condit or Bill Clinton or Gary Hart, etc!!

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

unfortunaltely for the good guys hutchinson will probably lose and its no fault but his own. Unlike dems repubs are less forgiving when their leaders F##k up

[rwfromkansas]

I would vote for him despite the matter, but then call for a recall election once he gets in in order to get the GOP governor to appoint somebody worthy of the office.......

[tall_tex]

...George Bush Jr.,,,,,

Tell me what corner you used, I will then choose another. Tom

[billhilly]

This is one of the most paradoxical races of all time, and yet it is commonplace in the world of Bill Clinton. We have a sitting United States Senator, Hutchinson, who is in trouble for divorcing his wife and marrying an aide, and his opponent, son of a former governor and US Senator, David Prior, whose tv ads show family prayer sessions, yet he is relying on Bill Clinton, arguably the most corrupt president ever, to help him defeat the infidel Hutchinson.

One must conclude that Arkansas is either the most confused, or the most ignorant state in the country. If they never manage to discern when they are being hoodwinked, they are destined to continue to produce "leaders" like Orville Faubus, Wilbur Mills and Bill Clinton.

[jjhunsecker]

It never ceases to amaze me the "Boneheads" who post on here. We need Hutchinson. I live in Arkansas and I don't, repeat I don't give a DAMN about Hutchinson's divorce or who he remarried. We need control of the Senate and he votes the right way for me as a Republican. I can't believe with so much at stake, particuarly with Bush getting his Judges confirmed, that there are some of you that would rather see the Senate seat go to a Democrat. Every vote counts here and we have the "Hypocrtical" Religious Right talking about staying home, will you people focus on the big picture and get your noses out of the hog trough!!!!!

[olliemb]

God will handle any problems that are his to handle. Our duty is to get a republican senate so as God's agenda may be passed--God in the lives of people, no more abortion,nor partial birth abortion, no more euthanasia, but compassion and love for ones neighbor.

We be best not to pass judgement on others --especially when God forgives if there is true repentance. Let us not try to be better than God.

I don't know about the Arkansas democrat contender but democrats are for separation of God from the country and for abortions. more taxation and more spending. I have yet to see how the poor people's lives have improved during the democrats power--the neighborboods are just as shabby and the economic improvement is not evident. Remember the NOW, NARAL, ACLU, the American Way are the ones who turn upside down and start growling when God, and saving babies are mentioned.


"its how the members of that party react that shows the true differences between Democrats and Republicans."

Honestly, I don't agree with your comment.

[kcvl]

Well, MAYBE YOU should speak to Hutchinson's son because he doesn't think it's his dad's fault. This is EXACTLY why Republican's will NEVER get anywhere! It's NONE of our business what he does with his PRIVATE life, REMEMBER? I'M VOTING FOR HUTCHINSON because Mark Pryor is NOT who he says he is. He's a LIBERAL campaigning as a CONSERVATIVE.

Pryor is NOW running ads saying Hutchinson wants to STARVE black kids and CUT SOCIAL SECURITY for the elderly!!! Guess where Bill Clinton will be Sunday? Pine Bluff, Arkansas, turning out the black vote. They have NO SHAME!

[Miss Marple]

While I do not condone marital infidelity, no one knows the entire story on this situation.

However, if Hutchinson had been like Bill Clinton, he would have simply carried on his affair and stayed married to his first wife.

Sometimes one needs to look beneath the surface.

Also, we need a Senate majority in order to pass pro-life bills and get pro-life judges confirmed. Which is more important: punishing Hutchinson for his personal life or getting good judges approved?

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

I would vote for him despite the matter, but then call for a recall election once he gets in in order to get the GOP governor to appoint somebody worthy of the office.......

I could live with that its a shame to piss away a repub senate seat which should be a lock but I firmly believe that you are responsible for your actions. If I lived in ark I really dont know what I would do, I know I wouldnt vote for pryor but If I voted for Hutchinson would I be any better than those dems who ran to the former predator in chiefs defense

[Wait4Truth]

You are exactly the type of person that will end up giving us hillary in the White House. Hutchinson made a mistake, yes - he has also apologized in a very, very sincere way to the people of Arkansas. He needs our support. Mark Pryor is a clinton clone. I hope you can see what is at stake here...this is not just Democrat vs Republican. This is good vs evil.

[MHT]

Don't forget Rockefeller! What are Hutch's current poll numbers? Also, I heard that AR (other than the loyal Dem constituency) isn't proud of Clinton anymore and feel that he really sc***ed them over with regard to not visiting much during his eight years and then the to-do about the library. Does Clinton still carry weight with the avg. Razorback?

[olliemb]

The blame if Hurchinson loses should also be on the republicans who were so pure of heart and so judgmental that they were willing to let the Bill Clinton's of the world tell us what good married life should be.


LEt me see--Clinton did not leave his wife yet fooled around (moderate way of expressing his deeds) and the democrat opponent is using him for his mouthpiece. Give me a break--are you Arkansanians that stupid?!?!

[rwfromkansas]

I understand........I would have to hold my nose....and toss my social conservatism out the window just to be able to vote for him. But I think my concern about how close we are would to retaking the Senate might force me to vote for him if I was in Arkansas. If one race would not matter, I would not vote for him, that is for sure.

[Wait4Truth]

Amen, JJ. The stakes are so high and the loss of one senate seat means that Tom Daschle continues to hold the President's agenda hostage. If I lived in Arkansas, Tim would have my vote. Bill Clinton is coming to campaign for Pryor...that says it all. Tim may have made a mistake, but I saw him apologize to the people and it was one of the most sincere and honest apologies I have ever seen.

[Miss Marple]

The whole thing about Clinton wasn't about sex! It was about LYING about it, commiting perjury, obstructing justice, etc.

Has Hutchinson LIED about his relationship? No. Has he obstructed justice? No. Has he committed perjury? No.

I ask you as well: which is more important: punishing Hutchinson for his perceived transgressions, or getting pro-life agendas passed through the Senate?

Choose wisely.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

when it came right down to it I probably would to just because I feel a republican senate is that important but it would bother me