The Eagle-Tribune (Lawrence, MA)   Sunday, January 23, 2000

Bush, Bradley in N.H.

THE ISSUE
New Hampshire will hold its presidential primary Feb. 1.

OUR VIEW
Our choices are George W. Bush among Republicans and Bill Bradley for the Democrats.

    A vote for president of the United States is more than the selection of one person among a collection of candidates.

    It is a vote for the collection of ideas and ideals that person represents.  It is a vote for a person's ability to get things done, to pull together a team that will guide the nation on the right course.  It is a vote for that nebulous quality called "leadership."

    On Feb. 1, voters in New Hampshire will make their choice in the nation's first presidential primary.  We have brought each of the major candidates to our offices to meet with our voters panel.  We have listened carefully to their answers to the panel's questions.  We have studied their positions.  We have observed the way in which they present themselves.  Here are our choices:

For the Republicans

    On the Republican side, our endorsement goes to Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

    Gov. Bush believes, as we do, that when government builds up a surplus of tax money, that money rightly belongs to the people whose labor produced it.  Gov. Bush's $483 billion tax cut plan would lower tax rates for all Americans and provide an economic stimulus to help keep our economy running smoothly.

    Gov. Bush has a strong education agenda based on setting high performance standards and testing to measure that performance.  He would keep education under the control of local people by giving states the maximum flexibility to use federal education dollars in the way they see fit.

    Gov. Bush would rebuild our decimated military, increase pay for soldiers, pursue modern weapons technology and structure our forces for the needs of the 21st century.  He would reassess our military deployments throughout the world and commit American forces only where American interests are at stake.

    With his experience as governor of Texas and in his performance on the campaign trail, Gov. Bush has shown he has what it takes to lead our nation as president.

For the Democrats

    Former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley has nothing to hide.  He is an old-time liberal and unafraid to say so.

    Such candor is refreshing, particularly in contrast to Vice President Al Gore, who has learned the tactics of spin and smear well at the feet of President Clinton.

    Mr. Bradley has a broad and honest vision of government's role in America.  He wants to spend federal money heavily on education, beginning early on in a child's life with a doubling of the Head Start program and continuing through adulthood.  He proposes a system of scholarships and loan forgiveness to encourage people to become teachers.

    Mr. Bradley opposes tax cuts except as a stimulus in times of economic recession.  Instead, America must take advantage of the good times to move the nation forward, he says.

    Mr. Bradley understands how things get done in government, moving policies forward through consensus and sharing of credit for ideas.

    He is the clear choice among the Democratic candidates.

Reprinted by Permission of The Eagle-Tribune (Lawrence, MA).  All Rights Reserved.