-Caveat Lector- from http://www.nytimes.com/ ================================= February 11, 1999 THE HOUSE RACE Clinton Vows Revenge in 2000, Advisers Say By RICHARD L. BERKE and JAMES BENNET WASHINGTON -- President Clinton is so furious at House Republicans over his impeachment, his advisers say, that he has vowed to mount an all-out offensive to knock off many of his foes and win back the House for Democrats in 2000. Clinton has already committed to early fund-raising events in nine cities -- the first will be in San Francisco in two weeks -- to amass a war chest to help House Democrats. His advisers, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, described how the president regularly rattled off specifics about House Republicans who may be vulnerable, from the margins they won by in 1998 to how well he performed in their districts in 1996. They said Clinton now viewed winning back the House as almost as important an affirmation of his legacy as electing Vice President Al Gore as his successor. But if Clinton's partisan zeal is viewed by Republicans as a personal vendetta, it could undermine another goal that the president considers crucial to his legacy: his legislative priorities, notably a drive to rescue Social Security. Clinton has assured Democrats that they can work with Republicans to pass legislation and still have plenty of ammunition in 2000. Clinton was particularly angry at the House members managing the prosecution, according to his advisers, believing they have needlessly prolonged the impeachment trial. Most of those managers have seats that are considered safe. "He knows the districts, he knows the candidates and he doesn't like these people," said one adviser who has discussed next year's elections with Clinton. "He's obviously real hot on the managers. He thinks winning back the House is part of his legacy." White House officials said they were aware that there is only so much a president could do to help congressional contenders. They said he could be most effective in raising money and in recruiting candidates. But Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Richard Nixon, despite high personal popularity, both failed in their efforts to purge specific congressional candidates. Clinton's intense interest in the congressional contests is all the more striking because leading House Democrats have long complained that he has not been particularly engaged in House and Senate races, Many blame Clinton for the Democrats' loss of House control in 1994 and for not winning it back in 1996 and 1998. Another adviser who has spoken to the president about wresting back the House in 2000, said, "It will be a personal crusade." He added: "The man knows he's done wrong. But he also knows they should not have taken it to the extreme they have. He says: 'It's the unfairness of this whole process. These right-wingers who tried to undo the election.' " Beyond his scorn at House Republicans, several advisers said Clinton is motivated out of gratitude to Rep. Dick Gephardt, the Democratic leader, for deciding not to challenge Vice President Gore for the Democratic presidential nomination. He also is described as indebted to House Democrats for sticking by him and insuring that impeachment could not be called bipartisan. Besides the House managers, Clinton told Gephardt he was determined to defeat Rep. Jay Dickey, an Arkansas Republican, according to people familiar with the conversations. Dickey was elected in 1992; his district includes the president's boyhood homes of Hope and Hot Springs. Told of Clinton's comments, Dickey said: "If you're sitting there and having the most powerful office in the world, the most powerful man in the world who says, 'We're going to defeat this person,' it's a sobering thing. But I'm not afraid." "If he's going to personalize this thing, then it's going to take us back a step in terms of cooperation," Dickey said, "and trying to get some programs through in the next two years." Rep. Ed Bryant, a Tennessee Republican who is a House manager, said: "If he feels he has to vindicate himself by going after House managers, then he has to do that. All I can say is that we as a House, the majority, felt that we certainly didn't put him in this predicament. If anybody ought to be upset, it ought to be American people, with the president, for doing those things." It is clear that impeachment and the Democrats' encouraging performance in last November's elections have unexpectedly united the White House and House Democrats. People close to Gephardt and Clinton said that in a meeting in the White House residence on the day earlier this month when Gephardt announced he would not run, the president gave his assurances that he would do whatever it takes to make Gephardt the next speaker. "He was telling Dick which districts he can win," said one person who was familiar with the conversations. He noted the oddity of Clinton trying to educate his party's House leader -- who has been worrying about House districts for years -- about congressional match-ups. Laura Nichols, Gephardt's spokeswoman, said of the president: "He said he would do whatever we asked him to do. Essentially, Gore said the same thing." Beyond the president, his impeachment has emboldened other Democrats who say they are eager to unseat House Republicans. "After these years of Ken Starr, people are more energized than I've seen them since the '60s and '70s," said David Geffen, the entertainment mogul and major Clinton supporter. Referring to Rep. James Rogan, a California Republican who is considered one of the most vulnerable House managers in 2000, he added, "Many of us are looking forward to spending time and money and effort to defeating James Rogan." And People for the American Way, a liberal group, announced a $5 million television, organizational and grass-roots campaign on Wednesday aimed at ousting Republicans in Congress. "Impeachment was the catalyst that shocked and angered voters," said the group's president, Carol Shields. White House officials have not been shy about saying how they plan to use the Republicans' impeachment votes against them. "Every one of those distinguished citizens is now on record saying they not only want to shut the government down but they want to kick the president out," said one senior Clinton strategist. "That vote won't go away. And if they think the American people will forget about that, they should go ask former President Gerald Ford. They will remember that." House and Senate Democrats are planning the series of joint fund-raisers starring the president to present what officials described as a "Democratic unity message." That is a sign that they are hoping to take advantage of the presidential race to nationalize the House races. Their goal is to raise $10 million in 1999 for a program they are calling "Majority 2000." The money will be split between the campaign committees ofm the Senate and House Democrats. For all of Clinton's determination to help, some White House officials noted that many candidates did not want Clinton to campaign in their districts last year -- and probably would not again in 2000. Perhaps they are mindful of the primaries of 1938, when President Roosevelt tried to defeat several southern Democrats who opposed the New Deal. The effort was a bust, and Roosevelt was ridiculed as a dictator. And in 1970, President Nixon traveled to 23 states to assist Republican candidates but failed in his drive to gain a Republican majority in the Senate. One adviser to Clinton said he feared that disclosures about the president's ire toward House Republicans could damage him, given that the Senate has not yet voted on the articles of impeachment. "You don't want this to fall into the gloating category, that he already has a strategy to defeat these guys," the adviser said. Copyright 1999 The New York Times Company ================================= Robert F. Tatman [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Remove "nospam" from the address to reply. NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml POSTING THIS MESSAGE TO THE INTERNET DOES NOT IMPLY PERMISSION TO SEND UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL E-MAIL (SPAM) TO THIS OR ANY OTHER INTERNET ADDRESS. 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