Oct. 10, 2000--
Even though he isn't running for re-election this year, Utah Senator Robert Bennett expects to spend a lot of time on the campaign trail between now and election day.
Charles Sherrill explains in this report from our Washington Bureau.
While George W. Bush was campaigning for President in Tennessee today his
interests were being represented in Washington by
Utah Senator Bob Bennett, his designated surrogate.
Senator Bob Bennett, (R) Utah: "THEY SAID 'WE'RE LOOKING FOR SURROGATES.' AND I SAID, 'SIGN ME UP.'"
Armed with a Bush campaign briefing book, Bennett faced an Al Gore
surrogate
at a Washington think tank debate on which candidate can best keep the
economy booming.
Senator Bennett: "YOU NOTICE THAT HE'S ATTACKING BIG OIL AND BIG PHARMACIES AND BIG HMOs IN
AN EFFORT TO SCARE EVERYBODY, THAT IF SOMEHOW THE GOVERNMENT MAKES ALL OF
THEM LITTLE OIL AND LITTLE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES AND LITTLE HMOs THINGS
WILL GET BETTER. THEY WON'T GET BETTER."
If parents want to pull their kids from public school should they get tax
dollars to pay for private tuition?
"WHEN THE MONEY GOES TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THE KID HAS NO POWER AND HE HAS
TO
PUT UP WITH WHATEVER HAPPENS TO HIM."
"This is as if the voucher they're
gonna get is going to be enough to send your kids to St. Albans. That's
not
true."
Bennett said breaking up Microsoft makes no sense.
Senator Bennett: "I HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY THE CUSTOMER IS DAMAGED WHEN
MICROSOFT
GIVES ITS PRODUCT AWAY."
Charles Sherrill, reporting: "BENNETT SAYS HE'LL MAKE MAYBE A DOZEN APPEARANCES AS A BUSH CAMPAIGN
SURROGATE OVER THE NEXT MONTH. IF REPUBLICANS WIN CONTROL OF THE WHITE
HOUSE BENNETT SAYS HE NEITHER SEEKS NOR EXPECTS A POSITION IN A BUSH
ADMINISTRATION."
Bennett says he'll be going to so-called presidential "battle ground" states like Michigan, Missouri and Pennsylvania on Bush's behalf.
He says he'll also make campaign trips for Republican Senate candidates.
