Paul Simon Iowa Primary Campaign 1 of 2

Will you now feel you have to win I would stay in this race. Well things have gone much better than I anticipated when I first started off. I thought if we get in second or third in Iowa that we would be alive and moving ahead. That obviously has changed the expectation level as it has moved up. I can't say we have to come in first or you could you know in theory you could have four candidates within a hundred votes of each other and all four of us will survive. But I think I have to do well. I think that was our first or second year. I can't quantify what about New Hampshire New Hampshire. My hope is to do come in second in New Hampshire. New Hampshire clearly Governor Dukakis every time we get some people the polls are consistently showing me move here in New Hampshire. But still Governor Dukakis. But the other side

my guess is that's about what's going to happen. How well do you think the Simon message is selling there. Well I think it's selling in New Hampshire I think it's selling everywhere. We've just been receiving a great great reception everywhere. I can't give you the name of a single state where we were Governor Dukakis has a considerable lead in fundraising on all of the other Democratic candidates are you counting on Iowa to fundraise. Well I think it will boost my fundraising and frankly my voting record is such that it doesn't help fundraising. And I recognize that it's a great record for the people but not for attracting campaign contributions. And so I recognize I'm not going to do as well maybe as some other candidates might. But money alone isn't going to do this. I was outspent running for the United States Senate. The Reagan landslide here and

still I won. I think I can win. And if money alone would do it John Conley would be president United States. Tell us a little bit about what people here in southern Illinois down as far as a grassroots organization and you know what has happened to people in southern Illinois and from other sections of the state but particularly from southern Illinois. I've been writing letters to people in Iowa they've been volunteering they've been going up there some of them just visiting. And it has had an impact. I run almost every day I mean I would I think probably literally every day you know I run into people who say I got a letter written from someone who knows you in Illinois. Frequently they will add a handwritten letter. It impresses them. And when you see volunteers from from Illinois for example Gene and Shirley did from right here in Carbondale

have been volunteers and it impresses people that there are those who believe in your candidacy enough to come over and volunteer. Last night you received quite a bit of a round of applause for your remark on the total test ban. I'm just curious today of course she picked up the support of the only freeze movement. One thing that I'm curious about is when you are president if you are president you'll be followed around by an Air Force officer with what they call the football. Have you done some thinking about that responsibility. Yes obviously anyone who seriously contemplates the presidency. You have to take a hit. You have to be aware of the awesome nature of the responsibilities that you literally have your finger on the button that could destroy civilization. And it is a responsibility you dont go into lightly if you have any kind

of a comprehension at all of the magnitude of the responsibility. Ive been close enough to the presidency to have at least some insight into that. That awesome responsibility and I think I'm prepared for it but where do you see the economy now. Democrats or Republicans. Keeping in mind the trade deficit barely is coming down. Interest rates relatively low unemployment relatively low or eight years ago. Can the Democrats score on that issue with the Republicans. Well I think there is only awareness that there are a lot of things wrong with this economy that we're living on a massive credit card that we're going to have to get a hold of. And while unemployment rates may be down compared to what they were early in this administration compared to where they were 15 years ago and 20 years ago and 25

years ago they're much higher. And there's also been some finagle in with those statistics. This administration has added the armed forces into the calculation to get the numbers. And so we really do have some some major problems out there. The economy is going to be part of it. But it doesn't necessarily dictate if I can use an illustration. We had a very popular president Dwight Eisenhower. The economy was moving along reasonably well but the American people chose John Kennedy for president United States because I think they sense he had a vision of where we have to go and what we have to do. You mentioned defense spending should be cut. Do you have any specific ideas. Well there are a whole series of things for example we're now authorizing two additional nuclear aircraft carrier flotilla that's going to cost us about 36 million dollars. We already outnumber the Soviets 13 to 1

in aircraft carriers. Those are pretty good odds. I really don't know. We need two additional staff carriers. You eliminate those. You say you use a few billion of that for education and a few billion for jobs and use the rest of it to reduce the deficit I think we have a stronger country not a weaker country. As a presidential campaign changed you personally or your perspective on campaigning in any way. You know I'm Paul Simon is still Paul Simon thanks that's one of the things that the critics talk about that you know I don't I'm not doing the sort of things to finesse myself to become to look like a presidential candidate. I'm not shifting my views to accommodate the latest public opinion polls and those sort of things. I think I just have to be myself. And if that's what the American people want to find if they want something else

that's the way democracy works but the people of southern Illinois are going to find Paul Simon pretty much the same. Basically the message is the same. It's it's a message that we have to pay attention to the needs of our people. That we cannot simply pander to the whims and wishes of the rich and the powerful. We have enough and we have to have a government with some vision. A government that really builds a better tomorrow and pays attention to education long term care. People who need jobs and the arms race and things like that. I think the American people are ready for it. That was my message when I got it and it will be the message on November 8 1988. So yes I know thank you very much. Thank you. Get

ideas people. And. The man your support. Anything but. I.

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right. OK.

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Ha. Ha. Someone started out in the 1 percent level. And that's not bad. While in part it is hard work. Ah the major reason is the basic message that we hear once again. The less fortunate. To those who have known that move toward a more secure world. The writer Scott King the widow of Martin Luther King recently wrote that this nation is not a leader with fire in the belly to become president but conviction and subsumes

has a fire in the heart. Louis. Ah. Ah. Ah each. Week.

Kiki. Earth. The earth. Nothing.

I am. In and. I am. I am. I hate. I hate. Right.

John.

You know. It.