Gary Bauer bows out of race

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, FEB. 5. The Republican field is now down to four with the Christian Conservative leader, Mr. Gary Bauer, bowing out of the race. And the tenor of the debates and attacks on opponents is getting sharper less than two weeks to go for the crucial primaries of South Carolina. Thus far there is little to indicate that either Mr. Steve Forbes or Ambassador Alan Keyes are planning to drop out as well. In fact, Mr. Forbes is actively campaigning in Delaware for the primary on February 8 and hopes to make it there.

The exit of Mr. Bauer from the Presidential race is not likely to alter the fortunes of the remaining contenders in any significant fashion. And for his part, Mr. Bauer has refrained from throwing his weight behind any of the leading candidates. His exit from the race may not really benefit either Mr. George W. Bush or Mr. John McCain, but this does not mean that social and religious issues and emphasis on values will go away in this campaign.

Mr. Bauer's decision was only part of the news on the Republican front. But much of what is consuming the party and the leaders in the run up to South Carolina first and then on to Michigan and Arizona is the extent to which the race is ``hotting up''. Hammered and bruised in New Hampshire, the frontrunner, Mr. Bush, is not inclined to give up any more ``territory'' in his race to win the party nomination. And he has most certainly turned up the heat on his rival, Senator McCain.

If there is one person who has benefited from special interest groups and lobbyists it is Mr. Bush. The fact that he has raked in almost US$ 70 millions to his campaign war chest is more than ample testimony to this. But Mr. Bush is turning the tables on Mr. McCain by arguing that there is no sincerity in the Arizona politician's call for Campaign Finance Reform given the fact that he had used his Chairmanship in the Commerce Committee to get monetary and other favours from vested interests and lobbyists.

The Bush campaign is still counting on the Republican political establishment to deliver South Carolina. Getting by this key Southern State on February 19, the Bush campaign reasons, would make things easier in the Mid West and set things up for the bigger States that head to the primaries on March 7 and March 14. A further setback to Mr. Bush there would not necessarily make the Republican nomination process a toss up, but would certainly make things far more difficult for him.

The big advantage for Mr. McCain from the victory in New Hampshire is that he has been able to collect money in a much more easier fashion. It is not as though the Senator from Arizona is anywhere close to Mr. Bush on the cash front; but his ability to use his website to his advantage is something that has been taken note of by his opponents. Mr. McCain is said to have taken in more than US$ 2.5 millions from his website source since the results of the New Hampshire primary.

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