Lagging behind in the polls, a financially dwarfed Elizabeth Dole withdrew from the Presidential race yesterday, consequently dashing plans to campaign at the College this Saturday and again on October 28th for the Republican town meeting.
A Dole spokesperson at her Virginia campaign headquarters confirmed the cancellation of any event linked to Dole's presidential race, including the two scheduled trips to Hanover.
The fifth GOP candidate to drop out before the New Hampshire primaries in February, Dole left behind a pool of seven, with Bush still leading the pack.
"I'm greatly disappointed to see her candidacy come to an end. She is a tremendous leader and I don't think she is down in the political arena," President of Dartmouth for Dole Kelly Grieco '01 said.
This announcement is not Dole's first in regards to abandoning plans to visit the College. Earlier in the month she planned to make a campaign stop in Hanover, but subsequent travel circumstances thwarted her arrival.
Director of the Rockefeller Center Linda Fowler said she had no forewarning of the decision and received no further notice from Dole's staff. She had been in contact with Dole's advance team on Monday regarding Dole's then scheduled appearance on the Collis porch Saturday morning.
In addition, the Delta Delta Delta sorority had planned to host a private reception for Dole, who was a sister at Duke University's chapter as an undergraduate.
Dole would have made a lively addition to the roster of speakers, and the town meeting format is conducive to her strengths as an informal public speaker, Fowler said.
"The big factor in the town meeting was having Bush absent, and it has really affected the level of local interest, but I don't think Dole's absence will have a big impact," Fowler said.
On the other hand, Dole's absence will provide more time for the Republican candidates to voice opinions to questions that can cover a broader range of topics, Fowler said.
Her candidacy was fading as she lagged far behind Bush and even McCain and Forbes.
"What's interesting about Dole was she that doing well in the polls against Bush last winter and got media attention that hyped her candidacy ... but in the absence of an alternative constituency, she had no place to go but down," Fowler said.
Out-matched in fundraising, Fowler agrees with Dole's rationale to withdraw. For even if she were successful in the New Hampshire and Iowa primaries, Dole's small financial footing would prohibit her from future campaigning, she said.
Dole's war chest aside, Fowler partially attributes Dole's decline to moderates supporting Bush early on.
"This is an unprecedented situation in terms of the bandwagon effect Bush has had inside the Republican Party and his capacity to raise money and attract a wide range of endorsements," Fowler said.
According to Government Professor Lynn Vavreck, another reason why Dole quit was her stagnant favorability ratings, as opposed to other candidates, like Arizona Senator John McCain, who are up-and-coming.
"McCain just got his name in the race and people are just starting to learn about him. He will get his message out and hope his favorability ratings go up," Vavreck said.
Steve Forbes, meanwhile, has enough capital to spend dollar-for-dollar with Bush, but the effects of that remain to be seen, Vavreck said.
Gary Bauer and Alan Keyes, however, are "cause candidates" and will remain in the race because they have a platform to publicize, Fowler said.
Dole's possibilities for becoming a vice presidential running-mate, meanwhile, remain unchanged, but the chances are rather low, Vavreck said.
Vavreck explained the two schools of thought of who might be chosen as Bush's vice president should he win the nomination.
"Bush may need to select a more conservative running-mate to placate the right wing, especially if Pat Buchanan runs as a Reform Party candidate," she said.
In contrast, Vavreck said Bush could select a more moderate politician, like New Jersey Governor Christie Todd Whitman, for the long-run to pirate votes from Democrats by catering to moderates and independents.
"I'm sure that she'll always be active, but I'm not sure what she might do. I don't think she'll run for the Senate, as is popular these days," Vavreck joked.
Vavreck said Dole might be interested in a cabinet position or another senior level job within a future administration, but it would depend upon her contacts, the winner of the 2004 election and the economy.
