Social security, education and other issues playing a part in Campaign 2000 were the focus of a speech yesterday morning by the Republican National Committee Chairman Jim Nicholson to a group of about 60 members of the Dartmouth and Hanover communities.
Nicholson lauded the positions of the Republican Party and its presidential candidate, Texas Governor George W. Bush, and distinguished them from the "group mindset" of the Democratic Party.
"The party that continues to emphasize the importance of the individual" has seen increasing public support over the last decade, Nicholson said, referencing a growing number of Republican wins during the last decade at both the state and national level.
"The Republican philosophy is very strong," he said.
The Republican candidate's strategy therefore will simply be "to get his message out to as many people as possible," Nicholson told The Dartmouth, not only through his own campaigning, but with the assistance of Republican politicians and supporters across the country.
Media bias is a problem for Republicans, according to Nicholson -- he told a group of students after his speech that "the media is definitely one of the enemy."
He said the GOP deals with this perceived obstacle "by getting out and talking to people."
Young people are a critical part of this person-to-person campaign style, as well as in politics in general, Nicholson said. He said America's young voters will continue to play a strong role in the future of the Republican Party.
"They're the hope, the future of the system," Nicholson said, noting the presence of College Republican and Young Republican organizations across the country as well as the candidacy of Bob Gienko '01 for the New Hampshire state legislature.
Since being elected as RNC chairman in 1997, Nicholson -- a Vietnam veteran, lawyer and successful businessman -- has earned himself a reputation as a champion fundraiser.
"My role is to lead a major support organization," Nicholson told The Dartmouth, but said that as the November elections approach, his duties are changing somewhat. "Our job now is to see that we turn out the vote."
"This is an important job that I have," Nicholson said during his speech. "I'm leading one of the two great parties in this country."
Besides his role in raising money to sustain his political party, Nicholson is instrumental in shaping the party's platform. He noted yesterday that the major issues this year are domestic because of a prosperous economy and an absence of foreign conflicts.
One of the issues Nicholson discussed during his speech was education, a system he said needs major revamping.
"We are robbing kids ... of the chance to get those opportunities that you and I have had," Nicholson said. He noted Bush's success in raising achievement levels in Texas during his term as governor, especially among minority students.
The solvency of the Social Security system is also a major problem that will confront the next president, Nicholson told the assembled group.
Nicholson said Bush is defying conventional wisdom by suggesting that people be allowed to invest part of their remittances to the program in the stock market. "This is a very bold proposal," he said.
During the question and answer session following the speech, Nicholson was asked about the possibility of Bush agreeing to a voluntary ban on "soft money" campaign contributions -- the size of which are unrestricted. Such a ban was suggested by Gore last month following an agreement to outlaw soft money in the New York Senate race between Hillary Clinton and Rick Lazio.
With just five weeks remaining before the elections, such a ban is not likely during this year's presidential campaign, but legislation may be forthcoming in the next couple of years, Nicholson said. He added, "The Democrats aren't sincere about [their proposals]."
Nicholson also suggested that such measures -- which would concern the type of contributions that he collects as RNC chairman -- may be unnecessary. "I think that soft money is money that's totally regulated ... we report any dollar that we get," he said.
Nicholson's visit to Dartmouth came as he traveled from Vermont to Boston to attend last night's debate between Bush and Vice President Gore. The chairman was only on the Dartmouth campus for about an hour.
