November 11, 1999

Dole drops race for presidency,
staffers move to new challenges

By Heidi Waldman
CyberCaucus 2000 News Service
Drake University

DES MOINES, Iowa--Less than a dozen desks are all that remain in an office, which prior to Oct. 20 was humming with activity. Candidate Elizabeth Dole announced her withdrawal from the Republican presidential race Oct. 20, days after a press release stated she would officially kick off her presidential bid in Des Moines on Nov. 7. She had said she hoped that Nov. 7 date would turn into the anniversary of her election to the White House.

But now Dole has left the presidential race, and the number of Republican candidates continues to shrink. Her reason, she said, was the enormous discrepancy in contributions to her campaign compared to what her opponents had been receiving.

"I have learned that the current political calendar and election laws favor those who get an early start and can tap into huge private fortunes, or who have a pre-existing network of political supporters," Dole said at her press conference.

Dole's regional campaign workers are largely now without work and many are looking for jobs. One worker at Dole's campaign headquarters said many people have gone to work on congressional campaigns. The press department worker, who refused to give her name, said it was inappropriate for staffers to work on a different presidential campaign. But Darrell Kearney, Dole's senior campaign adviser in Iowa and Midwest finance director, is now acting as a campaign consultant to Republican candidate Steve Forbes.

"I was instructed that all of us were free once she [Dole] was out of the race," Kearney said. Kearney worked as Bob Dole's campaign manager in Iowa in 1995 and 1996 and met Forbes during that time. "He was my second choice all along."

Kearney said the decision to work on the Forbes campaign was easy. "One, I know him and I like his stands and ideals," Kearney said. "Forbes is clearly the leader of the new conservative movement. He has picked up the torch that [Ronald] Reagan carried."

Monte Shaw was Elizabeth Dole's Iowa campaign manager. He also worked on Bob Dole's campaign in 1995 and 1996. He was the last worker to leave the Des Moines headquarters. The office was mostly cleared out Oct. 22, and by Oct. 29 Dave Ostrem Imports, Dole's rented office, became an empty used car shop.

"It's kind of like anything; you're sad to see it end," Shaw said. "You take a deep breath, and you try to find a job."

Shaw said he had several leads on jobs after his work of wrapping up the Iowa headquarters is completed. Originally from Shenandoah, Iowa, Shaw said he would probably move to Washington, D.C., to pursue a job. But he said it was time to move on.

"It's literally like, you're done," Shaw said. "You take your personal stuff and you walk out the door. It seems unreal, but it's just that easy, I guess."

Dole's Web site, www.edole2000.org, is still up and running but has a picture of a defiant but depressed Dole and a saddened Bob Dole in the background.

Although dreams of a Dole living in the White House have dimmed, in her speech announcing the withdrawal, Dole said, "While I may not be candidate for the presidency in 2000, I'm a long way from the twilight."

Shaw said he agreed Dole was not yet at the end of her public career and may still become a running mate. "There hasn't been a time that she and Bob Dole have never been called to service and they haven't responded," Shaw said.

Kearney said with Dole's withdrawal, Forbes would take her place as the conservative candidate.

Dole said she would have called for a reappointment of Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and the creation of a Western Hemisphere Free Trade Zone to promote a strong economy. She also said she wants the development of a missile defense system as a top priority. In education, she said she wants stronger discipline in the classroom, better trained teachers and parent and teacher control of the schools. Greater pensions for workers to provide better retirement security was another reform Dole wants. All of these are issues Forbes is pursuing.