Campaign Trail

Rolling their own

Washington

President Clinton defended the Democratic Party’s use of tobacco-industry money Friday, saying what counts is whether politicians who get the cash toe the tobacco line.

Clinton and Vice President Al Gore have been attacking GOP candidate Bob Dole for questioning nicotine’s addictive powers and for being “addicted to tobacco money,” as Gore put it.

Most tobacco money goes to Republicans, but the Democrats benefit, too.

The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. gave $20,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee on May 28, making it one of the top 10 corporate backers out of the 65 that contributed soft money to the committee that month.

Tobacco interests contributed $4.5 million to the Republican Party from 1993 through 1995 and $800,000 to the Democratic Party during the same period, according to Common Cause, a non-partisan citizens lobby.

My good pal, Bill, er Bob

Prague, Czech Republic

President Vaclav Havel said Friday he supports President Clinton’s re-election bid. Unless, of course, Republican rival Bob Dole wins.

The playwright-philosopher, host for Hillary Rodham Clinton’s three-day visit to Prague, chuckled when an American reporter asked about his preference in the United States election. Then he deftly avoided the question.

“The way this works for us presidents is when the campaign is progressing we do not say who we want to win,” Havel said. “But we always tell whoever wins that,’We were crossing our fingers for you.”’

Libertarian wants debate

Washington

A leading Libertarian Party presidential candidate vowed Friday to push for participation in this year’s presidential debates, even though their party’s candidate was snubbed four years ago.

“I make you no promises. I don’t know if we can do it. But it is definitely possible,” candidate Harry Browne told the Libertarian Party’s nominating convention during a floor speech.