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Confident Cheney says voters are
tuning in
By MADHUSMITA BORA
It seems like caucus time all over again for Iowans, thanks
to the attention they are receiving from the Republican presidential ticket.
In the last week the state played host to both Texas Gov. George W. Bush
and his running mate, Dick Cheney.
"We want to win Iowa this time," Cheney said in an interview
with the Courier.
"Besides, Chuck gets lonely if we don't visit him often,"
he said of Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of New Hartford.
The former defense secretary predicted it would be a close
election, but seemed confident of winning.
"Recent polls in Arkansas show that we are leading in
spite of it being Clinton's home turf, and we are also leading in Tennessee
and West Virginia, too," he said.
He said citizens want a change in policies, which is helping
Bush gain support in those states.
Asked what the Bush-Cheney ticket offers Iowans, Cheney
said their leadership would improve public schools, ensure prescription
drug coverage for seniors, increase benefits for military personnel and
introduce new tax policies.
With elections knocking at the door, the vice presidential
candidate wants to tune in more people to their policies. In an upbeat
mood, Cheney said he doesn't mind having to live out of his suitcase the
next few weeks.
"I am going to Wyoming tonight, and then after I do my
laundry I will continue my tour of Nevada, New Mexico and Illinois," Cheney
said.
These last few weeks will be crucial because until a week
ago voters were busy with the Olympics, vacations and getting their kids
back to school.
"We will see a lot of opinion forming in the next few
days, and the strategy will be to campaign across the country and tune
in people with our policies," he said.
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