Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Beleaguers ASSOCIATED PRESS < CONCORD, N.H. - Battered by j back-to-back defeats in Iowa and Louisiana, Texas Sen. Phil Gramm called ( top supporters around the country ( Tuesday night and told them he would ( quit the Republican presidential race, 8 GOP sources said. Gramm planned an afternoon 1 announcement Wednesday in ' Washington. * Gramm's departure would leave an ' ./*' fi o tvirei So, cal s '* . Y id Gramm iight-man GOP field, with one week to jo before the New Hampshire primary, [t also would remove from the race a logged conservative campaigner who jarly on was viewed by Sen. Bob Dole's campaign as the biggest threat to his status as the GOP front-runner. But Gramm's campaign never realized ts promise, and he was facing dim prospects in New Hampshire after being stunned by Pat Buchanan in Louisiana ast week and then placing a distant fifth V'"'' ' : | ;':: : : :;, ;: ? ; $? . i... '.;; v^. h sure,it lOG d to a no-name overchargii ling card in ha and save yourse Know the Code. 1 The Gamecock i withdraw: Monday in Iowa's caucuses. Gramm abruptly canceled afternoon campaign events in New Hampshire on Tuesday and flew back to Washington to meet with friends and advisers and assess his prospects. By early evening, he was calling top supporters around the country and informing them of his plans to quit, according to three GOP sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. Several top Gramm aides also were informing friends and associates, ^B *?& ^'l'~~ *'**~~~~r-. -J9I V ??!?& mESS* ^-M^^rr? m M ks innocen i company that h rag broke collej nd, you dial 1 C If some much 800 CALL ATT. That's AT&T Your True Choice * jyKI Wednesday, February 14, s from prej the sources said. E "When you run fifth in Iowa, an o important state, you would have to be E brain dead not to take a look at where you are and what you're doing," Gramm E told reporters before leaving New e Hampshire. "One of the things that we're 1 going to try to do this afternoon and s tonight is to take a look at where we are." V Several of Gramm's top supporters had uiged him to quit the campaign and d concentrate on his Texas Senate race. " t. But it could be las no qualms E*e students. JOO CALL I needed cash. Your True Choice 1996 sidential r; tut a few advisers wanted him to hold n through the Feh, 20 leadoff New lampshire primary in case Dole faltered. Jim Courtovich, Gramm's New lampshire campaign manager, said arlier Gramm canceled only one event 'uesday afternoon and his morning chedule in New Hampshire on Wednesday. "Tonight, Senator Gramm has to ecide what to do," Courtovich said. Tomorrow we're making an ? about VTT ? 1996 AT&T 3 ace announcement." Gramm's national chairman, Arizona Sen. John McCain, said earlier that supporters were "going through the options, and I think in a day or so you'll see what the decision will be." "YouVe got to figure out assets, you've got to figure out your chances," McCain told a Phoenix radio station. * Gramm started deliberations on his future as the disappointing Iowa results came in. McCain told Gramm to stop dissecting what had gone wrong and try to honestly assess his chances in the next two weeks, according to campaign sources. New Hampshire Sen. Bob Smith, Gramm's top backer in the state, told Gramm his chances here were bleak, according to the sources. The sources said Gramm looked at three options: quit, retreat from New Hampshire to concentrate on a few Southern states, or retreat and make one last-ditch effort in South Carolina, which holds the first Southern primary on March 2. At one point, Gramm said he would end his campaign if he did not finish in the top three in Iowa, but backed away from the statement in the weekend before the Iowa caucuses. New Hampshire held little promise of a rebound for Gramm. He has lagged in the single digits in the polls, behind Dole and multimillionaire publisher Steve Forbes. In recent weeks, commentator Pat Buchanan and former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander have been vying for the third spot here while Gramm's numbers have remained stagnant. With moderates leaning toward Dole, Forbes or Alexander, Gramm has been left to compete with Buchanan for the smaller hlne nf social conservatives in New Hampshire. While Buchanan has remained loyal to New Hampshire, Gramm angered many Republicans by failing to rebuke efforts Jby Arizona and Delaware to encroach on New Hampshire's first primary. Gramm gave no inkling of his impending decision during a speech earlier Tuesday at a Concord business luncheon, where he attacked Buchanan's protectionist stance on trade. "We have let errant nonsense and second-rate thinking pass as real thinking and real policy on this topic," he said. Gramm can't blame a lack of money for his poor showing. He had raised $25 million coming into the campaign, but critics say he has not used his money wisely. IMPROVE YOUR NIGHT LIFE. j M Mi Many accidents are caused by car drivers who didn't see the cyclists. Wear reflective gear and bright clothing. And keep your \ z / evening from being ruined.X?/ MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FOUNDATIONS IMIilli LONDON 0079 nnnin Anon rnnib jjcm AMSTERDAM $275 FAANKFURT $239 ROME $259 Fates are from Columbia. SC. eacb uiaq based or a RT purchase. Fares do nor include federal lares and passenger facilities charges, uihich can total between $19.35 and S31.5S. depending on the destination, nor do then include departure charges paid directly to to foreign governments, uihich can total between $3.00 and $00.00. Int I Student 10 may he reunited. Fares are suject to change. Restrictions apply. Travel . CIEE: Council on International Educational Exchange On the Web: http://www.ciee.org/cts/ctshome.htm