AUGUST 16, 1996
| Nobody Home | Family Values | Dole Man |

Nobody Home
Radio Row at the convention is a hallway-long series of tables with one radio station talk show per station. In the morning, the upper crust of the Republican Party stops from one table to the next, sampling the smorgasbord of talk shows where each proclaims to their audience that they've got an EXCLUSIVE interview with the politically famous. At one station, Thursday, one host scribbled something on a piece of paper and then handed it to his guest during a commercial; asking him to read it into his microphone. "Hello, this is Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, John's not home right now but please leave a message at the beep." Really.

Family Values
And now this update from the people who give you the focus on family. Sen Phil Gramm (R-TX) confessed yesterday that he and his wife, Wendy, have had dinner together maybe "two or three times " in the month before coming to San Diego. Governor George Patacki (R-NY) said he's made it home for dinner with his wife and four children "only a few times" during the previous month. Colorado Senator Ben Nighthorse cites a study that says more Members of Congress have been divorced or separated this year than ever before. When a constituent phoned Campbell's house recently complaining that he hadn't seen Campbell in weeks, the Senator's 25 year old daughter replied she hadn't seen him in months. Campbell says he's found "something wrong" about talking family values when your family is falling apart." Outside the convention center Thursday, Baptist missionary Norman Gartin was handing out literature complaining that people need to spend time with their families. "How many dinners have you had with your family this week," I asked. Twice. He says he's been too busy with the Convention.

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