Dole visits Twin Cities
Karen Boothe, 7/17/96

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole delivered a major education policy speech in the Twin Cities today. He spoke to about 500 invited guests at De La Salle High School, a private catholic institution in Minneapolis. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports:

Dole has been under pressure in recent weeks to get his campaign message OUT...so he's seized on education as a means of breaking through the malaise critics say is harming his campaign and causing him to slip in the polls. In his speech, he unveiled a ten point plan called an "Education Consumers Warranty."

Dole suggests education may be the single leading issue in which Americans have heard so much rhetoric from Washington....and seen so few results. He says at the same time....test scores keep falling, the drop-out rate keeps rising, and education bureaucracy keeps getting bigger:

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Dole also blames poor classroom performance for why wages have been stagnant in recent years. He says better training and education are directly tied to growing salaries:

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Dole attacked President CLinton as the "pliant pet of militant teachers' unions, currying favor with the very same interests who are fighting reform." Dole's plan is to return control to parents and local taxpayers:

Bite:4613 18-secs "and parental authority"

Dole says it's time the federal government starts standing up for parents...so he's in favor of school choice. He ALSO pledges to make schools safer, and is pushing for the return to teaching the basics of math, science and language. Dole says attempts to teach "diversity" and "global awareness" have been futile..and calls such ideas "politically correct nonsense."

Former Education Secretary William Bennett, who joined Dole at de La Salle High School, says Dole's speech was a major turning point in the candidate's attempt to define crucial election year issues. He expects Dole's campaign to now focus on moral and social issues like school choice....issues HE believes voters agree with Dole on.

BITE:4628 :09-secs "advantage of that."

Bennett says from now until the election...Dole and Republican leaders must do a better job of making their case to the public.

Some uninvited guests showed up outside the school. Some held anti-tobacco lobby signs...a reference to a controversy Dole is embroiled in over whether nicotine is addictive. But, MOST carried signs protesting the idea of school choice. Amy Bodner of Elk River explains why SHE'S against choice and a school voucher system:

BITE: 4518 :13-secs "come up with."

Bodner says school choice and vouchers don't play well with voters in rural Minnesota....where there are few if ANY school choices other than public education.

Dole NOW takes his campaign, and Education speech to Milwaukee and Cleveland.