‘My First Skirmish’ : Farm Credit Crisis Tests Dole’s Mettle : Dole’s ‘First Skirmish’ Tests His Mettle

For Sen. Robert J. Dole (R-Kan.), the current farm credit crisis is proving to be “my first skirmish”--an important early test of his ability to lead his party and the U.S. Senate.

So far, the new Senate majority leader has earned the admiration of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle as he has tried to fashion a compromise that would satisfy both farm state Democrats as well as President Reagan.

“I know this is being portrayed as his first test of leadership,” said Sen. David L. Boren (D-Okla.), a leader of the three-day filibuster aimed at winning credit concessions for farmers, “and I would say he’s handled it well. He’s kept everything on an even keel. He’s kept people talking. I would give him very high marks.”

Sympathy for Cause

It is ironic that Dole’s first key test should come on a farm issue. As a farm state senator himself facing reelection in 1986 and as a potential presidential contender in 1988, Dole fully sympathizes with the filibuster leaders and is personally interested in getting credit for helping America’s failing farmers.

But as majority leader and as the President’s chief ally in Congress, he is forced to put his personal political interests aside. He needs to demonstrate early in his tenure that he can bring order to the situation and to prove--as he phrased it--”I don’t intend to be pushed around.”

“I think there comes a moment of truth for any leadership,” said Assistant Majority Leader Alan K. Simpson (R-Wyo.). “Unless you resolve this one early, you have legislative chaos. You are either leading or you’re letting little cabals do a number on you.”

Confrontational Style

As expected, Dole’s style of leadership has proved to be much more confrontational than the relaxed manner of his immediate predecessor, Howard H. Baker Jr. (R-Tenn.). In fact, he infuriated some farm state Democrats at the outset of negotiations by accusing them of resorting to legislative “blackmail.”

The Democrats were quick to forgive his rhetoric, however. Dole managed to convince the Democrats that he was interested in fair compromise, despite the advice of hard-liners in his own Republican caucus.

“We all use the wrong words now and then,” said Minority Leader Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.). “I think Sen. Dole is making a good-faith effort.”

According to Byrd, Dole’s task also has been complicated by the stiff negotiating position taken at the White House and the Agriculture Department.

‘Problem Is Downtown’

“I have a feeling we would have resolved the matter before now if it had been up to Sen. Dole,” Byrd said Friday morning. “His problem is downtown.”

“I think he’s done an excellent job,” said Sen. Mark Andrews (R-N.D.). “I think you’ve seen a fantastic example of Bob Dole’s leadership.”

Yet Dole was uneasy about the accolades, knowing that the next two years promise to bring many similar confrontations, as the Democrats seek to claim control of the Senate in the 1986 election.

“There’s going to be a lot of them in the next two years,” Dole said. “I sense them coming.”