CAMPAIGN ’88 : Hart’s Iowa Campaign Not Just Gary and Lee

Gary Hart appears to have some organization in Iowa after all.

After re-entering the race in December, the Hart campaign played down expectations in Iowa by stressing that it had no organization to identify and get supporters to the caucuses Monday. Hart did not even open an office in Des Moines until last month.

But in the past several days, Iowa Democrats have begun hearing from Hart. Hand-written letters on “Gary and Lee Hart” stationery urged them to attend the caucuses and stand up for Hart. Many caucus-goers also have received telephone calls from Hart campaigners, who are running phone banks in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City and Council Bluffs.

The campaign launched an $85,000 television and radio campaign Wednesday. The TV commercials consist mostly of 4 1/2-minute spots of Hart talking directly into the camera. Sue Casey, Hart’s campaign manager, directed them and a Colorado firm was hired for the filming. They will run through Monday.

Hart says in the commercials that he has no “big money or expensive consultants” but has the “power of ideas,” and asks that his character be judged on his record of “standing up to powerful interests.”

Without mentioning rival Richard A. Gephardt by name, Hart refers to the Missouri congressman as a “Washington insider with slick TV ads” who is advocating dangerous “protectionism.”