Hart Ends Race, Saying He ‘Got a Fair Hearing’

Former Sen. Gary Hart abandoned his on-again, off-again presidential race with grace and humor Friday, saying he finally “got a fair hearing” from the voters who ultimately rebuffed him and the press he once reviled.

The Colorado Democrat offered his help and kind words but no endorsements to the five hopefuls still vying for nomination at the 1988 National Democratic Convention.

“The people are the strength of this country. I said I wanted them to decide about my candidacy,” Hart read from a handwritten speech at a Denver restaurant.

“I got a fair hearing. And the people have decided,” he said. “Now, I clearly should not go forward.”

Shows No Bitterness

Looking relaxed and happy, Hart displayed neither the bitterness of his scandalous exit from the race last May nor the defiance that fueled his stunning re-entry in December.

His wife, Lee, and son, John, smiled and nodded as Hart spoke, and the group cheered Mrs. Hart when her husband acknowledged her support and kissed her cheek.

Neither Hart nor the media made any direct references Friday to Donna Rice, the 29-year-old Miami model whose reported romantic involvement with Hart forced him to abort his campaign when he was the party’s clear front-runner last May. Hart later publicly admitted he had been unfaithful to his wife, but kept the circumstances private.

But Hart acknowledged that his candidacy “represented a more complicated and difficult decision for people than is ordinarily the case in politics.”

When asked if he had any re grets, he quickly answered with a single, firm word that drew cheers and laughter from his fans:

“Sure.”

His departure came in the wake of poor showings in the crucial Iowa and New Hampshire contests and another trouncing in the 20-state Super Tuesday sweeps earlier this week.

“Presidential campaigns can also be vehicles for moving ideas and issues forward--not just personalities,” Hart said, “and I feel very good about having gotten into this race in spite of the outcome. I don’t think I lost.”

Without specifying the amount, Hart said he had funds left over from this year’s campaign and hoped that the Federal Election Commission would allow him to use the money to pay off some of his $1.2-million debt from his 1984 presidential drive.

Over $1 Million in U.S. Funds

As of Feb. 24, when the FEC doled out the latest installments of matching campaign funds, Hart had received $1,116,881.99 in federal money. The matching program allows a candidate to receive a dollar from the Treasury for every dollar raised from an individual up to a maximum of $250 per person.

Hart’s most recent filing with the FEC indicated that he had about $600,000 in cash on hand as of Jan. 31 and that he had spent about $500,000 that month.

Although Hart boasted Friday that “we have paid 75% or more of the ’84 debt and have gone from over 750 creditors to less than 50,” the FEC is still investigating complaints that Hart settled some debts for virtually pennies on the dollar.

Before dropping out last May, Hart had raised nearly $2.2 million over a four-month period. This time around, the FEC records show that he raised only about $116,000 during December and January.

Hart finances also came under scrutiny in January amid reports that Hollywood video entrepeneur Stuart Karl improperly bankrolled Hart’s earlier campaigns by reimbursing employees out of his own pocket for campaign contributions he solicited from them.

Denies Knowing of Wrongdoing

Hart professed ignorance of any wrongdoing and promised to return any improper contributions.

Hart said he might have stayed in the race if there had been more opportunity to debate the other candidates.

He described the other Democratic contenders as “very strong candidates,” but he complained that they “were running away from debates, and debates were getting canceled.”

Although “I didn’t like them at first,” Hart said he came to believe that public debates were his best forum.

Times political analyst William Schneider of the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute said that Hart’s poor performance in his first debate in Iowa two months ago doomed his campaign because “he had nothing to say at all that other candidates weren’t saying.”

Although Hart lacks clout to play any key role at the summer convention, Schneider said, “a Democratic administration probably would not be averse to using him” as an adviser in some role that “was clearly substantive rather than political in nature, like defense policy or economic policy.”

“He knows policy issues better than anyone else.”

Vague on His Plans

Hart sketched vague plans for his future, saying he would “continue speaking, writing, participating, helping the party any way I can. . . . “ He later told The Times that he might join a trade delegation to the Soviet Union next month.

The 100 or so mostly youthful volunteers seemed almost cheerfully resigned to Hart’s fate as they milled about the small banquet room before their candidate arrived.

‘Go Out and Get Drunk’

“Well, I guess we can go out afterwards and get drunk,” one man was overheard suggesting to two women sporting Hart campaign buttons.

“We tried that last time and it didn’t work,” one of the women chuckled ruefully.

About 30 of the supporters stood up and chanted Hart’s signature, “Hell, no!” as he strode into the room.

Hart concluded his speech in the almost professorial style that made him a favorite of young people when he first took his “new ideas” platform of economic and military reform to schools and college campuses.

“To those in and out of politics who may face setbacks, failures or defeats, who are told to give up, accommodate, or compromise, I hope you’ll simply say--as I do--hell no!

‘Never Give Up’

“Never give up,” Hart admonished, as he did just that.

“What Hart said about not quitting was important,” campaign volunteer Daniel Anthony said later. “That’s what I’ll tell my kids.”

Answering reporters’ questions after the speech, Hart peppered his parting remarks with glib one-liners.

When asked whether he would ever seek the presidency again, Hart attempted a serious response but in the end was unable to resist the obvious:

“Ever again is a long time. I have no plans to,” he began before breaking into a grin. “Not this year, anyway. I think twice in one year is enough.”

Not everyone was so upbeat. Tears trickled down a few cheeks and more than one supporter bristled when reporters approached to ask for comment.

“I’m crying inside. I don’t know what went wrong,” said one woman who declined to give her name. “The press just wasn’t giving him any coverage, and the TV always seemed to give little editorials whenever they ran something on him.”

No Longer Feel ‘Hunted’

But Hart thanked the media “who were fair, balanced and professional,” saying he and his family no longer feel “hunted.”

“Nobody’s peeking through our windows anymore,” he said.

But when he was asked how he would earn his living now, Hart’s answer came with the tight little smile and terse words that echoed back to another time, and another exit.

“It’s none of your business,” he said.

And on that note, he was gone.

Staff writer David Lauter and researcher Dallas Jamison contributed to this story.