Politics 88 : Simon Still Acting the ‘Happy Warrior’

As Sen. Paul Simon waved goodby and walked out of classroom 213 Monday morning, University of Wisconsin instructor Sylvia Sipress told her freshman political science students: “Well! You now are inscribed in campaign history.”

There is a chance that by Wednesday morning, after Wisconsin primary votes are tallied, the 11-month presidential campaign of Illinois Sen. Paul Simon could be on its way to becoming history, too.

With his sole first place finish in the primaries (in his home state of Illinois) three weeks behind him, Simon’s showing in polls here puts him a poor third at best, coming in as low as 5% in some surveys.

Simon, who was once thought by more appraisals than his own to have a good shot at winning Wisconsin, is convinced that he will do better than the polls show.

“I’m not about to concede to the pollsters,” he said, bow-tied as usual and looking incongruous as he stood next to a huge candy-apple-red and black touring motorcycle on a visit to the Harley-Davidson plant. “I have to do well and I’m going to do well.”

“It’s practically a home state for him,” added one staffer.

But the talk has started again that without at least a strong third-place showing today, Simon may suspend his campaign and go to the Atlanta convention with the delegates he has.

Simon leaves Wisconsin for Washington D.C. today, and “we’ll make that evaluation after the real results come in . . . we want to evaluate, as you do after every major effort,” he said.

“At least we’ve got great weather,” sighed one staffer of the bright Wisconsin spring day, which Simon spent flying around the state, seeking one last time to whet an edge to his campaign.

Simon seemed tired and subdued at a visit to the “Over The Rainbow” day care center in Madison--a name not lost on the larger-than-usual press corps traveling with him, some in anticipation that the trip may be Simon’s last swing.

He has spent nearly two weeks here, but with limited visibility: He has drawn crowds only a fraction of the size of the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s, and he has been able to raise only half of the $150,000 he planned to spend on TV commercials, outspent about 5 to 1 by second-tier rival Sen. Albert Gore Jr.

But throughout Monday, which ended with one of Simon’s favorite campaign stops--a visit to a bowling alley--Simon maintained the “Happy Warrior” demeanor of the late Hubert H. Humphrey, one of his mentors--as cordial and even-tempered as he was coming off his Illinois victory.

“He’s a class guy,” said a staffer. “There’s no bitterness.”

Simon is pinning what hopes he has left on being the compromise choice of a deadlocked convention. And there was a note of regret in his voice Monday when he told the political science class that he faulted the peculiar system that selects presidents, in which legislative experience is not always paramount.

He said that he once stood next to then-Louisiana congressman Joe D. Waggonner Jr. who, as he surveyed the House of Representatives, said: “There are 100 people out there right now who would make a better President of the United States than. . . “ Simon omitted the name.

“I looked over the crowd,” said Simon, “and he was right.”