Tumor-Stricken Atwater Names a GOP ‘Designated Spokesman’

Republican National Chairman Lee Atwater on Friday named veteran GOP political consultant Charles Black to serve as his “designated spokesman” while Atwater continues his struggle against a brain tumor.

It was the first official recognition by party officials of a problem that many Republicans have discussed privately--that the GOP has been handicapped by Atwater’s prolonged absence.

The announcement was made as President Bush, whose 1988 campaign was managed by Atwater, is being buffeted by the two most serious political storms of his White House tenure--the breaking of his pledge not to raise taxes and the escalating cost of the savings and loans scandal.

Some Republicans have speculated that, had Atwater been active, he would have devised a more graceful way for the President to explain his recent shift on tax policy and would have been more aggressive in responding to Democratic criticism on the savings and loan issue.

Black’s appointment was made a week after the semiannual meeting of the Republican National Committee in Chicago.

In his statement announcing the appointment, Atwater praised the national committee staff for its performance during the Chicago meeting, saying that it had “demonstrated leadership aimed at supporting our President and our party and getting the facts out to the American people through strong spokesmen.”

Nevertheless, Atwater said the meeting “made clear to me the need to have the strongest possible spokesmen available to carry our message to the public on a day-to-day basis.”

After describing Black “as my best friend and political eyes and ears,” Atwater said: “I’ve now asked him also to be my mouthpiece, and Charles has unselfishly accepted.”

The 42-year-old Black, like Atwater, has strong ties to Republican conservatives.