Goldwater Denies He Favors Clinton

Republican Party conservative patriarch Barry Goldwater Sr. said he was only joking when he suggested he could choose Democratic President Clinton over his Republican rival Bob Dole. During a scholarship forum in Tucson, Goldwater, 87, said he thinks Clinton is doing a good job. “I don’t care if he’s a Democrat or Republican--I would rather he be a Republican. But I think Mr. Clinton is going to be a good president,” he said. Goldwater drew laughter when he said, “I would first vote for Dole if he was the only one running, but . . . .” Goldwater later said his comments were made in jest. He said he intended “to vote for my friend Bob Dole in November.” In recent years, Goldwater has taken stands displeasing to conservative Republicans, including his support for gays in the military and his earlier alignment with a possible candidacy of retired Army Gen. Colin L. Powell.