Dole Stops Campaigning, Starts Cramming

For $10,000 a couple, you’re supposed to get three kinds of wine, oven-roasted sea bass with garlic mashed potatoes and a chance to meet the guest of honor: GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole.

But while the fish is sure to be served up, the Republican standard-bearer probably won’t.

While some of California’s richest Republicans are being wooed to “an intimate dinner” with Dole, campaign officials acknowledged Wednesday that the the candidate is likely to be on the East Coast, thousands of miles from California.

Whether or not Dole’s absence from the dinner next Monday at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine says anything about his chances in the state, it could embarrass millionaire developer George Argyros.

Argyros has sent a personal note to several hundred of the state’s top GOP donors, touting the dinner as “our one opportunity prior to November to privately meet with Senator Dole,” according to invitations mailed Sept. 16.

“This dinner has been on the books for quite a while,” said John Herrington, chairman of the state Republican Party. “We are well over 60% sold. . . . It looks like all the usual good Republican contributors, some coming from as far away as San Francisco.”

Told of Dole’s plans to be in Florida through the weekend preparing for his first debate with President Clinton, Herrington said: “He is flying to California, to Orange County, the evening of the 30th.”

Argyros could not be reached for comment.

Kenneth Khachigian, Dole’s chief California strategist, said Wednesday night that Dole’s attendance at Argyros’ fund-raiser had been under consideration earlier in the week but had never been confirmed.

Now “my understanding is it got complicated with the debate preparation,” he said.

Other Dole aides said the GOP candidate plans to spend the weekend in Florida preparing for his Oct. 6 debate with Clinton. He will then spend most of next week close to Washington, with relatively little travel, to rest and prepare for the one-on-one confrontation.

In theory, Dole could fit in a quick trip to California between his scheduled time in Florida and a planned appearance in the Midwest on Tuesday. In practice, however, aides said that no such trip is currently planned and that doing so would be almost inconceivable at this point.

The event is a fund-raiser for Victory ‘96, the statewide effort being chaired by Argyros to help Republicans win at the state, congressional and presidential levels. The $1 million that is expected to be raised would all be spent within the state, the Argyros invitation promised.

But should Dole skip the dinner, it could have echoes of 1992, when then-President George Bush gave up on his California campaign to battle Clinton in other states.

It may also be an indication that Dole is less than enthusiastic about California, where he has trailed significantly in the early polls.

Dick Rosengarten, editor of Calpeek--a weekly statewide political newsletter, said he does not believe that Dole is going to pull out of California.

“To me, it is just another indication of terrible planning, scheduling and coordination by the Dole campaign. It is another sign the Dole campaign ain’t there,” he said. “If they promise the candidate and it is $10,000 a couple . . . somebody’s head ought to roll for that one.”

Argyros has spent millions supporting candidates and political causes in the state. In his invitation, Argyros makes a personal appeal to help “our Republican Party” and Victory ’96.

Taking note of the “critically important” state and congressional campaigns in the state, he says, Dole “is flying to Orange County the evening of Monday, September 30, to assist us in raising our share of the financial goal.”

One leading Republican activist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “That kind of stuff happens. It just complicates matters for the dinner sponsors and their ability to take advantage of the enthusiasm that would be generated knowing that Dole would be at the event.”

The businessman said it usually takes an emergency for a candidate to skip a major fund-raiser.

“We have had things like President Bush kept away by a national crisis or Gov. Wilson missing a major dinner because budget negotiations just keep him in Sacramento,” he said.

In addition to Dole, organizers of the dinner said Elizabeth Dole will attend as will vice presidential nominee Jack Kemp, and his wife, Joanne. Kemp is due in California today.

A rally is scheduled to precede the dinner at 6:30 p.m. either inside the hotel or on the surrounding grounds.

“We are still working out the details for the rally,” said Bill Christiansen, executive director of the county Republican Party.