DOLE, BOOSTED BY KIRKPATRICK, BACKS OFF ON BUSH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-01448R000401580081-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 24, 2012
• Sequence Number: 81
• Publication Date: March 4, 1988
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sl ,Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/25 :CIA-RDP99-014488000401580081-2
Dole, boosted by Kirkpatrick,
backs off on Bush
By Christine Chtnlund
G1o~a~Staff
~ASI-IINGTON -Sen. Bob Dole
of Kttnsas yesterday received the
endbi?sement of former UN Am-
bas~ador Jeane J. Kirkpatrick,
but~olntedly kept his distance
fror>~?a volatile issue he raised the
day$efore.
ilble stood smiling at Ktrkpa-
trlo~'s s(de as she praised his
'de~onstrated capacity to lead.
notst to take orders." That com-
me~ and others were seen as in-
direct Jabs at Vice President
George Bush, with whom Kirkpat-
rick served In the Reagan admin-
istratlon.
Predicting that Kirkpatrick's
endorsement would glue him a
"big, big push" with conserva-
tives, Dole denied that Super Tues-
day has the potential to knock
him out of the race for the GOP
nomination. Dole trails Bush in
virtually all of the 17 states that
will vote on Tuesday.
Dole carefully shied away from
offerin? details - or evidence - of a
possible connection between nua,.
and Panama's military ruler, Gen,
Manue! Antonio Noriega, who has
been indicted in the United States
on drug-trafficking charges. On
Wednesday, the Dole campaign
said sources have indicated that
Noriega was on the CIA payroll In
1976 and 1977, when Bush head-
ed the CIA. The Dole campaign
asked whether Bush authorized
the payments or was aware of any
drug trading in which Noriega
may have been involved.
Bash avoids diacauioa
Campaigning in Rock H111,
S.C., Bush yesterday refused to
discuss Noriega's relationship
with the CIA, saying he was pro-
tecting "sources and methods of
intelligence."
Bush was asked by reporters
why he had not "opened up"
about the connections between
the ClA and .'Noriega, who controls
Panama despite an attempt last
week by the ousted, US-backed
president, Eric Arturo Delvalle, to
dismiss him. Delvalle was deposed
by Noriega's backers in Panama's
National Assembly last week.
"It's a good question,r~
of leadership is respect for the
law," Bush said. "Part of what I
don't do is go out and discuss
when I take an oath of office at
C[A to protect sources and meth-
ods of intelligence."
He also said Americans
"appreciate leadership that fol-
lows the proper precedents and re-
sistingcheap shots during a politi-
cal campaign. 1 am not going to
tell you of confidential relations
between the president and vice
president."
He went on to give the Reagan
administration credit for Nor1e-
ga's indictment. "It is our admin-
istration that when this man has
gone sour, that has brought him
to )usttce."
Dole poinb ont story
Dole, pressed for details on his
assertions, pointed to a January
story in The Washington Post
that he said "indicated Noriega
was on the CIA payroll for quite
some time." The candidate down-
played his earlier statements, say-
ing all he had done was "ask the
question."
He did go a half step further,
saying that Noriega's drug activi-
ties have been evident since at
least 1978, when, Dole said, he
named Noriega as a drug traffick-
er to a speech on the Senate floor.
Bush has said he only recently
learned of Noriega's alleged drug
trafficking.
"t am )ust suggesting there are
published reports that say that for
many years, Noriega was on the
The Washington Post
The New York Times _
The Washington Times
The Wall Street Journal _
The Christian Science Monitor
New York Daily News __
USA Today
\e Chicago Tribune
CIA payroll. and ... it shouldn't
come as any surprise to anybod}~
that Noriega and others in Pana-
ma have been involved in the drug
business," Dole said at a press
conference where the Kirkpatrick
endorsement was announced.
At the gathering, Dole called
Kirkpatrick a good choice as a
vice presidential running mate,
while the former ambassador
praised Dole as someone strong in
foreign policy, good for the GOP
and electable. - '
Kirkpatrick toab coafideace
"1 know both George Bush and
Bob Dole, and I have worked with
both of them on a lot of foreign
policy pro'olems. 1 have more con-
fidence that Dole can provide the
flexibility and strength we are go-
ing to badly need in the next dec-
ade," Kirkpatrick said.
"I know Mikhail Gorbachev
and his colleagues; I've dealt a
good deal with them," she said. "1
have confidence that Bob Dole will
know better how to protect our se-
curity."
As recently as Sunday, during
a GOP debate in Atlanta, Rep.
Jack Kemp of New York said tie
would name Kirkpatrick his secre-
tary of state if elected president.
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/25 :CIA-RDP99-014488000401580081-2