National Missile Defense: The Dog That Never Barked
Washington, D.C. . . Despite predictions that National Missile Defense would play a significant role in the 2000 election campaign, the $60 - $120 billion system has been invisible as an election issue, Council for a Livable World reported today.
For instance, during the four presidential and vice presidential debates, there was not a single question on missile defense.
Neither George W. Bush nor Al Gore have done more than give passing mention to the issue. When it came to spending millions on campaign advertisements, the candidates have highlighted education, health care, social security and prescription drug prices. They have not spent a dime on missile defense.
“Almost no one is willing to put their money where their mouth is,” argued John Isaacs, President of the pro-arms control Council for a Livable World. “Republicans who have claimed missile defense is a vital issue have refused to back their words with action.”
The same is true for congressional races across the country. While a few candidates for Congress have mentioned the issue in a speech or debate, when it comes to spending hard campaign dollars, missile defense has been ignored.
Only Rhode Island Democratic Senate primary loser Richard Licht spent money to run an advertisement and it was critical of the program.
President Clinton was believed to be under heavy political pressure to announce in favor of deployment to protect Vice President Gore from charges that the Administration had left the country vulnerable to attack.
Yet when President Clinton announced on September 1 that he would put off deployment to the next Administration, Members of Congress and the public yawned. In fact, a poll conducted September 8 - 10 by The Mellman Group showed 58% of the public supported the President’s decision while only 30% opposed it.
Since that time, only the three most devoted congressional disciples of missile defense — Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Sen. John Kyl of Arizona and Rep. Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania — have taken to the Senate and House floors to criticize the President’s decision.
“It’s difficult to make a case for missile defense when the Secretary of State is posing for pictures with Kim Jong Il,” added Isaacs.