LAWMAKERS, March 29, 1984
LAWMAKERS, March 29, 1984
[20.04.12-WERTHEIMER] WERTHEIMER says the ELECTION YEAR is having an effect on budget debate. DEMOCRATS wanted to wait for the first few PRIMARIES to begin making BUDGET decisions. Results of first primaries is a sense that voters do not want "pandering to SPECIAL INTERESTS". DUKE asks if YUPPIES in CAPITOL HILL are in favor of HART. WERTHEIMER-Some members of CONGRESS favor HART, less than for MONDALE, but there are plenty of YUPPIES on CAPITOL HILL, getting "younger and more aspiring every day". DUKE laughs, asks ROBERTS for here report on HART. [20.05.04-ROBERTS] ROBERTS says that HART'S campaign raises questions on exactly what HART'S ideas and policies are. ROBERTS talked to HART'S colleagues in the SENATE and CONGRESS to get a sense of HART'S m.o. on the HILL. [20.05.21-closeup of hand, working buttons on a multiline phone-pulls back to show young women campaign workers answering questions from callers about HART'S stances on ISSUES-one staffer explains HART'S PRO-CHOICE position on ABORTION. The next call indicates that, yes indeed, HART is concerned about JOBS for AMERICANS.] [20.05.41] ROBERTS v.o.-HART staff working hard to get the word out to VOTERS on HART'S stands on issues. It's not easy-HART'S policies are not all LIBERAL or all CONSERVATIVE, and after 10 years in CONGRESS, doesn't have any major legislation to his credit. [continued shots of HART staffers at phones, working on computers, looking through files] But HART'S former chief of staff says HART has put forth his ideas, but not always in the traditional liberal DEMOCRAT mold. [20.05.57-Larry SMITH, seated in office] SMITH says HART has been involved in a host of social programs, concerned with making them more effective, but unlike trad. DEMOCRATS, he has been a hard worker in ARMS CONTROL and DEFENSE POLICY. [20.06.35-HART standing, delivering a presentation to a SENATE committee in an oak-paneled hearing room] ROBERTS v.o.-HART worked outside the framework of the ARMED SERVICE COMMITTEE to form a new CAUCUS ON MILITARY REFORM. HART speaks advocating a defense budget that is "not the most expensive the nation can afford", but balanced and adequate. Says that other members of CONGRESS have come together to form the new caucus as a kind of "MILITARY REFORM MOVEMENT". [20.07.15-shot of launch countdown timer-shot of MX missile launching from a silo for a test] ROBERTS v.o. HART'S defense budget calls for eliminating controversial programs like the MX MISSILE and B-1 BOMBER. [20.07.22-shot of NAVY DESTROYERS at sea, A-6 attack BOMBERS landing on AIRCRAFT CARRIER] ROBERTS v.o.-HART'S plan does call for beefing up NAVY, so the Senator has been called "ADMIRAL HART". [20.07.31-Paul HOVEN, Military Procurement Project, seated in office] HOVEN says HART and his allies have been called "CHEAP HAWKS", and it's partly true, but the specifics are not agreed on by all in the group. Basic principle of HART'S effort "more bang for less bucks". [20.07.51-HART addressing a CONGRESSIONAL meeting, large stack of papers on desk in front of him] ROBERTS v.o.-HART'S other major committee effort, ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS, HART took a "middle ground" between industry and regulation that often angered both sides. [camera pan from HART'S seat on committee panel across room to show witnesses and spectators-cut to closeup of HART] [20.08.02] ROBERTS v.o.-On the ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE, HART made a public mark by investigating THREE MILE ISLAND, along with REPUBLICAN colleague Alan SIMPSON. [20.08.12-Sen. SIMPSON seated in front of bookshelves] SIMPSON says HART brought him on a helicopter to go to THREE MILE ISLAND, to survey the accident site. [20.08.34-aerial shot of THREE MILE ISLAND complex with COOLING TOWERS] ROBERTS v.o.-HART and SIMPSON worked to enact changes in nuclear policy, but HART was not successful in legislating a MORATORIUM on NUCLEAR POWER. This is indicative that HART'S strength is not in convincing others to take his point of view. [20.08.45-Larry SMITH, former HART aide] SMITH says HART'S form of LEADERSHIP is not about winning votes in a given framework of debate, but in influencing what the frame of debate will be. [20.09.00-HART exiting a building accompanied by aides-HART walking in a street surrounded by apparent supporters] ROBERTS v.o.-HART'S goal of changing the frame of debate is not easy in WASHINGTON, where people have established ways of doing business, so he has an "outsider" reputation. [20.09.11-Frank MANKIEWICZ, former George McGOVERN aide] ROBERTS v.o.-MANKIEWICZ is familiar with HART from the McGOVERN campaign in 1972. MANKIEWICZ says if there is a "SENATE CLUB", HART is not the kind of SENATOR who would be a member. [20.09.23-Sen. SIMPSON] SIMPSON says HART worked in his own individualistic way, and it's a threat to many. [20.09.33-pan of exterior of CAPITOL to a townhouse across street] ROBERTS v.o.-HART did form a "club" of sorts which met at a lobbyist's home, 12 lawmakers, including CONGRESSMEN Martin FROST, a strong HART supporter. [20.09.45-Rep. FROST, seated, interviewed by ROBERTS] FROST said it was a rare opportunity to talk to other legislators who understood different views on the issues. [20.10.03-HART, surrounded by security personnel, walks through crowd of REPORTERS to CAPITOL.] ROBERTS v.o.-HART had problems turning IDEAS into LEGISLATION. Not interested in the "nitty gritty" of legislation. [20.10.15-Sen. SIMPSON] SIMPSON says HART is impatient with the process of making legislation [20.10.24-HART speaking in a COMMITTEE meeting] Sen. SIMPSON v.o.-Legislation is "the dryest form of human endeavor". [20.10.30-SIMPSON] SIMPSON says legislation is about amendment, compromise, and time. HART was impatient and didn't like this. [20.10.43-MANKIEWICZ] MANKEIWICZ says HART was not the type of SENATOR to put in the gradual work over time to slowly bring an issue into law. [20.10.59-Rep. Martin FROST] FROST says HART is a pot-stirrer, trying to make people think, has a lot of ideas, not all are practical in the legislative arena, but always trying to bring attention to the issues. This is what a PRESIDENT should be, but to succeed as PRESIDENT, HART will need the help of "political technicians" to get his legislation enacted. [20.11.30]