Where I Stand: Silver State Republicans look good in Rollins’ book

Monday, Sept. 30, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

REPUBLICAN political consultant Ed Rollins has a national best seller on the market. "Bare Knuckles and Back Rooms" is the story of a tough kid from Vallejo, Calif., who learned his politics the hard way and has now made big bucks relating his experiences. He tells his story the same way he speaks -- the text is loaded with four-letter words.

His dynamic state campaign, helping Christine Todd Whitman get elected governor of New Jersey in 1993, also triggered his fall from the pinnacle of political success. He told some reporters that the campaign had spent about $500,000 on "walking-around money" for politically active African-American ministers to suppress the black vote. The roof fell in when the story about the "walking-around money" hit the press.

Yes, there had been about $200,000 walking-around money for street operations, but he couldn't point to any of it going to black ministers. He was in trouble and embarrassed. In the long run, it's possible that this incident helped make his name a household political word and is selling his hard-cover book like hot cakes.

It was a long fall for a man who had helped both George Bush and Ronald Reagan become White House occupants. Rollins was so good that even billionaire Ross Perot enticed him to help in his 1992 run for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. That relationship was short-lived, because it didn't take him long to realize that Perot is a "dangerous demagogue."

Rollins finds it very difficult to accept any blame for his many problems, but easily takes the bows for the candidates he helped steer to victory. For example, he writes:

"George Bush was an extraordinary, decent man who simply had no business being in the Oval Office."

About James Baker III, he says: "I respected him and still do, but I never trusted him. Did he use me? Sure -- he used everybody."

About California Senate candidate Michael Huffington and his wife, Arianna, Rollins writes: "Those of us who worked for him couldn't trust him or his wife; they couldn't trust each other; and ultimately, the public couldn't trust either of them."

He also admits that he's not on Barbara Bush's Christmas-card list.

So who didn't Rollins bash? The Nevadans he associated with in politics: Sen. Paul Laxalt, Sig Rogich, Frank Fahrenkopf and Ed Allison all came out of the book smelling like roses. The author leaves no doubt that Ronald Reagan should have picked Paul Laxalt as his running mate in 1980 instead of George Bush.

"Either Laxalt or Kemp would have made a superb vice president, and both would have surrounded themselves with Reagan people. Laxalt would have been his closest confidant and counselor. He would also have been a critical bridge to Congress, where he was very well respected. ..."

About the 1984 re-election campaign, Rollins writes:

"My best chance of survival in this den of vipers was to forge a relationship with Paul Laxalt, the campaign's general chairman. Laxalt was an extremely trustworthy man and his only agenda, like mine, was to re-elect his friend. He had the president's ear and was the only player I felt could protect me from Nancy Reagan. ..."

About Jim Baker, Rollins tells his readers: "Jim Baker had instructed me to report to him, not Laxalt. I met with Paul one day in November in his Capitol hideaway office.

"'I don't want to get at cross purposes here,' I said, explaining Baker's edict.

"Laxalt was furious. He rang up Baker and asked to see the president. Baker asked him what he wanted to talk about.

"'I've known Ronald Reagan a lot longer than you,' Laxalt replied, barely keeping his anger in check. 'I don't have to tell you what I want to see him about.'

"According to Laxalt, it was a short meeting in the Oval Office.

"'Mr. President, I just want to know who's running your campaign, me or Jim.'

"'You are,' Baker interjected.

"'I didn't ask you, Jim,' Laxalt retorted.

"Predictably, the president gave Laxalt the grant of authority he wanted. Laxalt closed the meeting with a warning.

"'Jim,' he said to Baker, 'leave Rollins alone. He reports to me; I'll report to the president and keep you informed.'

"Baker was beside himself. He called me and reamed my butt royally."

He didn't do Rogich any favor when he brought him into the losing 1994 Huffington campaign for senator against Dianne Feinstein:

"Things were getting so negative on both sides that I decided it was time to shift gears and make for the high road. In early September, I brought in Sig Rogich, the media guru who'd been so effective for Reagan in 1984 and Bush in 1988, to help us do some positive spots. It was another bizarre day on the trail."

In the book's appendix, Rollins names Rogich as one of five senior advisers among the "guys I want in the foxhole with me if I'm ever stupid enough to run another presidential campaign."

"Bare Knuckles and Back Rooms" is 386 blood-splattered pages with none of it landing on the GOP politicians from the Silver State.

It's good reading, if you are a political junkie, and don't mind the earthy language. The book could be titled, "GOP Politics 1974-1996 -- Through the Eyes of Ed Rollins."