WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Capital Comment -- News notes, political rumors, and important events that shape politics and public policy in Washington and the world from United Press International.
California dreamin'? -- A new Field poll from California shows former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan with a 47 percent to 40 percent lead over incumbent Democratic Gov. Gray Davis. Riordan, a Republican, also holds a substantial lead in the GOP primary over businessman and former federal prosecutor Bill Simon and Secretary of State Bill Jones. But in what must be a cause of grave concern in the governor's campaign headquarters, each of his potential Republican opponents is holding Davis under 50 percent of the vote in the head-to-head match-up -- a clear and loud warning -- and 53 percent of respondents were "not inclined to re-elect Davis." The poll of 788 likely voters was conducted at the end of January.
Limitation of statues -- Justice Department types are insisting that the decision to cover the gigantic half-nude statues in the Great Hall of the main Justice building in Washington was not censorship. The long blue drapes that now cover them provide a better backdrop for the television cameras, according to Justice Department spokeswoman Barbara Comstock. The statues have been in place since the 1930s and couldn't be removed without violating regulations preserving the historic character of the building. The female figure, "Spirit of Justice," has been popular with news photographers ever since then-Attorney General Edwin Meese was photographed announcing a crackdown on pornography with the statue's one bare breast peeking over his shoulder.
The old college try -- A nationwide poll by the University of California at Los Angeles indicates more college freshmen describe themselves as politically liberal than at any time since the Vietnam War. The researchers measured liberalism by asking students to describe their political views and take positions on certain benchmark issues. More than one-third -- the highest rate since 1980 -- say marijuana should be legalized, although 75 percent also say employers should be allowed to require drug tests of workers and applicants. A record 57.9 percent think it should be legal for gay couples to marry. And 32.2 percent say the death penalty should be abolished, which is the strongest showing for that position in 20 years.
Still, about half of the class's members, in line with their recent predecessors, view themselves as "middle of the road" politically. And 20.7 percent consider themselves conservative or "far right," while 29.9 percent -- the highest figure since 1975 -- say they are liberal or "far left."
Make up or make over -- Republicans are trumpeting the early lead held by Pennsylvania state senator and congressional candidate Tim Murphy over incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Mascara. A recent poll showed Murphy with a commanding 15-point lead over Mascara in the state's newly drawn 18th District. The survey revealed that Murphy tops Mascara 45 percent to 30 percent in the head-to-head match-up and, with only 40 percent of Mascara's former district in the new one, the congressman must now vie for re-election in a district that voted for Bush-Cheney in 2000 by nearly 52 percent.
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