American Notes Elections

He believes the income tax should be abolished. He opposed George Bush on the gulf war, saying the conflict was not in the nation's interest. He was once described as Ronald Reagan's right arm. Now Patrick Buchanan, 53, may be running for President, challenging Bush for the Republican nomination. "It's a go," said his sister, Angela ("Bay") Buchanan, former U.S. Treasurer. "He's so excited."

Not so the White House. Though in public they dismiss Buchanan as a nuisance -- Marlin Fitzwater noted last week that the White House "already had one Buchanan," in 1857 -- Administration officials privately admit that the ultraconservative columnist's entry in the primary race could force Bush to play more to the political right to avoid being outflanked by the co-star of the nightly CNN debatefest Crossfire. Buchanan's candidacy could make the Republican primary interesting -- even if only briefly. And his pesky debating style might be just what some senior Republicans say is needed to help get a passive and complacent Bush back into fighting trim.