Neither the frigid weather in Manchester nor the crippling snow in Washington and New York diminished the enthusiasm of the 750 republicans attending the New Hampshire state GOP dinner -- but the weather did keep three republican presidential aspirants from attending.
This year's dinner was titled "A Winter Celebration with the Next President of the United States."
By 5 p.m., crowds of anxious supporters wielding "Dole for President" or "Lamar Walked Here" signs eagerly waited at the New Hampshire Exposition Center's entrance for the arrival of the presidential candidates vying for the republican nomination.
Although snow prevented candidates Bob Dole, Phil Gramm and Steve Forbes, from attending the dinner, they spoke to supporters via telephone.
At a cocktail party preceding the speeches, Lamar Alexander, who spoke at Dartmouth this fall, said he greatly enjoyed his visit to the College and was "very pleased" with student turnout. He said he is unsure whether he will return to the College prior to the primary.
Candidate Richard Lugar said he "hopes very much" to campaign at Dartmouth before the primary. Candidates Alan Keyes and Morry Taylor said they are also planning to visit the College.
Following the $150 a plate dinner , each candidate spoke for eight minutes in an order pre-determined by a random drawing.
Lamar Alexander
Governor of Tennessee Lamar Alexander said he does not believe Dole will win the republican nomination and questioned Dole's ability to serve as president.
"Washington says it is Bob Dole verses Bill Clinton already, but I'm here to challenge the Washington wisdom," he said. "I am here to offer a choice."
Alexander said he is different from the other candidates because he has held a job outside of Washington.
Morry Taylor
President and Chief Executive Officer of Titan Wheel Company, the world's largest producer of tires, Morry Taylor, said the time has come for a businessman to run the United States.
Taylor, who sold $15 million worth of stocks in Titan Wheel International to finance his bid for the primary, said "Morry Taylor is not a politician and not a lawyer, he is a self-made millionaire who started at the bottom."
Steve Forbes.
Via telephone, New Jersey millionaire Steve Forbes stressed the importance of reforming America's tax system.
"If we are to begin to change the culture of Washington, we must start with the tax code," he said. "Scrap it. Kill it. Bury it. Hope it never rises again and replace it with a simple flat tax."
Forbes, who advocates term limits and lowering the interest rate, said all his policies share the common thread of giving American citizens more responsibility.
Phil Gramm
Also by telephone, Texas Senator Phil Gramm said his first priority as president is to balance the budget.
Gramm said although Clinton promised to balance the budget and cut taxes when running for president in 1994, he vetoed every bill republicans passed to achieve those objectives.
"Now everyone in America knows he [Clinton] did not mean it," Gramm said. "If we don't stand up for what we promised, how are we any different than Bill Clinton?"
Dick Lugar
Senator Dick Lugar of Indiana said as president, he hopes to improve the future of America's youth.
"When I first walked in, students from Dartmouth asked me 'What are you going to do for college students?'" he said.
Lugar said students are growing up in an economy in which, for the first time, they might not be able to obtain the American dream -- to be more economically successful than their parents.
Pat Buchanan
Former senior advisor to Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, Patrick Buchanan, said the first thing he will do as president is reverse Clinton's first five executive orders.
Buchanan said he plans to illegalize abortion, do away with quotas and affirmative action, delegate total responsibility for crime prevention to the states and repeal free trade legislation such as the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Alan Keyes
Ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council Alan Keyes said the key issue for the presidential campaign should be the preservation of the two-parent marriage-based family system.
"The key issue should not be money," he said. "What is destroying us is that we have retreated from the building blocks of life ... we must fix the family system if we want to save America."
Bob Dole
Over the telephone, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole said he possesses the leadership to transform his conservative vision for America into action.
"We will fight for fundamental conservative change," he said. "I have witnessed the courage of Americans fighting in wars ... I have not doubt through our vision we will win the hearts and minds of the people in 1996."
Dole said as president he will continue his fight to balance the budget.
