U.S. sees election mirror image

Blair's campaign is seen in US as replay of Clinton's race against Republican Bob Dole

By CNN's Senior White House Correspondent John King

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- To Republicans in the United States, the UK general election has an all-too-eery familiarity.

There is the spectacle of the leader of a "new" party apparently coasting to victory against a conservative who cannot capture the imagination with a promise of lower taxes. The British campaign is viewed in many ways in Washington as a replay of the 1996 presidential election in the United States.

Prime Minister Tony Blair, of the self-proclaimed "New Labour" party, is seen playing much the same role as then-President Bill Clinton, the self-styled leader of the "New Democrats."

CNN.com Europe More news from our Europe edition     AUDIO CNN's Robin Oakley: Hague lacked charisma 1.06MB/1.38 min AIFF or WAV sound Labour MP, Oona King: Moving forward 1.21MB/1.52 mins. AIFF or WAV sound Robin Cook, Foreign Secretary: Britain must play a part in Europe 560K/52 secs. AIFF or WAV sound Baroness Symons, Labour Party: Watch and wait on US Missile Defence 660K/61 secs. AIFF or WAV sound Matthew Taylor, Former Labour Strategist: Liberal Democrat gains show dramatic political realignment 1.12MB/1.43 mins. AIFF or WAV sound More election-night audio     IN-DEPTH UK Decides 2001   •  Blair's path to victory   •  Tory identity crisis   •  Possible Tory leaders   •  View from Washington   •  UK voters shun polls   •  Euro push expected   •  Election night timeline   •  Election night quotes   •  Campaign highs and lows   •  Election factfile   •  Candidate profiles   •  Party profiles   •  Election issues   •  Election process   •  Glossary of terms   •  Campaign trail reports   •  Share your views   •  News search   •  Audio/video archive   •  Virtual tour of Parliament

A big tax cut was the promise of Republican nominee Bob Dole then, and Conservative leader William Hague in Britain now.

But the polls showed little appetite for sweeping tax cuts, and selling it was all the tougher because of complaints from the party in power that such a big tax cut would lead to devastating cuts in social services.

So as the young Bush administration awaited the official British results, many noted the irony in the timing: On the very day of the British elections, Mr. Bush signed into a law a broad-based $1.35 trillion 11-year tax cut, delivering on a campaign promise that even many of his fellow Republicans were skeptical he would be able to meet.

"Perhaps a lesson to the Tories to keep the faith," said a senior Bush adviser, who spoke only on condition of anonymity for fear of antagonizing those in the Blair government.

"It was not too long ago that Clinton gave us the fits that Blair gives them."

Special relationship

For all their political affinity for the Conservatives, senior Bush international policy advisers say they have worked well with the Blair government and were operating on the assumption of a big Blair victory. Mr. Bush was preparing a statement of congratulations and a personal phone call to the prime minister.

Much is made in both countries of the "special relationship" between Washington and London, and the two nations, and this bond has often been personified in the personal ties between leaders.

Twenty years ago it was Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. The former President Bush also enjoyed good relations with then-Conservative Prime Minister John Major, and of course, there are the well-chronicled parallels, and close ties, between Mr. Clinton and Mr. Blair.

Now, the two leaders do not have a close personal relationship and are, despite a shared sense of pragmatism, viewed as political opposites.

But White House officials say Mr. Bush enjoyed the prime minister's company during a get-to-know-you session at Camp David, and saluted the cooperation of Mr. Blair and his government on military strikes against Iraq and in the ongoing debate in the United Nations over a new sanctions regime against the Iraqi government.

Missile defence is another area where U.S. officials say Mr. Blair has demonstrated a willingness to listen despite the widespread skepticism most U.S. allies in Europe have about the Bush administration's plans.

Not that the relationship has not had its early tests.

Mr. Clinton took a first-hand role in the Northern Ireland peace process; Mr. Bush has said now that a framework for peace is in place he does not plan to get personally involved unless there is a specific request from London. And the administration has raised eyebrows in London and elsewhere by sending mixed signals about its commitment to keeping U.S. peacekeeping troops in Bosnia and Kosovo.

But the true test lies ahead.

Mr. Bush travels to Europe next week for the first time as president, for U.S.-European Union and NATO discussions certain to include disputes over missile defence and the U.S. administration's rejection of the Kyoto treaty on global climate change. And Mr. Bush returns in July for the annual Group of Eight meeting.