BUCHANAN PRESSES ON; FORBES CAMP SENDS MIXED SIGNALS.

Byline: Sandra Sobieraj Associated Press 

Pat Buchanan campaigned with renewed verve Sunday, stating bluntly he's not about to help Bob Dole win the White House, but the signals from Steve Forbes' camp were less clear.

While Forbes said in Florida that he, too, was in the GOP presidential race "for the duration," campaign aides indicated Forbes might be willing to bow out if Dole embraces serious tax reforms.

Forbes is looking for "basically, some sort of recognition" of his role in the GOP presidential campaign, said a senior aide to Forbes who asked not to be identified.

But Forbes maintained on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he had no intention of withdrawing from the race.

"These principles and issues are bigger than the candidate. I'm in for the duration to get them across to the voters," he said.

Buchanan was even more forceful about staying in.

"Right now, what I'm going to do is campaign as long and hard as we can, amass as many delegates and votes as we can and . . . fight strongly, fairly, bravely, as we have all along for the things I believe in," Buchanan said in a television interview.

In a sermonlike address to Houston's Bread of Life Church congregation, Buchanan called for a "more muscular Christianity" to help in his fight to outlaw abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide, and restore prayer and Bible study in public schools.

"We've had too much of the church milquetoast and not enough of the church militants in America," he preached.

Forbes continued to focus on his 17 percent flat tax proposal at visits to a strawberry festival and an exhibition baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Kansas City Royals.

In his NBC appearance, Forbes acknowledged that Dole was the front-runner "but, as I say, this election is not just about picking a candidate to run in a single election. This election is about the direction that America takes . . ."

Former Housing Secretary Jack Kemp, campaigning with Forbes on Sunday, said he is willing to help his friend close ranks with Dole any time the candidate asks him to.

"I have a lot of friends in the Dole camp and maybe, if he asked me, at the right time, to help build a bridge to the party or to Dole, I could play that role," Kemp said in an interview.

But Forbes, asked whether he wanted Kemp to serve as a negotiator, had a testy response: "Not at all - Jack is in this campaign as an advocate."

Forbes also dismissed any possibility of an imminent deal saying. "If they (the Dole camp) want to join my campaign, they have my phone number."

Dole, campaigning in Jacksonville, said: "I didn't know I needed an intermediary. Well, that's what quarterbacks are for, I guess." Kemp was a pro football quarterback before entering politics.

Buchanan conceded on CBS' "Face the Nation" that Dole would be a "far preferable" president to Bill Clinton, but hastened to add: "My objective now is not to help Bob Dole at all, it is to get the GOP nomination."

Such defiance left Dole unfazed as he campaigned in Florida. He brushed aside suggestions that Buchanan might never endorse him, even at the GOP convention in August, saying: "Nothing concerns me today."

While critics have suggested Buchanan's dogged pursuit of the nomination is aimed at sacrificing Dole in the 1996 race in order to position himself for a stronger run in 2000, Buchanan said he didn't believe in "the politics of rule or ruin." He said he would stand by his party "if it's been a fair fight and the party still represents your views and values and convictions."

CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Here are Sunday's developments on the presidential campaign trail:

THE CANDIDATES:

PAT BUCHANAN: Conceded on CBS' "Face the Nation" that Bob Dole would be a "far preferable" president to Bill Clinton, but hastened to add "My objective now is not to help Bob Dole at all, it is to get the GOP nomination." AndF he reacted angrily to suggestions that GOP establishment officials might try to deny him a role at the convention: "Who are these folks to tell us, who have millions of votes, or will have by the convention, that we cannot speak at the convention of a party I've supported my whole life?"

BOB DOLE: worked to shore up support in the two biggest prizes of the Super Tuesday round of primaries - Florida and Texas. "I'll promise you one thing, if I'm the nominee I'm going to beat Bill Clinton in November of 1996," Dole told several hundred enthusiastic supporters in Jacksonville, Fla. The Senate majority leader was upbeat, and held back from pressing attacks on his two remaining rivals, publisher Steve Forbes and commentator Pat Buchanan. Asked by reporters how he expected to do in Texas on Tuesday, Dole said, "It's a big state and I think we'll do big time."

STEVE FORBES: Maintained on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he had no intention of withdrawing from the race. "These principles and issues are bigger than the candidate. I'm in for the duration to get them across to the voters," he said. Forbes acknowledged that Dole was the front-runner, adding however, "but, as I say, this election is not just about picking a candidate to run in a single election. This election is about the direction that America takes . . ." NEWS OF NOTE:

Former Housing Secretary Jack Kemp, campaigning with Forbes on Sunday, said he is willing to help his friend close ranks with Dole any time the candidate asks him to. "I have a lot of friends in the Dole camp and maybe, if he asked me, at the right time, to help build a bridge to the party or to Dole, I could play that role," Kemp said in an interview. Asked whether he wanted Kemp to serve as a negotiator, Forbes gave a testy response: "Not at all - Jack is in this campaign as an advocate." Forbes also dismissed any thought of an imminent deal saying, "If they (the Dole camp) want to join my campaign, they have my phone number."

Dole said he wants FCongress to test President Clinton by passing health care, welfare reform and balanced budget measures. But Dole said he would probably not carry a specific position on tax reform into the fall campaign. In an interview with the Associated Press, Dole said he was eager to secure a mathematical lock on the Republican nomination so he could turn more attention to his duties as Senate majority leader and use that post to draw leadership and policy contrasts with Clinton.

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Box Campaign Update (see text)