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By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Wednesday, April 7, 1999

Godfather's Pizza chairman Herman Cain told Iowa Republican leaders Monday that he was considering a presidential bid. As the keynote speaker at the Iowa Republican Party's Lincoln Club dinner, Cain talked about how his business experience would make him a good candidate.

"Mr. Clinton is running this war as if Dick Morris were Chairman of the Joint Chiefs." – Editorial in the Wall Street Journal. (WSJ, April 7, subscription required)

But if Jesse Ventura is the Ross Perot of 1999 and Pat Buchanan is the Pat Buchanan of 1999, then Cain is the Morry Taylor of 1999. Taylor, the tire tycoon who made a longshot 1996 presidential bid based on his business experience, finished the New Hampshire primary with about as many votes as Alan Keyes. But, hey, Keyes is running again, too.

• Pizza Mogul Ponders Run for President (The Des Moines Register, April 6)

N.H. House Committee Considers Holding 2000 Primary in 1999
With other state's creeping up on New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary, lawmakers are considering a move that would place the New Hampshire primary in late 1999. A state law requires the primary to be held seven days before any other state, but only if the the two primaries are within the same year.
• Election Committee Hears Ideas to Protect New Hampshire Primary (Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, N.H., April 7)

Most State Coffers See Fourth Quarter Boost
Although eight states saw revenue decline during the fourth quarter of 1998, the cumulative revenue of all states rose 7.5 percent. It was the second strongest quarter of growth since 1992. Despite the revenue boost, increased pressure to cut taxes and increase education funding has some states struggling to balance their upcoming budgets.
• Fourth Quarter State Revenue Figures Show No Slowdown (Stateline.org, April 7)
• Budget Looks Far Brighter Than Expected (Los Angeles Times, April 6)
• Tax Overhaul May Take 2 Special Legislative Sessions (The Tennessean, Nashville, April 6)
• For Second Time House Rejects Grocery Tax Plan (The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 7)

Ryan Thornburg can be reached at ryan.thornburg@washingtonpost.com