July 8, 1993

Voters who supported Ross Perot in last year's election remain deeply committed to him and are "increasingly skeptical" of President Clinton, who wants their support to win re-election, a national survey released today by Mr. Clinton's pollster has found. While the pollster, Stanley B. Greenberg, said Mr. Clinton could draw support from Mr. Perot's backers, the findings underscored how difficult that effort could be. Mr. Clinton would have to prove that his policies fundamentally improved the economy, the study said, and to persuade the Perot voters that he had significantly changed Government by cutting waste and bureaucracy and greatly curbing the influence of special interests.

Rudolph W. Giuliani, the Republican-Liberal candidate for New York City mayor, held a news conference yesterday in an attempt to show his broad appeal, but it turned out that his appeal may not have been as broad as it seemed. Standing on the steps of City Hall under a blistering sun, Mr. Giuliani smiled as he received the endorsement of a Democratic club from Staten Island. Flanked by a group of about 14 people holding signs that read "Democrats Need Rudy" and "Democrats Want Rudy," Mr. Giuliani said the endorsement showed he was gaining support among Democrats.

Five summers ago the worst drought in half a century left the fields around this tiny Iowa town as dry as bleached bones, stunting corn, killing soybeans and driving farmers out of business. Farmers are recalling that dry summer with some measure of longing this week as the Middle West continues to be pelted by the heavy rain that has flooded the upper Mississippi River.

Now investors know this gold rally has legs. But how's its stamina? So far, pretty good. Spot gold prices flirted with the level of $400 an ounce yesterday for the first time in almost three years, continuing the blistering rally that began in mid-April.

A few weeks ago, a quiet revolution occurred on the southern shores of the Sea of Galilee when this kibbutz, the second oldest in Israel, placed shares in its plastics factory for sale on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. It was the first time that an Israeli collective had resorted to such a blatantly capitalistic device to raise cash, and the change was a big one.