POLITICAL BRIEFING

GOV. CUOMO, MEET CANDIDATE CUOMO: Even though his state’s budget crisis is resolved, New York Gov. Mario M. Cuomo keeps insisting he has “no plans, and no plans to make plans” to run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1992.

That is what he is saying, but what he is doing seems to be shaping himself for candidacy by remedying his weaknesses and exploiting his strengths.

A stay-at-home since he visited the Soviet Union in 1987, Cuomo plans trips to Japan and Europe this year. Ostensibly, he would be promoting trade for the Empire State, but the travel could also help to offset anticipated criticism of Cuomo’s slim foreign policy credentials, particularly the fact that he has never been west of San Francisco.

Meanwhile, on the home front, Cuomo is striving to take advantage of what would likely be his strong suit in a Democratic presidential contest: economic policy. He is putting the finishing touches on what his aides are heralding as a “white paper” on economic growth. The report, to be released July 25, will set out alternatives to what Cuomo caustically labels the “free enterprise for the few” policies of the Ronald Reagan and George Bush administrations.

GREEN THOUGHTS: A survey conducted by a green think tank offers surprises to both parties on the politics of the environment. The poll found that almost as many Republicans as Democrats consider themselves to be environmentalists, and that substantial majorities in both parties believe cleaning up the environment will help, not hurt, the economy. Even more surprising, the survey--conducted jointly by a leading pollster from each party for a group called Environment Opinion Study Inc.--found that President Bush, though frequently criticized by green lobbyists, has more credibility with the public on environmental issues than Congress. The poll results highlight yet another challenge for Democrats hoping to use Bush’s environmental record against him in next year’s presidential race: Most of those surveyed said they regarded pollution not as a federal problem, but as “a local issue best addressed by individuals and the private sector.”

CUTTING BOTH WAYS: If Clarence Thomas’ nomination to the Supreme Court is confirmed, political pros see him bringing mixed political blessings to the GOP.

On the down side, if Thomas gives court conservatives the majority needed to overturn the 1973 abortion rights decision of Roe vs. Wade, GOP pollster Richard B. Wirthlin thinks it could hurt Republican support among voters in the 18 to 35 age group in the 1992 election. He points out that this cohort is currently the most strongly Republican of any age group, but is also the group most concerned about protecting the right to abortion.

Wirthlin believes most of the negative impact of a reversal of Roe vs. Wade would be felt by GOP House and Senate candidates, because Bush’s own appeal has been too well defined by his Persian Gulf success to be damaged by discontent on any other issue. Democratic pollster Bill Hamilton told Campaign magazine, however, that a turnabout by the court would so galvanize abortion rights backers that “it could even switch the presidential election,” and give the Democrats the White House.

On the up side, Republicans hope the elevation of Thomas would blaze a trail to the GOP for other blacks. Conservative analyst Stuart Rothenberg contends that even a small black influx to the Republican ranks could have a “dramatic impact,” particularly on Senate races in the South, where some Democratic incumbents won their seats only with the help of huge black majorities.