Herschensohn Sees No ‘Year of the Woman’ : Politics: GOP candidate for Senate says the phrase is ‘sanctioned prejudice’ by liberal Democrats. He reiterates opposition to federal disaster aid.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Herschensohn bristled Friday when reporters asked him about the “Year of the Woman” in politics, saying he despises the phrase and considers it “sanctioned prejudice” against men by liberal Democratic women.

“Can you imagine the ‘Year of the Man?’ ” retorted the normally mild-mannered Herschensohn when asked what effect the popularity of women candidates might have on his contest with U.S. Rep. Barbara Boxer of Marin County. “Come on--do we have a quota system now?”

Boxer led Herschensohn by 19 points among registered voters in the latest Times Poll.

Herschensohn also expressed impatience during a breakfast meeting with area political reporters on questions dealing with the California Coastal Commission and Social Security. On Social Security, he told the questioner sharply, “I know what you’re getting at” without ever saying what it was.

The 60-year-old Herschensohn is a longtime conservative Republican, but not an orthodox politician. He worked in the Nixon White House, but never held elected office and sought and lost the GOP nomination for the Senate six years ago. This is his first general election bid.

His campaign speeches come across more like the conservative commentaries he delivered for 13 years on KABC radio and television in Los Angeles than the rhetoric of a stump speaker. His low-key delivery often is accompanied by a smile, but the focus is on the content of the message as he patiently explains his plan for a reduced federal role in U.S. life based on those limited duties outlined in the preamble of the Constitution.

Herschensohn said Friday that he has little knowledge of--or interest in--campaign tactics and has an aversion to fund raising. Herschensohn leaves those matters to veteran campaign manager Ken Khachigian.

Finding the general election campaign far more hectic than the primary, he expressed frustration with Boxer’s rejection of his idea that they travel the state together, debating each other at least once a week. He argued that such a political road show could revolutionize the nature of campaigns.

There were flashes of temper during his primary campaign with Rep. Tom Campbell (R-Stanford). In one case, Herschensohn heatedly accused Campbell of lying about his proposals. Herschensohn also gets irritated when he believes his ideas are being misquoted or distorted, or when the media focus on strategy and tactics rather than issues.

On Friday, Herschensohn flared first on the gender issue, saying, “It’s the ‘Year of the Liberals,’ ” not of women. “One of my greatest heroes of the 20th Century is Margaret Thatcher,” he said, but referring to activist women’s groups: “They don’t like her. She’s not their kind of woman.”

Then a reporter wanted to know if his proposal for the phaseout of regulatory units such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency might also be applied to the California Coastal Commission. “Why do you say that?” he answered. “I have no jurisdiction over any Sacramento agency or department. I’m talking about the federal government.”

When he was asked why a campaign issues paper did not mention Social Security, Herschensohn cut off the reporter and snapped: “I know what you’re getting at.”

Herschensohn apparently referred to Campbell’s attempt to portray him as an advocate of privatizing Social Security. But Herschensohn did not go into the Campbell charge Friday because he said he does not consider Social Security an issue this fall.

Herschensohn reiterated his opposition to long-term federal relief for disasters such as Hurricane Andrew in Florida and the Los Angeles riots. The federal government should pay only for emergency relief and the repair of federal facilities, he said.

Coincidentally, Boxer was in Washington to argue in the House on behalf of the disaster relief bill Herschensohn opposed.

She seemed to mock Herschensohn’s constant reference to the preamble of the Constitution when she said that private aid was not enough in the face of such overwhelming disaster.

“To ensure domestic tranquillity and promote the general welfare are things our Constitution requires of us,” she said.

“Our Pledge of Allegiance says that we are one nation under God, indivisible. If ever there is a time to be one nation tied together with concern for one another, it is during a time of crisis in any of our states.”