Feb. 15, 2000 --- Steve Forbes
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From the reporter, Feb. 12, 2000 ---
Finding his “swim against the tides,” publisher Steve Forbes pulled out of the Republican presidential race Thursday after spending personal millions on his second quest for the nomination.

“We have created a new conservative agenda,” Forbes told supporters, claiming influence in making the party take his ideas seriously. “I have no regrets, and you shouldn’t either.”

Forbes exited in Washington, the place he railed against in two campaigns for the timidity of its tax cutters and the clout of its special interest lobbyists.

Champion of a flat income tax and a conservative voice on abortion, Forbes struggled to get his voice heard in a campaign dominated from the start by Texas Gov. George W. Bush, with John McCain coming on strong after a victory in the first presidential primary in New Hampshire.

The primaries decide who will be a party’s delegate at the presidential nominating convention, to be held this summer. And the first primaries are especially important because a good showing by a candidate can convince voters and potential donors across the country that their campaign is viable.

Forbes had spent US$28.7 million of his own money on the 2000 campaign through Dec. 31; January numbers are due later this month. He spent US$37.4 million on the 1996 run.

The total, US$66.1 million, was more than the salary cap for National Football League teams, and twice as much as Michael Jordan was paid in his last year with the Chicago Bulls basketball team. It is almost one-third of the gross national product of Micronesia, which is US$205 million; and would buy a Forbes magazine subscription for each of 1.7 million voters.

In our view, Mr. Steve Forbes is a giant, despite of pulling out of the Republican presidential race. That so-called “ending his swim against the tides” is wrong because Steve Forbes’s speaking was heard for whole the world.