The Curfew Card

NEW ORLEANS: President Clinton continues his stampede to campaign turf staked out by Bob Dole. Thursday's subject: Curfews for minors. A day after Dole delivered a speech touching on a similar theme in California, Clinton used an appearance before the New Orleans Church of God in Christ to embrace the idea of curfews as a way to protect children and prevent them from getting involved in criminal activity. In touting the "dusk to dawn" curfew in New Orleans, Clinton said curfews are needed to "bring more order and structure and discipline" to young people's lives. The New Orleans curfew is credited with reducing crime in the city by 27 percent and reducing auto theft by 42 percent. Clinton praised curfews in place in several American cities including Dallas, Phoenix, Chicago and Denver. The curfews require children under 17 to be home by 8 p.m. on school nights and 11 p.m. on weekends. Exemptions are allowed for teenagers who are married, or going to and from work, or in case of emergency. As a concession to the longer days of summer, children can stay out until 9 p.m. from June until August. Ambushed in recent weeks by Clinton on welfare reform, on the right of states to disavow homosexual unions and on affirmative action, Dole put a wry face on the situation. Asked why he thought Clinton was talking about curfews, Dole said, "he must have taken a poll." Lamia Abu-Haidar