Profile: John Hagelin

L O N G   B E A C H, Calif., Aug. 11 -- John Hagelin, nuclear physicist and would-be president, looks to science and sees solutions to the nation’s troubles.

Harness the laws of nature, he says, and the needs of every American can be met.

Not exactly typical fare for a presidential candidate, even one running in the sometimes bizarre Reform Party.

“I’m just talking about what I think is key — I’m bringing a profound new basis for government decision-making,” Hagelin said in an interview.

He’s already run for president twice, in 1992 and 1996, under the Natural Law Party. This time around he’s found a new band of supporters — Reform Party members looking to stop Pat Buchanan from the nomination.

With party founder Ross Perot on the sidelines this year, Hagelin is the only other candidate for the Reform Party nomination, which brings with it $12.5 million in federal money.

Still, Hagelin argues that his Reform Party supporters are attracted to his ideas, as well.

“I began as the anti-Buchanan candidate … six or eight monthsago,” he said. “What we have here now is very much a pro-Hagelin Reform Party.”

Unusual Biography

Hagelin, 46, earned his master’s degree and doctorate fromHarvard. Divorced with no children, he lives in Fairfield, Iowa,drawing a salary as platform chairman of the Natural Law Party,which grew out of the teachings of Transcendental Meditation leaderMaharishi Mahesh Yogi.

His biography describes him as the man who developed “the world’s most successful Grand Unified Field Theory, which unites the various fundamental forces — the electromagnetic, nuclear, andradioactive forces — into a single, universal ‘superforce’governing all forms and phenomena in the universe.”

And he preaches a unique approach to the world’s ills.

He promotes preventive health care and the tapping of the body’snatural healing mechanisms. He advocates sustainable, organicagriculture methods and curriculum changes he says would booststudent performance. He has long been associated with a belief inthe power of meditation.