Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 9, 1993 TAG: 9306090152
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Allen, on the second day of a two-week swing around the state following his weekend nomination, called on Virginians to elect him this November because he'll be willing to speak out against Clinton's policies when they hurt Virginia.
Terry, he insisted, would be a "dutiful Democrat" who would remain silent.
A Terry spokesman dismissed Allen's line of attack. "This race will be decided on Virginia issues and who can best provide that leadership," said spokesman Jay Marlin, "not on what's going on in Washington, D.C."
Nevertheless, Allen on Tuesday singled out two Clinton policies of special interest to Western Virginia for scorn - the proposed energy tax and the proposed striker-replacement bill.
"Much of what happens in Virginia is unfortunately dictated to us by the federal government," Allen told about 200 shouting, sign-waving supporters who greeted him at the Roanoke airport.
"I see my role as governor as protecting the rights of Virginians when they're threatened by the federal government - whether it's a Btu tax, which would not only hurt the coalfields and the coal miners and the coal operators, but the railroad and the ports.
"They also have being proposed right now something called the striker-replacement bill, which would prohibit employers from hiring replacement workers permanently during a strike. Now that abrogates Virginia's right-to-work law. We in Virginia should be able to opt out of that law. I'll fight the Clinton administration and those in Washington that will hurt our competitive edge in Virginia. I don't know if Mary Sue Terry will stand up for Virginians the way I will when I'm governor of Virginia."
Organized labor's push for a bill to ban the hiring of permanent replacement workers attracted special attention in Virginia during the United Mine Workers' strike against Pittston Coal in 1989 and 1990.
Throughout Allen's talk Tuesday, he sought to put discussion of state issues into a national context.
"There are times when federal issues and federal taxes affect Virginia," Allen said of the striker-replacement bill and the proposed energy tax. "Who do the people of Virginia want leading Virginia against that usurpation of our prerogatives or threats to our good policies here in Virginia? Do they want someone who'll fight 'em or someone who'll just be a dutiful Democrat to the Clinton administration?"
Marlin, the Terry spokesman, said Allen was groping for an issue. "Mary Sue Terry has repeatedly said she's against raising taxes and she's supports the right-to-work law, so what [is he] talking about?"
Allen also continued to try to link Terry to two fellow Democrats who have been embroiled in controversies of their own - U.S. Sen. Charles Robb and Gov. Douglas Wilder.
"The Robb-Wilder-Terry Democrats have had their chance for 12 years," Allen said. "We don't need Clinton ideas in Richmond - leave them in Washington."
Asked whether he was running solely against Terry or Democrats in general, Allen replied: "All of 'em."
by CNB