Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, October 18, 1994 TAG: 9410180131
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Oliver North continues to mislead his direct-mail contributors - many of them out-of-state retirees - about the status of his U.S. Senate campaign.
In an Oct. 5 letter, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate claimed that his candidacy could be in trouble because he hadn't been able to afford "much" television time in the voter-rich suburbs of Washington, D.C.
"Unless we can get on TV in Northern Virginia quickly," North wrote, "I'm afraid that the left-wing media message will be the only one most Northern Virginia voters hear."
In fact, North commanded the Northern Virginia airwaves all summer. He began beaming his message to the Washington suburbs in mid-July, which gave him a two-month head start on incumbent U.S. Sen. Charles Robb.
By Labor Day, North had spent at least $320,000 in Northern Virginia, a likely record for statewide candidates in Virginia.
"Clearly, his claim of poverty is only true in the realm of his direct mail," said Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist.
Mark Merritt, North's deputy campaign manager, stood by the accuracy of the claim that North had not been able to afford "much" TV in Northern Virginia.
Merritt said it would be misleading to compare the former Iran-Contra figure to any previous political candidate.
"We went into this campaign knowing full well that Oliver North would be attacked by the liberal media more than any candidate in history," Merritt said. "We have been straightforward from the beginning that we don't have to just compete on TV; we have to dominate."
Claims about a poor showing on Northern Virginia TV is the latest questionable statement North has used in an effort to maintain a sense of urgency with the more than 150,000 direct-mail contributors financing his Senate bid.
In an August appeal for mail-in donations, North claimed that his opponents probably would outspend him. But North is on pace to surpass the all-time Senate fund-raising record of $17.8 million, a figure Robb says he never will match.
A month later, North appealed for donations to stop what he called his slide in the polls. At the same time, however, North was saying publicly that internal polls showed him surging ahead of Robb.
On Sept. 26, North pleaded for "emergency" donations to replenish his "nearly bone dry" bank account. His campaign aides said North had nearly $1 million on hand.
Robb said he was amazed by distortions in North's direct-mail letters.
"I wouldn't put my signature on something like that," Robb said.
Sabato said air time in Northern Virginia is so expensive that most statewide candidates cannot afford to go on the air until late September.
The exception was Democrat Mary Sue Terry, who ran a couple of weeks of ads early last summer in her failed gubernatorial bid.
North began his ads on July 19. He has stayed on the air continuously, except for a one-week hiatus in early August. In August, North had enough money in the bank to begin reserving 30-second spots - at $17,000 each - during Washington Redskins football games.
By the time Robb hit the Northern Virginia airwaves in late September, North already had spent nearly $500,000 to get his message across in that market, according to records available from network affiliates.
In a fund-raising letter dated Thursday, North again mentioned the "lack" of television advertising in the Washington area.
"But thanks to a few generous friends," he reported, "my advertising is now on the air in Northern Virginia.''
But North said he still needed money - this time for 80,000 audio and video tapes, 150,000 yard signs and 700,000 bumper stickers.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB