THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 30, 1994 TAG: 9408300388
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GREG SCHNEIDER AND DWAYNE YANCEY, STAFF WRITERS
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
Odds and ends from the past week of the U.S. Senate race:
You have to wonder: If Oliver North had this amazing talent all along, why didn't he use it during the Iran-Contra hearings?
North spent an hour last Wednesday on the morning drive-time show of a Richmond hard-rock radio station. The disc jockeys at WRXL-102 FM hooked North up on the telephone with rock 'n' roll wild man Ted Nugent, who happens to be an avid bow hunter and - like North - something of an expert on weapons.
After a moment or two of manic banter (someone suggested Nugent should consider decaf), disc jockey Jeff McKee said he had heard from North's dentist that the retired Marine has a unique talent: ``Apparently you can squirt through the gap in your teeth.''
``That's why we never had it closed,'' North said.
At which point McKee pulled out a red and white shooting target and walked about 10 feet across the studio.
``Go ahead, let's see if you can hit that baby,'' McKee said. ``Don't worry about hitting the microphone.''
North took a drink from his cup of water, squinted his eyes, leaned back and let fly a laser beam of water. ``BULL'S-EYE!'' someone yelled, and the place went nuts, including the rock-'n'-roller on the telephone.
``Nugent,'' barked a proud North, ``couldn't do that well with a bow.''
A reporter from the New York Times happened to be traveling with the candidate that morning, and a picture of North spewing water landed on the Times' front page the next day.
The North campaign was ecstatic. ``A lot of people have responded very positively to it,'' said one aide. ``It shows he's a regular guy.''
Cable News Network anchor Judy Woodruff will be the moderator of a Sept. 6 televised debate between the four candidates - the only debate scheduled for now.
Woodruff also moderated the 1988 vice presidential debate between Dan Quayle and Lloyd Bentsen, the one made famous by Bentsen's declaration: ``I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. And you're no Jack Kennedy.''
If you've gotten a phone call lately from a ``pollster'' asking how you feel about guns, parole and the Senate race, it likely was from North's campaign, trying to find voters supportive of his conservative positions.
North's campaign has embarked on what it calls an ``unprecedented'' phone bank operation to identify voters of conservative stripes. Last year, George Allen's gubernatorial campaign contacted 60,000 voters through its phone banks. This year, North's campaign claims it has contacted 500,000 households.
Promising conservative voters will receive follow-up calls to make sure they are acquainted with North's views and will turn out to vote for him in November.
Want to get involved? Here's how to contact the campaigns:
J. Marshall Coleman: 8500 Leesburg Pike, Suite 411, Vienna, VA, 22182. Phone: (703) 893-1994.
Oliver L. North: P.O. Box 10851, Chantilly, VA, 22021. Phone: (703) 802-6600.
Charles S. Robb: P.O. Box 1994, McLean, VA, 22101. Phone: (703) 790-9494.
L. Douglas Wilder: P.O. Box 1515, Richmond, VA, 23211. Phone: 1-800-999-5933. MEMO: Staff writer David M. Poole contributed to this report.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo
KEN BENNETT - BLACK STAR
Oliver North sends a jet of water about 10 feet across the studio of
Richmond station WRXL-102 FM last week. The Senate candidate was
demonstrating how he could squirt water through the gap in his
teeth.
KEYWORDS: U.S. SENATE RACE VIRGINIA CANDIDATES
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