THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, July 22, 1996 TAG: 9607220048
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Guy Friddell
LENGTH: 56 lines
Nothing Democrats do can cause Bob Dole as much damage as that done by the Republicans planning the GOP convention in San Diego.
They have decided not to invite Pat Buchanan to speak to the convention, thereby giving him a hot wire issue with which to flay Dole from now to August.
Don't GOP heads realize that when they drive Buchanan into the streets to speak, a large section of the hall and many of the media will troop after him?
They are energizing Buchanan, giving him something to talk about when his campaign was about to die of ennui. They brought it to life.
Not only are they lacking in political finesse, they are also barren of comprehension of human nature.
They scheduled only 10 minutes for Newt Gingrich, who was quick to comply, newly humbled by polls that show him to be about as popular with voters as a card shark uncovered among Methodists playing Rook on Sunday.
Yet not one minute do they allot Buchanan, who amassed 3 million votes and finished second in the primaries. Here's Buchanan blowing the bugle on the Larry King show: ``I'll be honest. My belief in the right to life of the innocent unborn is even deeper than my love for the Republican Party.
``I told my people I'd go out and do my best to keep our party pro-life, and if the party ceases to be pro-life and it moves in the direction of Clinton's party, it ceases to be my party.''
Can't you hear the roar with which his followers will greet that rhetoric if the GOP command turns him into the street?
Christian Coalition director Ralph Reed chided them Sunday for leaving out Buchanan.
Another miscue was their failure to advise Dole to accept an invitation to speak to the NAACP.
It is a good humored gathering, incapable of being rude to the former majority leader. I watched it cheer Jack Kemp in 1992.
Blacks have experienced enough affronts to be sensitive for those of any race enduring harshness from any quarter.
Dole would have been deemed courtly and courageous, addressing a largely Democratic audience. And it would have listened with interest to his recounting of his support for civil rights bills, a record of which he and we can be proud.
Republicans hailed Colin Powell's consent to speak on the first day at San Diego. Did it not occur to them that in turning away from one set of black leaders and lauding an individual, they were in danger of slighting both?
They better learn to let Dole be himself.
With all of Bill Clinton's blemishes, he will go practically anywhere to speak any time to any group - and at great length. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
By not inviting Pat Buchanan to speak at the convention, GOP leaders
have energized him at a time when his campaign was about to die of
ennui. by CNB