Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 8, 1992 TAG: 9203080114
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Students speculated that New York Gov. Mario Cuomo could deliver such an eloquent keynote address at the school's 1992 Mock Convention that delegates would be inspired to select him as the Democratic presidential nominee.
In fact, the scenario appeared to be running right on schedule Saturday as Cuomo stepped to the podium at the Warner Center.
The whole place went berserk. The 1,600 students stood on their chairs and stomped their feet. A chant of "Cuomo, Cuomo, Cuomo" began in the Texas delegation and quickly thundered throughout the building.
That's as far as the scenario went.
Cuomo raised his thick hands and motioned for the crowd to be seated. His expression quickly turned serious.
He said he was not there for cheap applause, but to "deal bluntly with the sober reality that confronts this nation."
Cuomo bashed what he called "radical" Republican administrations that in 12 years have presided over the savings-and-loan scandal, the collapse of America's cities, record budget deficits and the worst economic downturn in decades.
He likened President Bush to President Herbert Hoover, who refused to make fundamental changes in the faces of the Depression.
"He's holding his course, heading straight for the cliff," Cuomo said.
The New York Democrat accused the current administration of raising emotional, devisive issues - Willie Horton, patriotism and racial quotas - to divert attention from real problems.
"It's easy to divide the people now, because the bread is short," he said.
Cuomo said Bush is reluctant to admit the economy has structural weaknesses because it would mean he would have to take responsibility for fixing them.
"The Republicans have produced a calamity and they are demonstrating their inability to lead us out of it."
The W&L students - many the privileged sons and daughters from some of the best families in the South - listened in rapt silence to this son of Italian immigrants.
They interrupted him with applause many times, particularly when Cuomo talked of protecting a woman's right to choose an abortion.
The applause was lukewarm, though, when Cuomo told the students what it would take to reduce the national debt and to make America competitive on the world market.
Cuomo said the federal government may have to tap the richest 20 percent of the population to put the nation back on course.
"The wallet is there. It's the will that's lacking."
Later, Cuomo faced the inevitable question - would his appearance at the Mock Convention fuel speculation that he would welcome a spot on the Democratic ticket?
Cuomo stood by his Dec. 20 decision to stay in Albany and work on the New York budget. He also said he would not accept the vice presidential nomination.
by CNB