Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 20, 1992 TAG: 9203200219
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
\ John Fishwick's populist economic platform is becoming the focal point as the three-way fight for the Democratic nomination for Congress enters its final month.
It's even causing some key Democrats to switch sides, but they're jumping both ways.
Two weeks ago, a coalition of Roanoke Valley unions broke with the AFL-CIO's endorsement of John Edwards and lined up behind Fishwick, drawn to Fishwick because they saw the son of the retired Norfolk and Western Railway chairman as a more enthusiastic champion of the working class.
Now a prominent Salem businessman - Fishwick's cousin - has quit Fishwick's finance committee and signed on with Edwards because he finds Fishwick's economic program is "way out in left field."
George Logan, who owns Valley Motorsport, said he originally joined Fishwick's finance committee because Fishwick is an old friend who happened to call him before any of the other candidates. But they never discussed Fishwick's economic positions.
Now Logan is backing Edwards, and introduced him at a reception Thursday night in Salem.
"I was unhappy with John Fishwick's so-called economic plan," Logan said in an interview. "Mainly his absolute support of the Trade Enhancement Act, the biggest misnomer I've ever heard for a bill out of the United States Congress. And the interference he's suggesting for Congress and federal bureaucrats - that they be able to tell companies how much to pay their executives, instead of letting stockholders be in charge. John's an old friend, but he's just way out in left field and I can't in good conscience support that."
In a campaign flier, Fishwick calls for a "crackdown on corporate irresponsibility. Businesses shouldn't be allowed to write off million-dollar salaries while their companies lose money and cut staff. Executive bonuses should only be deductible if all employees also receive them."
Fishwick also touts his support of the Trade Enhancement Act, which would restrict the number of Japanese cars sold in the United States.
"It's not because I sell Japanese and German cars," said Logan, whose dealership sells Nissans, Subarus and Volkswagens. "Seventy-five percent of the cars I sold last year were made in the United States." Instead, he says the Trade Enhancement Act "smacks of political grandstanding" and reminds him of the isolationism of the 1930s. "That's what this bill is, jingoism."
Logan fears Fishwick may have gone too far toward appealing to organized labor in a right-to-work state. "If he got the nomination," Logan said, "I'd really have a hard time supporting him, unless he tempered his views."
So far, Edwards and the third candidate in the race, Steve Musselwhite, are passing up the chance to comment on Fishwick's economic planks, saying they don't want to be "negative campaigners." But they are finding opportunities to take indirect swipes at Fishwick's overt appeals to organized labor.
"I'm not willing to fall on the sword for any group to gain their support," Musselwhite said.
Edwards said Democrats have an "excellent opportunity" to hold onto the 6th District "but only if we nominate a candidate in the Jim Olin tradition. That's a tradition of not overpromising to any special-interest groups. That's my tradition."
What does Fishwick say about all this?
He said he's sorry Logan has changed sides but is delighted to be the subject of so much attention. "That's why the others are taking shots at me, because their campaigns are falling behind," Fishwick said.
And he sticks by his support of the Trade Enhancement Act, which he says is the best way to "level the playing field" with Japan.
"My economic plan is designed to help the working people of this district," Fishwick said. "People are tired of trickle-down economics. There are a lot of hurting people in this district. We need to start putting our people first."
Democrats from Roanoke to Rockingham County hold mass meetings April 11 and 13 to select convention delegates pledged to one of the three candidates. The winner will face Republican Bob Goodlatte in November.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB