ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 3, 1993                   TAG: 9306030501
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

NORTH IS SHALLOW ON THE ISSUES

STATE GOP leaders and officeholders would love nothing more than to convince Virginia's electorate that Oliver North is a responsible challenger for Charles Robb's U.S. Senate seat in the forthcoming elections. We hear a great deal from the Republicans about "Slick Willie" Clinton. I believe this term of endearment is more applicable to "Slick Ollie" North.

Statements North has made at public and private functions reveal his "philosophy" to be little more than recycled, '50s-era McCarthyism. His insensitive comments concerning minorities and "the little commie guy" that hosted North and his entourage in Hanoi reveal his lack of depth in perceiving complex foreign- and domestic-policy issues. Consider the amount of time and effort John Kerry and his colleagues have spent attempting to extract vital information from the Vietnamese government concerning the status of American MIA's, and you can begin to grasp the detrimental effect of North's "witty" ripostes.

North hurls invective at politicians currently holding office for their opinions on various issues and "pork-barrel" projects. However, when pressed for details of what he plans to do if elected, North ducks and dodges as if he were pinned down by heavy enemy fire. How does he feel about the North American Free Trade Agreement, China's most-favored-nation trade status, Bosnia, the environment, the United States economy, health-care reform and Virginia?

Apple pie, motherhood and the flag are fine until the candidate campaigning on this shallow platform has to take that seat in the Senate and vote every day on issues facing our nation and the world. Virginia has established a reputation for electing reliable and intelligent congressional representatives. Let's continue that tradition by refusing to send North to Congress. CARL KESNER ROANOKE 


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