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

DATE: TUESDAY, July 13, 1993                   TAG: 9307130044
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

WILDER TO JOIN GET-TOGETHER - AT ROBB'S

Gov. Douglas Wilder says he plans to attend a Democratic fund raiser on Saturday at the home of his most bitter political rival - U.S. Sen. Charles Robb.

"It's a gathering of Democrats for Democrats," Wilder said. "I should be there."

The evening reception at Robb's McLean mansion will benefit the campaigns of Mary Sue Terry for governor, Donald Beyer for lieutenant governor and William Dolan for attorney general. State party leaders have invited about 100 Democrats, who will pay up to $1,000 apiece for admission.

The evening should be well worth the price. After all, Wilder intends to oppose Robb for the Senate next year. Wilder has called the senator "unfit for public office," ineffective and unethical. Two weeks ago, Wilder accused Robb of "selling his vote" to obtain a senatorial endorsement from President Clinton.

Despite the rhetoric, Robb press secretary Peggy Wilhide said the senator has expressed no reservations about welcoming Wilder to his home. "This is not just Robb's deal," she said. "It's a joint effort by a lot of people."

Political scientists said Robb and Wilder must get along for the night because they do not want to be tarnished with the charge that they let their feud stand in the way of helping this year's Democratic ticket.

The prospect of Wilder entering Robb's home, said Robert Holsworth of Virginia Commonwealth University, is "one of the delightful ironies of politics."

The Wilder-Robb feud dates back to the early 1980s. It heated up in 1991 when Robb's staff illegally leaked tapes of a secretly recorded telephone conversation between Wilder and a political supporter.

Glenn K. Davidson, Wilder's press secretary, said the governor's "sheer presence" at Robb's house will ensure that the fund-raiser is well-attended by Democratic contributors and well-covered by the media.

But no one should get the idea that Wilder's impression of Robb has improved, Davidson added. "Nothing's changed," he said.

Keywords:
POLITICS