Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 16, 1993 TAG: 9310160027
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY MARGARET EDDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MCLEAN LENGTH: Long
Meanwhile, Mike Farris, the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor, said incumbent Democrat Don Beyer - is a "liar . . . he does not have the personal responsibility or personal integrity it takes to hold public office in Virginia."
And all three members of the Democratic ticket continued to brand their opponents as captives of the religious right. Her tumble in recent polls is the result of Allen's practicing the "politics of hate, pandering to the religious right, and overpromising to Virginia," Terry said.
So it went as the six major-party candidates faced the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, a crucial audience in the most vote-rich section of Virginia. With listeners including U.S. Sens. John Warner and Charles Robb, the candidates debated abortion, guns, parole and a host of major and minor issues.
"My opponent spends virtually 90 percent of her time on irrelevancies, distortions and fears," complained Allen, who called himself a "Jeffersonian conservative."
Allen wants to "feint middle and veer right to appease the radical right," countered Terry. "My campaign is about resisting extremism, right-wing politics and policies in all their forms."
One of the debate's most heated exchanges came as a questioner asked Allen to repudiate supporters who are highlighting Terry's unmarried status.
"Whether someone is married or unmarried does not qualify or disqualify anyone for public office and that's the clear statement I made time after time," Allen said.
"I certainly didn't hear a repudiation," replied Terry. "I've endured a summer where Oliver North has gone around Virginia saying I'm less qualified to be governor because I haven't had children. . . . Hate is not a family value."
Later, Allen suggested that Terry keeps bringing up the matter because it "diverts attention." Terry refused to say which campaign benefits most from the discussion. "I don't think it's a question of helping or hurting. . . . We have never had a political campaign like this in Virginia," she said.
Earlier in the week, Allen told The Washington Post that he had requested that North tone down his rhetoric, but a North campaign official said he knew of no such request. On Friday, Joe Elton, another North aide, said he understood that Allen's campaign manager had passed along a request that North stop speaking about Terry's marital status.
Elton added that "I don't have a clue . . ." of whether North will comply. "Certainly, he's gotten the message, and the exciting Ollie-watch is now on."
On other matters, Allen chided Terry for opposing an out-of-court settlement with federal and military retirees over illegally collected income taxes. He said that "at a minimum" parents ought to be notified when their unwed, teen-age daughters seek an abortion, urged borrowing $638 million to pay for new prisons, and criticized Terry for complaining about the state's campaign disclosure laws.
"You act as if you haven't been part of the Robb-Wilder-Terry years . . ." he said. "Guess who made the laws that say you don't have reporting between Aug. 1 and Oct. 15? Y'all did."
Terry said she "trusts the women of Virginia" to decide on abortion. She also accused Allen of being willing to spend "billions of dollars for prisons and not one cent for disparity in education" and urged spending $100 million to upgrade opportunities for at-risk children in grades K-3. And she criticized Allen for saying a blue-ribbon commission will help him decide how to cut government waste to pay for initiatives.
"This Commonwealth has been paved with the blue ribbon of gubernatorial commissions," she said. "If you don't have some idea now, George, of how you're going to deal with our state budget, I suggest to you that Nov. 3 is too late to start."
At one point, Allen questioned Terry's use of the term "Chinaman's chance" to describe the educational boost she hopes to give to at-risk children.
Dr. Stephen Shao, an Old Dominion University professor and former independent congressional candidate, said Terry's phrasing shows "a lack of common sense" and said Chinese-American voters would be offended.
"She absolutely meant no offense by it. She'd never say anything that would knowingly cause offense," said Terry spokesman Jay Marlin.
The Allen-Terry exchanges were tame compared with those between Farris and Beyer.
"The difference in this election is as clear as night and day," said Beyer, echoing a campaign theme. In recent days, Farris has referred to Sen. Warner as a "has-been," former Arizona GOP Sen. Barry Goldwater as "wacko in his old age," former GOP first lady Jinks Holton as "a liar," and Beyer as "a religious bigot," Beyer said.
Farris said a Beyer ad suggesting that he once tried to ban "The Wizard of Oz" from public schools is "a naked lie and Don Beyer knows it." A thrust of his legal career has been to protect individuals of various religious persuasions from textbooks they find offensive, he said.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB