Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 24, 1993 TAG: 9310240132
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: D8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Going to a campaign rally where no one shows up.
Saturday, that almost happened to Spannaus. Five people came to hear her speak at a Roanoke church.
Spannaus is running for governor. But thousands of voters don't know that.
And thousands of others apparently disagree with her politics and ideology as a leader in the Lyndon LaRouche movement.
Spannaus, who is running as an independent, blamed the news media for ignoring her campaign and dismissing her as a serious candidate.
"I've either gotten no coverage or received special-features treatment," she said.
She also criticized Democrat Mary Sue Terry for refusing to participate in the gubernatorial debates if Spannaus was allowed to join.
Spannaus has attacked Terry for her aggressive role in the investigation and prosecution of LaRouche and his associates on securities violations and loan fraud.
LaRouche, who is in prison, is a political extremist and former presidential candidate.
Spannaus has been editor of The New Federalist, a newspaper published by the LaRouche organization, for more than two decades. Her campaign literature says she has been a leader in the LaRouche movement for 25 years.
She ran for the U.S. Senate as an independent against Republican John Warner in 1990 and received nearly 200,000 votes, 18 percent of the votes cast.
Spannaus came to Roanoke on Saturday to be on a radio talk show hosted by the Rev. Charles Green, president of the Roanoke chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Green said he is supporting Terry, but he allowed Spannaus to be on his program, because he tries to offer his listeners the chance to hear all viewpoints and candidates.
Green predicted that Terry will run strong among black voters, but not as well as Gov. Douglas Wilder did when he was elected four years ago.
After the radio show, Spannaus was to speak at the Staunton Avenue Church of God, along with the Rev. James Bevel, LaRouche's former running mate.
But she talked with the voters individually instead of speaking, because the turnout was so small.
Evelyn Bethel, a leader in the Gainsboro neighborhood fight over the Wells Avenue widening project, was one of the voters who came to hear Spannaus.
Bethel, who said she talked with Spannaus earlier in the campaign, said she likes what she has heard. Bethel said she is leaning toward voting for Spannaus but has not made a final decision.
"She is teaching people to think for themselves, not just accept what others say," Bethel said. "We need candidates who are different and who can think and not just do what the establishment says."
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB