Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 28, 1994 TAG: 9403300138
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RICHARD ALVAREZ
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
From the very beginning, Miller has absorbed himself with name-calling and mud-slinging against his opponent, Col. Oliver North. Miller's entire campaign is based on two ethically deficient tactics: First, parade former Reagan administration officials in front of the media and accuse North of lies and deception regarding the Iran-Contra hearings. Second, parade Sen. John Warner before the media proclaiming how unfit North is for public office.
And now, by deceptively enticing Reagan into this same lethal quagmire, Miller has shot himself and the Republican Party in the foot. In a cunning effort to salvage his campaign, Miller sent grossly misleading and erroneous information about North to Reagan aides in California. With absolutely no regard for the reputation and future welfare of the Republican Party, Miller disgracefully released Reagan's response of March 16.
Conservative Republicans are absolutely aghast at such tactics. The letter Miller exposed to the media and the Democratic Party is nothing short of a blood letter. Republican blood sacrificed on the altar of Miller's greed, lust for power and ambition.
North sacrificed his own blood in fighting for America in Vietnam. He was willing to sacrifice himself to win the release of American hostages in Iran. And he was willing to sacrifice himself to protect the outnumbered and outgunned Freedom Fighters in Nicaragua. But the only thing Miller is willing to sacrifice is the lifeblood of the Republican Party for his own selfish ego.
Miller and his underhanded associates have shown no loyalty except to themselves. When Miller refers to Reagan as ``my president,'' he and his supporters show themselves for what they really are: inside-the-beltway elitists who believe they and they only control the Republican Party; that they and they only will determine what the Republican Party will stand for; and that they and they only will determine what candidates the Republican Party will support.
We, as conservative Republicans, say to Miller: We are ``getting pretty steamed'' at your arrogance. And if the truth were known, the real reason your inside-the-beltway gang supports you is that they feel, if elected, you'd be docile, be easily controlled and vote as told. In short, you'd make a great puppet.
In the distant past, we conservative Republicans looked to Barry Goldwater as our standard-bearer. And he did a great job. But age can do funny things to people. In recent years, Goldwater has made remarks that make us shudder - like supporting gays in the military.
Unfortunately, Warner has followed in Goldwater's steps. He refused to endorse Mike Farris as the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor this past fall. And now Warner is once again shocking conservatives with his unprecedented attacks against North. If Warner ever had conservative support, may I suggest that he, and not North, is the fraud. If Warner ever had vision, he's lost it. If Warner ever had zeal, it's dead. If Warner ever had conservative stripes, they're gone. And if the Republican Party is to move forward, it must recognize what already exists: Warner is a dinosaur that's got to go.
Let me tell you what made Reagan great. Reagan was great because he held steadfastly to conservative principles. He was an activist. He took the conservative torch and ran with it. He never wavered. He never gave up. But some of those who served in the Reagan administration were never really Reagan men. They never had his heart. They never had his passion. They never had his dream. They never had his soul. They never burned with fire for liberty, freedom and democracy both here and abroad on foreign soil.
North did. He looked firsthand into the bleeding and dying faces of men who gave their lives for these very values. He knew the agony of a parched soul hungry for freedom left to die at the hands of cruel Sandinista communists because liberal Democrats in Congress cut off their life support.
Tragically, others in the Reagan administration were self-serving men - hirelings. Both Reagan and Jim Brady were shot. Reagan pressed ahead. Brady jumped fence and is now the champion of liberal Democrats. Former presidential aide David Gergen saw personal advantage in working for a liberal Democratic president, jumped fence and is now a part of one of the most scandalous White Houses in American history.
These men are an anathema to conservative Republicans. And so, too, will be Miller's fate and that of his unscrupulous crowd. Miller's blood letter is outrageous. It is a slap in the face. It will never be forgotten. It will certainly strengthen the determination and resolve of North supporters. They'll work even harder. After all, their leader is a real-life American hero who received two purple hearts and was awarded the Silver Star. And yes, who stood up to a liberal, lying and un-American Democratic Congress that refused to fight communism on our own continent.
North will win the Republican nomination in June. North will win the general election in November. North will be the best senator Virginia ever had. And when it's all done, the Miller-Warner tag team and their phony Reagan men will answer for their blood letter.
Richard Alvarez of Manassas is a former White House writer for President Ronald Reagan.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB