Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 4, 1994 TAG: 9409080046
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: kathleen wilson logo
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Oliver North hasn't sent Sharlene Caldwell a dozen roses. Or written her a note.
He hasn't even picked up the phone and called.
But he has cast the woman from Floyd a flirtatious glance, although the two have never met.
And she's interested.
But is she ready to commit? Sharlene will answer that question when she casts her senatorial vote come November.
We're all being wooed. Virginia's current political campaign isn't much different than an amorous pursuit. We're being serenaded and courted - with political proposals.
Not sonnets.
It's sort of a like a bunch of cats rubbing up against one another to see where the chemistry lies.
And we're flirting back. Only we're just not quite ready to wear the letter jacket and the ring and go steady.
But if Ollie came a-knocking, Sharlene Caldwell would let him in.
We asked this question of several local women, asking them to forget about their own marital status and that of the candidates:
Of Marshall Coleman, Oliver North, Charles Robb and Douglas Wilder, which one would you go out on a date with if asked?
And which one would you send packing?
Sharlene's reasons for choosing North ring a bit of Indiana Jones.
``He's intriguing,'' she said, somewhat coquettishly. ``He's lived a dangerous life. And he has a lot of secrets. I like that in a man.''
The fact that he probably did something wrong and got away with it adds a dash of peril that she finds attractive.
``No one knows. No one. Just Ollie,'' she said. And maybe if they were dating, he'd let her in on the whole Iran-Contra thing.
``But I guess then he'd have to kill me,'' she laughed. Sharlene paused. ``No,'' she said, after giving the object of her political affection some more thought. ``No, then he'd have to have someone else kill me.''
Carolyn Greene of Salem has her eye on Robb.
``He's such a party boy,'' she said. ``He's the rich, good-looking guy who would have never asked me out in college.
``He'd be the guy standing by the keg who knew everybody, but wouldn't have noticed me. And I wouldn't have allowed myself to even dream that one day the phone would ring and it would be Chuck on the other end.''
Carolyn doesn't share Sharlene's adoration of Ollie.
Political affiliation aside - and Carolyn is quick to point out that's a tough thing for her to do - she and Ollie just plain don't share anything.
Politically, physically or intellectually.
``I'm not his type, and he's not mine,'' she concluded. ``There'd be no chemistry between Ollie and me.''
Amy Whitlow of Roanoke gave this question a lot of thought. She even came up with three scales: the lie-ometer, the looks-ometer and the``phun-''ometer. (That's fun and philosophy combined.)
Amy says on the lie scale, all were handicapped because being a politician naturally involves being a liar. She based her choices on both political and social lying.
``Robb has a social lying reputation, but that involves typical guy stuff,'' she figured. ``North is the quintessential liar - professional, social, political. How would I ever know if he'd even show up for a date when he said he would?
``And if Ollie told me I looked nice, could I believe he really meant it?''
On her looks scale, Amy likes Chuck. ``He's handsome. Period,'' she said. ``Although I have a personal rule never to date anyone prettier than me.''
She likes Doug Wilder, calling him ``distinguished but elderly."
``Hard for me to think of him as anything but fatherly.''
For fun and philosophy, it's a tie. Amy likes both Robb and Wilder because they share a lot of the same views and she figures they'd have a lot to talk about.
``Only I don't do massage ...''
But Amy would never go out with Ollie.
``He probably wouldn't allow me to choose where we had dinner,'' she said. ``He is rich, but I've heard he has some pretty creepy friends.''
Back to Ollie North-loving Sharlene.
Now who wouldn't she date?
``I'd date Robb before I'd date Wilder, and Robb makes me sick,'' she said somewhat adamantly.
Among other things, Sharlene thinks Doug's a ``whining, smart-aleck punk.''
It's his Teflon factor she finds least appealing.
``When he does something wrong, it's never his fault,'' she said. ``He always blames it on his own staff and someone loses a job.
``And I'm not just saying that because I'm not a Democrat,'' swore Sharlene.
But what about Coleman?
``Now that would be a complete blind date, 'cause I don't have a clue about him,'' she drawled sympathetically, adding, ``Bless his heart.''
Coleman had some amusing problems on Amy Whitlow's scales.
On her lie-ometer: ``I can't remember if [Coleman] ever lied.''
On her looks-ometer: ``I can't remember what he looks like.''
On her fun/philosophy-ometer: ``I can't remember his philosophy. Can he? Also, he might not have much fun with me, because I might forget I made a date with him.''
by CNB