Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 8, 1994 TAG: 9409090033
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Normally, we'd say let's move on to the "issues": health care, Cuba, assault rifles, etc. But in this race, integrity is properly a prominent concern.
The most effective use of the issue during the debate was made by former Gov. Douglas Wilder, the Democrat-turned-independent, and to a lesser extent by Attorney General Marshall Coleman, the Republican-turned-independent. This isn't unexpected. The serious "character" problems of party nominees Charles Robb, the incumbent Democrat, and Oliver North, the Republican challenger, are presumably what got Wilder and Coleman into the race.
But character can mean different things. Webster's New World Dictionary, second college edition, lists no fewer than 19 definitions. In retrospect, the fact that so supple a word has become a staple of politics, where language is used as much to obscure as to clarify, seems inevitable.
Wilder reminded viewers of Robb's attendance in the early '80s at Virginia Beach parties where drugs were used. Even if Robb (as he claims) had no firsthand knowledge of drug use, his lack of enough sense to come home from the party, especially after warnings from political allies, is at the very least a Definition 9 character issue: "(a) reputation (b) good reputation (left without a shred of character)."
Wilder also roasted North for alleged drug trafficking by some of the GOP candidate's Iran-Contra co-conspirators. Coleman was strong in his denunciation of North's disrespect for the law during that scandal. Which raises a Definition 8 character issue: "moral strength; self-discipline, fortitude, etc."
One problem with North is that "self-discipline" and "fortitude" are not necessarily reflections of "moral strength." Much depends on the cause to which self-discipline and fortitude are put. The Bolsheviks had plenty of self-discipline; that didn't excuse their actions any more than it excuses North's record of contempt for the Constitution.
North defended his character Tuesday night by suggesting that any errors committed as a White House operative were done so in pursuit of grand principles of public policy, in contrast with Robb's moral lapses.
But public immorality can be at least as dangerous to the nation as private immorality. Moreover, North's flaws, according to conservative ex-colleagues, extend to private problems with telling the truth. And in contrast with Robb, who occasionally mumbles references to his "inappropriate" behavior and his wife's forgiveness, North continues to boast about his record of subversive and illegal activity, regarding it as a badge of honor.
Robb displayed about as much "self-discipline" during the 1980s as he did debating skills Tuesday night. But he has shown a measure of political "fortitude" in recent years. Alone of the four during the debate, for example, he was willing - however awkwardly - to get specific about the fact that a balanced federal budget inevitably means cuts in popular entitlement programs.
Issues-oriented candor is a kind of "character" seen too seldom in politics and appreciated too little when it is.
Which is not by any means to excuse the Democrat - only to reflect on the fact, as amazing as it is appalling, that Republicans could nominate a candidate with a record of character flaws worse than Robb's.
by CNB