Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 7, 1994 TAG: 9406070110
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
In a far corner of the ballroom, underneath a bright red ``Rush is Right'' banner, sat a quiet old man with a cane and a bow tie. He was asked what he thought about the din.
``I've got nothing to say to you,'' the man erupted. ``You're from the damn liberal press. Leave me alone.''
Welcome to the Ollie North campaign tour. On Sunday, he departed Richmond on a four-day trek across Southside and Western Virginia to thank his rural supporters for their crucial role last weekend in helping him capture the U.S. Senate nomination at the state Republican convention.
On Monday, North wowed overflow crowds in Danville and Roanoke with his battle cry for conservatives to ``retake our government.'' The tour was a campaign, a revival and a carnival all rolled in one.
Two van-loads of reporters trailed a huge Winnebago that North personally piloted for much of the trip. ``Ollie likes it when drivers see the big campaign banner on the side of the Winnebago and then look up to see him driving,'' explained spokesman Mark Merritt. Also in tow were two private film companies making a documentary about Virginia's explosive Senate race.
At each stop, North was swarmed by supporters chanting ``Ollie, Ollie'' and seeking autographs, handshakes and pictures of their hero. Many who had taken snapshots with North on previous campaign swings brought the developed pictures for North to sign.
``He's my warrior and my soldier,'' exclaimed John R. Finchum, 66, a retired consultant from Danville. ``He's a gentleman and veteran. He's not a draft-dodger like Bill Clinton. He doesn't mess with women like Chuck Robb. He has the right ideas and we better get him to Washington before the whole country goes to pot.''
Finchum proudly displayed an autographed snapshot of him and North shaking hands. ``I sent 500 of these out with my Christmas cards last year,'' he said.
Janie Hollandsworth, a 39-year-old campaign volunteer from Danville, was fairly bubbling after North signed his autobiography for her with the inscription: ``Many thanks to a great coordinator.''
``He's my biggest hero,'' she said. ``I've worked for a lot of Republicans but I've never met anyone who has the strength and the gusto he has. He's just a good Christian man. If Ollie North tells you something, you can bank on it.''
These were safe crowds for North, and the tour left unanswered two crucial questions surrounding his campaign: Can he unite Republicans behind him and can he reach out to independent voters and form a winning coalition this fall?
North ridiculed Marshall Coleman, the two-time GOP nominee for governor who is considering launching an independent candidacy for the Senate. ``Marshall Coleman?'' he asked in mock confusion. ``Is he that K Street Washington lobbyist-lawyer? Or is he the guy that sells those Coleman coolers?
``Marshall Coleman may be a lot of things, but scary he's not,'' North added.
Roanoke Republicans, once a source of Coleman's strength, had a stern message for the potential candidate: Don't run. ``Marshall is courting disaster,'' said Don Huffman, a former chairman of the state Republican Party. ``He's not viable. Most of the people out here are good party people.''
On hand in Roanoke were several supporters of North's opponent for the GOP nomination, former federal budget director Jim Miller. They included Rep. Bob Goodlatte and John Alderson, co-chairman of Miller's campaign.
``There's no question that Ollie North is controversial and confrontational,'' Alderson said. ``But politics, by its nature, is confrontational. Ollie's been there before. He dealt with Congress and he dealt with the $40 million Lawrence Walsh spent trying to convict him, and he represented himself well.''
North also dismissed concerns about his candidacy expressed Sunday by Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole, R-Kansas. He said he received calls of support Monday from Haley Barbour, chairman of the Republican National Committee, and Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas, chairman of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, which endorsed North that morning.
North roused the crowds by blaming the media for focusing on dissension surrounding his campaign.
``Let me share with you what this campaign is about, because if you have to wait to hear it filter through the media, you may never hear it,'' he said in Danville. ``This campaign is about changing the way business is done in Washington. This campaign is about establishing a new generation of leadership.
``I want your prayers,'' he added. ``I believe in prayers. The folks in the media and the powerful political types say you can't talk this way and get elected.
``We shall see, my friends,'' North said with a smile. ``We shall see.''
Memo: ***CORRECTION***