Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 27, 1994 TAG: 9406270071
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Not this year, not this Senate campaign.
Tune in Tuesday for the first act in Virginia's four-way Senate drama - a no-holds-barred debate on "Larry King Live." The action gets under way at 9 p.m. on CNN.
Which brings us this week's question for "Pundits on Parade," in which we find out what our stable of academic experts expect when Charles Robb, Oliver North, Douglas Wilder and Marshall Coleman get together for the first time:
What should we look for in Tuesday night's debate?
Harry Wilson, Roanoke College: they going to be civil to one another or does a fistfight break out? And with four candidates, who would swing first? We know Ollie would swing last and harder. Doug would swing and blame it on somebody else. . . . It'll be fascinating to see whether King will go for the issues or the character stuff, which is much more fun - which is what the people who are watching Larry King want to see, because it's a national audience. They're not interested in Virginia issues. I think you'll see this free-for-all. North clearly is going to be talking about `I'm the outsider and everyone else is evil.'"
Bob Denton, Virginia Tech: it's a national audience, that will change the dynamics. If you're Chuck Robb or Oliver North, they will be mindful that this is not just a Virginia audience. And the reason that's important for them is fund Most of their money will come from out of state." Wilder also may seek a national fund-raising base among blacks. Wilder, Robb and Coleman may attempt to gang up on North, each claiming they're the one most likely to beat him. If so, "the real devil of the night will be Oliver North and that will just help his fund-raising."
"The real question mark in my mind is Marshall Coleman. That's who this can help the most. He's unknown nationally, so this can help him with fund The person with the most to lose is Oliver North. Can he retain his composure? Can he keep his cool? Wilder will come in and he'll probably hit first and he'll be more cantankerous. `Gotcha! Gotcha!'"
Mark Rozell, Mary Washington College: we need to look for is who attacks whom. I'm very interested in the dynamics of a four-way race, who attacks whom and who stays away from whom. There are all sorts of strategic considerations. Will North try to take down Coleman because he sees Coleman as a big threat to his Republican base? It's hard to predict the dynamics of a four-way circus like this."
Ask the candidates
Got a question? We'll try to get you an answer.
We're giving readers a chance to question the candidates directly.
So if you have an issue you want to see the four candidates for U.S. Senate address, call 981-3119 or 1-800-346-1234, ext. 9.
Or E-mail us at bwarreninfi.net and be sure to include your name, address and phone number.
We'll try to pin down North, Robb, Wilder and Coleman on your behalf and publish their answers.
The Goode and the bad
Was Virgil Goode's challenge to Robb merely a test run for another statewide bid down the road?
Some - most notably, the Richmond Times-Dispatch - have speculated that Goode wants to run for lieutenant governor in 1997 and was using the Senate primary as a way to get his name out around the state.
If that's the case, Goode's attempt to paint Robb as less than honest didn't endear himself to some Democrats.
"Party activists are put off, even offended, by Goode's tactics," said party Vice Chairman Ken Geroe of Virginia Beach. "I think it's done permanent damage to Virgil within the party and I think that's too bad."
But political analyst Tom Morris of Emory & Henry College disagrees. "I don't think he's damaged. He didn't rough up Robb."
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB