Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 16, 1994 TAG: 9408160076
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Kathleen Wilson
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Mingling knows.
Chuck Robb.
Hey, I didn't just turn over one of those black magic 8 balls and get and ``absolutely yes'' triangle as a response.
This particular piece of information comes from my recent highly scientific Cocktail Straw Poll, conducted in malls, on the Roanoke City Market, in bars and even among people just out mowing their lawns.
This is Mingling's third highly scientific poll. Let's not forget the recent ``Who's the Sexiest Flinstone?'', and what about ``Who would you vote for for president if the sole criterion was who had the very best hair?''
The Cocktail Straw Poll is based on one of Larry Sabato's older political theories. You know Larry, UVa's grand pooh-bah of political pundits. He believes that in any election, the populace will vote for the candidate they'd most like to have as a guest at a cocktail party in their home to impress the friends and neighbors.
As a Yankee transplant who moved here from Manhattan, I can say without hesitation that in the Big Apple, we'd want the most scandal-ridden candidate we could get to drink martinis and eat sushi with, i.e. Oliver North.
``It doesn't work like that in Virginia,'' Sabato explained. ``Virginians are very proper and work hard to maintain the social pecking order. They would flee from the faintest whiff of scandal, because they wouldn't want the Joneses gossiping about their reputation for having a rogue as a guest in their home.''
Donna Clayborne was adamant that Wilder would never - I mean never ever - set foot in her home.
Donna wasn't much concerned about the Joneses' gossiping about her for choosing Oliver North.
``I wouldn't mind having North there because I'd like to tell him a thing or two.''
Damn straight, echoed her husband, Kevin. ``He needs some words.''
``I have no desire whatsoever to have any of them in my home,'' said Sandra Walton. ``I have no use for any of them, and think this entire election is an embarrassment to the state of Virginia.''
Lisa Scherrup picked Chuck Robb. ``But I'm not going to vote for him.'' And Oliver North can stop looking for an invitation from Lisa anytime in the near future.
``Even if I met Oliver North, I'd be too embarrassed to tell anyone.''
Lisa chose Robb because she feels like she already knows him.
``But I guess I feel like I know North, too,'' she added. ``And I don't like what I know.''
T.G. Ailstock chose Robb because ``I don't know enough about North to trust turning him loose in my house.''
But Bryan Helton felt that North was just ``too interesting not to choose.''
Lynn Rosenthal met Oliver North when she and North's daughter were both students at Washington and Lee. ``I don't remember anything about him. But I do remember his bodyguards spent the evening glued to the keg.''
Janice McAlexander met Robb. ``But he just didn't thrill me.''
Robb's popularity skyrockets if he brings the wife along.
The fact that Robb married a president's daughter was the reason given by Anna Haynes, Mary Whitis and half a dozen others for wanting him to come to their parties.
``I've known him longer,'' said Anna, as if she were talking about someone she'd gone to high school with. But, in fact, Anna has never met Chuck Robb.
Most of those polled selected Robb because they ``know him so well.''
But none had ever really met the man.
Art Tatman adamantly chose Robb. ``It's the way he talks and entertains. He seems to have outstanding communication skills. I envision it as talking with someone on my own level, but learning something from him at the same time.''
Sally Edelman echoed some of that sentiment.
``Robb is a real person. What I know about Robb is like what you know about your neighbors when you're gossiping over the back fence.''
But, she added, she sure wouldn't mind meeting Doug Wilder. ``I'd like to get a look at all that charm face-to-face.''
I asked Sally and Joe Turner why they wouldn't pick North, explaining my Manhattan attitude that any party with a scoundrel is a great party.
``Why not North?'' Joe repeated incredulously. ``If you're at a cocktail party, you're supposed to be having a good time. I couldn't have a good time with that man in the room.''
Sally agreed.
``I like to be polite and I'm not sure I could be polite around that man.''
Linda Montgomery came to ``that man's`` rescue fiercely.
``I was recently at a party with [North] and he was very interesting,'' said Linda. ``He said all the right things.''
When I told Larry Sabato of Robb's popularity in Roanoke with the suburbanites, he was surprised. Seems Roanoke has not been politically kind to Robb in the past, even though Sabato admits Robb does appear to be the perfect cocktail party guest.
But the fact that Robb seemed to be on the Roanoke Valley's A-list for social functions wasn't the most surprising piece of information turned up in the Mingling Cocktail Straw Poll.
Nearly 75 percent of those polled have absolutely no plans to vote in the November election because they honestly can't stand any of the four candidates.
That bodes well for North, said Sabato.
``It's a big plus for North,'' he said. ``Because his followers are the most dedicated. No matter what the weather, they'll be out at the crack of dawn.''
(A word of advice to Oliver North, who was recently quoted as preferring the great outdoors to cocktail parties. Ollie, this Sabato thing has been known to actually work. And what's going to happen when the people who said they didn't like you and weren't going to vote, but discover that might make you a winner? If I were you I'd throw on a jacket, pick up a drink, and practice small talk. Pronto!)
Laura McCurdy and Sonja Assaid were all for throwing a party to impress their friends. But they weren't bowled over by their four choices.
``Now if you throw in Tom Cruise or Kevin Costner, well, THEN we'd have a party.''
Of the four senatorial candidates, whom would YOU chose to invite as a guest to a party in your home to impress your friends and neighbors?
Cast your vote in MIngling's Cocktail Straw Poll by calling InfoLine at 981-0100 in the Roanoke Valley or 362-0200 for the New River Valley, then press #7864.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***