Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 30, 1994 TAG: 9408310004
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: kathleen wilson
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The idea is based on UVa professor Larry Sabato's theory that suburbanites will vote for the candidate that would most wow their social peers.
The mall crowd overwhelmingly selected Chuck Robb.
Now, here are the results of ULTRA Very Scientific Mingling Poll. The one conducted with the help of InfoLine, this newspaper's interactive information service. You know, computerized and all.
Those results?
Well, folks on the phone preferred Ollie. And were very vocal about it.
'Fraid we can`t print most of the messages they left - anonymously - but here's a sample:
``He's a hero. The only honorable one among the bunch.''
``I wouldn't let Robb come to my party because he'd be hitting up on all the girls and probably would show up with some of that cocaine.''
``He's the best looking.''
Things got a little dizzy when voters teeter-tottered between Ollie and Chuck:
(Re: Ollie): ``He`s the only trustworthy one.''
(Re: Ollie, but voting for Chuck): ``North is a lying, cheating sonova ...''
(Re: Ollie): ``He stood up to Congress and, well, OK, he lied. But he was following orders and serving his country.''
(Re: Ollie, but voting for Chuck): ``I don't want a lying, cheating senator that carries a gun! Do you?''
(Re: Chuck, but voting for Ollie): ``He doesn't use drugs, cheat on his wife and tap other people's phone lines.''
(Re: Chuck): ``He`s a family man. And what happened is between him and his wife. And he's served Virginia well and hasn't done anything dishonest.''
Why the swing from those who loved Chuck in the mall, but worshipped Ollie over the phone?
The fact is that it's somewhat politically incorrect to admit you're gonna vote for the Iran-Contra scandal-drenched ex-Marine.
Sabato points out that closing a drape and casting a private vote is how this country operates.
Anonymously.
``They'll be less likely to admit to give their name and vote for North,'' explained Sabato, Mingling's official political pundit for this Very Scientific Poll.
He says the phone poll is more accurate, because it requires effort.
Energy. Elbow grease. The labor-intensity of pushing buttons.
``Robb's followers have no intensity,'' he explained.
In other words, they're either just too tuckered out to reach out and touch or don't really care enough.
North, on the other hand, ``has great intensity. The people who called will definitely be in a voting booth on Election Day. The people at the mall won't be.''
Again, 75 percent of those polled at the malls admitted they were registered to vote, but had no intention of voting, `cause quite frankly, they weren't particularly fond of the entire battery.
Mall or phone, Larry found neither my Very Scientific Mall poll nor my ULTRA Scientific InfoLine poll viable.
``Neither is a rigorous random sample technique,'' he said. ``For real results, you need to conduct a rigorous random sample poll.''
Obviously Larry isn't exactly a regular Mingling column follower.
``I'm sort of covering the cultural and social aspects of the campaign,'' I explained. ``See, most of what I do is go to parties and write about it.''
``So it's not exactly rocket science,'' he figured.
Nope.
Take this comment from a Wilder supporter who would only identify himself as Don:
``I'm voting for Doug Wilder because we have something in common. We both LOVE rich women.''
It was a bittersweet moment, at least for me, when Lynn McGhee hopped atop the visiting team's dugout at the final Salem Buc's game at Municipal Field on Sunday night and using just his body spelled out B-U-C-S.
Lynn proposed to his wife on the Bucs scoreboard. And now they're expecting a baby.
It's been 8 years since I discovered the Bucs. Back then, Lynn was the ringleader of the rabblerousers who sat behind the first baseline.
Back then they played a lot more music. And team mascot Longball Silver would dance with the ladies on top of that dugout.
A younger band has taken over, borrowing many of the older crews hoots.
But back then it was Lynn, Barry Griffin and a threesome we only knew as Gene, Bernard and Mr. Brown who started shushing when the security guard appeared.
The new group shushes, too. But it's not the same guard. Back then it was an older, stouter one who tried hard not to smile when this crew began their antics.
The new crowd adores Charlie, the beer guy, too.
But back then it was Jarrett Brodgen, again an older man, who served these characters well.
When Mr. Brown was hungry, he'd holler, ``Chilleee dawg!''
Jarrett has moved on. The older security guard has, too.
And it's been a long time since anyone has seen Gene, Bernard or Mr. Brown.
These days, Lynn sits quietly in the back, watching the younger crowd use some of his schtick.
The original crew holds no resentment toward the younger one.
Most are just plain hoping for some sort of baptism of first-baseline baseball merriment at the new stadium next season, that passes along through the ages.
by CNB