Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 19, 1994 TAG: 9410190076
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARGARET EDDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FREDERICKSBURG LENGTH: Long
But North, who later told reporters that his wife "wasn't wild about it" either and that the ad had "pretty much run its course," also refused to swear off negative advertising. The anti-Robb ad was still on the air in Roanoke late Tuesday.
North and his aides refused to say what's in a new ad that was scheduled to begin airing Tuesday or today across Virginia.
"It's a very good ad - stay tuned," said Dan McLagan, a North spokesman.
North's comments ended a speech in which he called for government based on biblical values and said Democratic critics of the Christian right are bigots.
"Since this country abandoned faith in our creator and looked to government for every solution, the country has gone straight down the tubes," North told the crowd at a forum sponsored by the Christian Leadership Forum, a group of Fredericksburg-area pastors.
North criticized President Clinton and other Democrats for branding the religious right "fanatics" and "card-carrying members of the flat-earth society." He insisted "that kind of religious bigotry has no room in American politics."
People who, like him, believe in the literal truth of the Bible and in government based on religious principles should be respected, not demonized, he said.
But North also urged Christian conservatives to be more inclusive when it comes to political campaigns. Telling a story in which he accepted support from a voter who favored abortion rights, he said that elections cannot be won "unless we reach out to bring people in."
He held up a Bible and said that what he believes is "based on the principles contained in this book."
North also credited his personal code to a list of basic virtues in a best-selling book by former Education Secretary William Bennett: self-discipline, responsibility, friendship, compassion, work, honesty, courage, loyalty and faith. He said those tenets are "endorsed by every religion on this planet."
"I do not feel ashamed to invoke the fact that I feel strongly in my religious heritage," he said.
Referring to the television ad, he said it was time to ``see whether they can get beyond the negativity in the campaign ... We'll have a different ad up tonight, and I know that's going to make people feel better.''
Responding to questions and underscoring that the issue of whether he lied to Congress remains a problem even for some ardent admirers, North gave a lengthy explanation of his role in the Iran-Contra affair and his testimony before Congress.
He again insisted that he never lied under oath but admitted that he was not fully forthcoming before an earlier congressional committee.
"I knew those were not fully truthful answers ... I followed the instructions I understood at the time."
North also claimed that his campaign's internal polling shows him with a slight lead in the race.
Robb, stumping earlier in the day in Charlottesville, claimed that his own polling shows North trailing. Robb also sounded resigned to negative campaigning.
"I regret to say that ... quite often the appeals to vote against somebody are at least as strong as appeals to vote for somebody," he said to a group of reporters.
Asked if he thought many of his supporters are not so much pro-Robb as anti-North, Robb said, "I would acknowledge that the premise of your question is correct."
He went on to say that character seems to outweigh policy positions in the campaign, and said that "to suggest people are always as interested in issues as we think they are is not always accurate."
The senator then proceeded to hammer North again on the matter of two Swiss bank accounts that list North and his family as possible beneficiaries of more than $2 million in profits from the arms-trading portion of the Iran-Contra affair.
For North to ``suggest he knew nothing about it - I mean, give me a break ... ,'' Robb said. ``A lot of people are concerned about lying that took place during the period of time he served on the National Security Council ... and a lot of people are concerned about lying that took place since then."
Independent candidate Marshall Coleman, who also appeared Tuesday in Charlottesville, said he is counting on negative campaigning to tear down the two party candidates so that he can emerge as the alternative.
Staff writer Greg Schneider contributed to this report.
sh: :wq!: not found politics STORY ads 10.19.a1 TOPIC North to pul KEYWORD DESK AUTHOR:MargaretEdd10/19/94 1
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