Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, October 25, 1994 TAG: 9410250094
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GREG SCHNEIDER AND DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"I was wondering," one of them said to the senator as a group of television cameras closed in, "how you feel on the legalization of marijuana?"
"Oh, uh, goodness," exclaimed Robb, as he got a deep whiff of the sweet smoke curling up in front of him. "Is that what I'm smelling right now? Because this is a very awkward moment right now, for you, if it is."
Not to mention for the senator, who always has denied seeing or even being able to recognize drugs during his notorious Virginia Beach party days as governor. Now he had six TV cameras - including one each from ABC News and "Nightline" - and about two dozen reporters on hand to record this campaign moment.
"No, no, it's just incense," said 18-year-old Matthew Sanders. He was right: a burning stick of incense was poking out of the empty root-beer can in his hand.
Sanders' friend, 19-year-old Beau Dorsey, had a pair of devil sticks, colored wands he said he learned to spin and balance while visiting Jamaica.
Robb ignored the props and plowed back into campaignspeak, explaining to the pair that "I'm not for the legalization of any drugs. I understand the arguments, but I think we have to work on education and rehabilitation."
"There are more accidents with alcohol than with marijuana," Dorsey countered.
"I'm aware of that," Robb said. "I think the education factor is important. I think more and more people are realizing that drinking alcohol can cause accidents."
Sweet talk
Robb got a more comfortable reception at the nearby Chaps ice cream parlor, where proprietor Tony LaBua refused to take payment from the senator for a cone of black raspberry ice cream.
With a pack of media jamming his small shop, LaBua - a Democrat - went into stand-up mode. "I had an Ollie North lunch in here the other day," he said. "The campaign came in. We gave 'em a bunch of sandwiches, and we lied about what was on them."
"But there was no problem," added manager Grace Pedalino, "because they didn't remember eating it."
North rolls on
Republican Oliver North continues to be the BMOC - that's big man on campus - across Virginia. He's now 5-for-5 in college mock elections. At least the mock elections we've heard about.
He notched his three most recent victories at Hampden-Sydney, Richard Bland College in Petersburg and the Manassas branch of Northern Virginia Community College.
For anyone keeping score, here they are:
Hampden-Sydney: North 72 percent, Robb 15 percent, Coleman 12 percent.
Richard Bland College: North 74 percent, Robb 17 percent, Coleman 7 percent.
Northern Virginia Community College: North 49 percent, Robb 28 percent, Coleman 22 percent.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB