Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 31, 1994 TAG: 9410310087
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE AND DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The former Iran-Contra figure was greeted by a chorus of cheers and jeers as he strolled down Maple Avenue in Vienna.
"All right, Ollie!"
"Lock up all felons!"
"Go, Ollie!"
"You disgraced the uniform!"
"Ollie!"
"Raise your right hand."
"Good luck, Ollie!"
"North, Never."
The familiar gap-toothed grin never left North's face, but he appeared more tentative than in similar appearances in downstate communities where his defiance of Congress has made him a genuine folk hero.
North made a few brief trips into the crowd, but most of the time he kept to the middle of the street. His security detail intercepted people who tried to dash out and shake his hand.
The Northern Virginia crowd that gave North such a mixed reception seemed to energize Democratic incumbent Charles Robb.
Robb, who in most parades waves from an open convertible like a visiting potentate, plunged into the crowd like a whirling dervish.
The crowd received him warmly. There were no taunts heard in the three blocks that a reporter followed him.
The reception did nothing to dampen Robb's hopes for a large margin in the voter-rich Washington suburbs to offset North's downstate support.
The two candidates never encountered each other at the parade, although, before it started, they traded barbs.
When asked if he had a costume in mind for Halloween, Robb said, "If I wanted to scare the daylights out of everyone, I would dress as my opponent and give the voters two unpalatable choices."
North passed on the costume question, but motioned to a nearby float that contained a smashed BMW that conveyed a high school group's warning about drinking and driving.
"A car wreck - that's Chuck Robb," North said.
Election's not so easy
Independent Marshall Coleman displayed some video wizardry recently on a visit to Norfolk.
Campaigning in the Waterside marketplace, Coleman played a game of Ms. Pac-Man at the request of a newspaper reporter from Northern Virginia. He cleared two screens without a mishap.
``Did you get that? Was that what you needed?'' he asked, walking away from the machine as the next wave was about to start. ``Pretty good, huh?''
Playing with a full deck
A lot of folks in Roanoke apparently want a new deal - with Oliver North playing cards. But not just any playing cards, mind you. They want the "Oliver North's Pack of Lies" deck.
Produced by Clean Up Congress, an anti-North organization run by Woody Holton, the son of former Republican Gov. Linwood Holton, each of the 52 cards is inscribed with a lie that North is alleged to have told.
Books, Strings & Things on the City Market had "30 to 50" requests for the cards last week, says store employee William Gill.
"People have really been hunting for these cards and haven't been able to find them anywhere. They're definitely interested in them. People asking for them seem to think it's quite a gag. One lady asked for 10 copies when we can get them."
Store owner Richard Walters says he hopes to get 100 packs in by Tuesday, and figures on selling them at $2.50 a pop.
If that's too far to drive, you can call Clean Up Congress directly at (703) 841-1994.
Mocking the opposition
The North bandwagon continues to roll across Virginia's college campuses. In the past week, he won six more mock elections.
University of Virginia: North, 56 percent; Robb, 29 percent; Coleman, 14 percent.
Washington and Lee University: North, 59; Robb, 29; Coleman, 12.
Virginia Highlands Community College: North, 51; Robb, 32; Coleman, 16.
Bridgewater College: North, 63; Robb, 20; Coleman, 11.
Averett College: North, 69; Robb, 18; Coleman, 13.
Virginia Wesleyan College: North, 53; Robb, 31; Coleman, 15.
Longwood College: North, 62; Robb, 21; Coleman, 17.
Ferrum College: North, 36; Robb, 24; Coleman, 15; undecided, 16.
Robb did score one victory, though. The Ferrum College faculty held its own vote. Robb won the profs in a landslide: Robb, 57 percent; North, 14 percent; Coleman, 7 percent.
Nancy Gleiner also contributed to this report.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB