Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 8, 1994 TAG: 9412080059
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"There is a time and a place for everything, and the time and place for Oliver North to run for public office is not in 1996 in Virginia," North said during a nationally broadcast, hour-long appearance on the Larry King Live Show on CNN. "I will not be a candidate for any office."
But North, who seemed relaxed and upbeat while making his first public statements since losing the Nov. 8 Senate election to Democratic incumbent Sen. Charles Robb, added that he does plan to seek office again sometime after 1996.
"I will be back," he said. "It's not a question of if I will run for public office again, it's a question of when."
North said he is mulling four offers to become a national "drive-time" radio talk-show host and plans to sign a contract before the end of the year. He offered no other details.
In addition, North said he plans to start a public-interest group called "Team America" to encourage citizens to participate in public-policy debates. The organization will allow North to keep mobilized his national army of more than 200,000 political supporters, who contributed a record $20 million to his Senate campaign.
North said he plans to take an active role in raising money for Virginia Republicans in next year's General Assembly election and in future congressional races. He added that he also plans to spend more time with his family.
North displayed no rancor toward state Republican leaders who refused to support his candidacy and may have been instrumental in causing his defeat. He seemed particularly conciliatory to U.S. Sen. John Warner, who denounced North as a liar and strongly backed the independent candidacy of Marshall Coleman.
North said he will not join Republican efforts to retaliate against Warner in 1996 by denying him the GOP nomination. And should Warner win the nomination, North said he would support him in the general election.
"I will support the Republican nominee, no matter who gets the nomination," North said. He added, however, that "I'm not so sure Warner is going to run."
Warner is likely to face a nomination challenge from Jim Miller, a former federal budget chief in the Reagan administration. North defeated Miller for the GOP nomination this year.
Warner issued a statement Wednesday night: "We should respect and accept [North's] decision to spend more time with his family. He will remain a voice on the American political scene, and I hope he will put forth a constructive message."
North also declined to pick a fight with former first lady Nancy Reagan, who denounced North as a liar during the final days of his campaign.
"I never lied to her husband," North said. Asked if he was angry at Nancy Reagan, North said, "Life's too short to be bitter."
Asked by a caller if he thought President Reagan's recently announced battle with Alzheimer's disease actually began while serving in the White House, North said, "I don't know," and then expressed admiration for the former president's courage in publicizing his ailment.
North was not at all conciliatory to the media, which he said were biased against his conservative campaign and distorted some of his comments.
"I had the entire national and international media focused on me," he said. "I was harpooned, lampooned and cartooned on everything I did."
He credited state Democrats for putting aside internal feuds and uniting behind Robb during the final weeks of the campaign. He said the state GOP must learn to do the same.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB