
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, January 14, 1995                   TAG: 9501200129
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

WILD THING

USED TO be that Virginia's governors were content, upon leaving the governor's office, to quietly retire from the public scene. At least for a year or two, until opportunity presented itself to run for the U.S. Senate or, perhaps, higher office.

Democrat Doug Wilder is not, of course, the quiet, retiring type. And he's already run for the Senate, sort of, and the presidency, sort of. So what alternative is there except to host a radio talk show?

Used to be, a radio show might be regarded as a step down for a former governor. But for some talk-show hosts these days (at least for one, anyway), the presidency might be regarded as a step down.

Wilder reportedly hopes to syndicate his Richmond program nationally, perhaps as a Democratic alternative to Rush Limbaugh. But, judging from his initial sound-off show - with his successor, Republican Gov. George Allen, as his first guest - it may be Wilder just wants a forum to continue doing what he's done so well for so long: twitting fellow Democrats.

Lt. Gov. Don Beyer and ex-Attorney General Mary Sue Terry - his former running mates - got dissed Thursday by Wilder. So did Democrats in the General Assembly (and rightly so), for the trouble they caused Allen on the '95 legislature's opening day.

Some Virginia Democrats may wish the Clinton administration would find Wilder a nice diplomatic post somewhere, far from Virginia. But we're betting Wilder (his theme music is ``Wild Thing'') will provide more entertainment than Oliver North, who also is reportedly planning to host - what else? - a talk show.

by CNB