Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 4, 1995 TAG: 9511060050
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RICHARD FOSTER and DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Coleman says she doesn't approve of homosexual relationships and says Newman has distorted her positions.
The ad opens with the word "liberal" stamped in red across Coleman's face, features slow-motion footage of Coleman rolling her eyes during a debate, and ends with Newman hand-in-hand with his pregnant wife.
Here's a closer look:
What the ad says: "Our choice for state Senate is clear. Liberal Democrat Barbara Coleman opposes Governor Allen's plan reforming welfare. She opposes true parental notification and refuses to rule out raising our taxes.
"Coleman even told schoolchildren that she would allow Virginia to recognize homosexual marriages and allow them to adopt children.
"Republican Steve Newman - reforming welfare, supporting parental notification, opposing tax increases, helping Governor Allen abolish parole.
"Republican Steve Newman - our conservative choice for Virginia Senate."
A closer look: Most of the issues in the ad are on target: Coleman has called the governor's welfare reform plan bad legislation, and though she has pledged fiscal conservatism, she says she wouldn't promise not to raise taxes.
On parental notification for teen abortions, she supports notification of another family member besides the parent if the child comes from a "dysfunctional" or abusive household.
The homosexual rights question was raised by students of Lynchburg Christian Academy during a debate held at the school.
Coleman says she told the students that because of her religious beliefs, she couldn't condone homosexual behavior, but as a senator, she would have to support the constitutional rights of homosexuals.
Homosexual marriages are not legally recognized in Virginia, and adoptions by homosexuals have not been addressed under state law.
However, Newman says Coleman's position is essentially the same thing as supporting homosexuality.
"I think if that's your position, that you're in favor of it; that's fine, but that's a difference between us," Newman said. "I don't agree with it.
"It's the same thing as saying, 'What's so bad about tax increases?' Maybe nothing to you, but I don't support them. The people will have to decide which side to take."
Coleman also says she believes her image was computer-manipulated to distort her appearance in the ad.
Newman denies that, saying, "All we did is we told the truth, and we slowed her down." Coleman's complaints are hypocritical, he says, because state Democrats are using the same device in television ads of Allen - slowing his image down for an unflattering effect.
He says Coleman's displeasure with the ad is a smoke screen. "She is so out of touch with the voters, and people are rejecting her agenda for Virginia so much in this area that she has got to turn it to something else."
Aliens in Northern Va.?
So many Republicans have trouped through Vinton this fall to verbally beat up on House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell, D-Roanoke County, that he jokes his campaign has been good for the local tourist industry.
Now some Republicans aren't bothering to leave home to take on Cranwell. Five senior GOP legislators from Northern Virginia called a news conference this week to urge voters there to cast a Republican ballot - on the grounds that the key budget-writing committees in a GOP-led General Assembly would be headed by Northern Virginians.
"Anyone who doesn't vote Republican is voting against the interests of Northern Virginia," said Del. Vince Callahan, R-McLean, who's in line to become chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
But, according to a Richmond Times-Dispatch account, the Republican legislators also zeroed in on some comments Cranwell made to The Roanoke Times a month ago, in which he warned that a Republican-dominated General Assembly led by Northern Virginians would try to rewrite the state's education and highway funding formulas. "They'll suck money out of Southwest Virginia like George Allen wanted to suck water out of Lake Gaston," Cranwell had said.
The Northern Virginia Republicans took offense. "Whenever Democrats want a bogyman, they create the alien from Northern Virginia," said state Sen. Warren Barry, R-Fairfax. "In the minds of some Virginians, the state ends at the Rappahannock River."
However, Callahan advised: "I think Northern Virginia will get a fairer shake than ever before."
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB