ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, August 14, 1996 TAG: 9608140056
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A9 EDITION: METRO
'Nothing should be taken for granted'
SAN DIEGO - Gov. George Allen on Tuesday said he'd be happy to pack his bags and come home today.
Kicking back on a bus returning from Tijuana, Allen said he was so pleased with the convention's progress that he doesn't know if it can get any better.
Monday night was a perfect political experience, he said.
``We could have called the convention over at the end of the night and everything would have been great,'' he said.
``Gerald Ford gave a great speech. The presentation by Nancy Reagan was touching and Colin Powell was simply great,'' Allen said.
Allen said Powell's speech should give a great boost to the Republican Party. ``It was important to hear a person who is so well respected giving a testimonial to why he's a Republican,'' Allen said.
Allen, an early supporter of Bob Dole's presidential candidacy, acknowledges some concern that the all-but-official Republican nominee has yet to tie down his conservative base.
Even Virginia, which has voted Republican in seven straight presidential elections, has been a tossup state this summer in polls.
``Nothing should be taken for granted,'' Allen said.
``Virginia has voted Republican because there's been a lot of hard grass-roots work.
``The most important thing is that we leave this convention unified, energized and mobilized,'' said Allen, who believes Dole's proposed tax cuts would spur the economy. ``I think that's starting to happen.''
- WARREN FISKE
'It's just about spending money'
Firefighters at Roanoke's Church Avenue station say they wouldn't lose any sleep if they didn't watch any of the Republican National Convention from San Diego.
But that's not to say that they're tuning out the convention.
Willie Wines and Clayton Martin said they stopped what they were doing to peek at their televisions when former First Lady Nancy Reagan spoke.
Reagan's speech was a compelling snapshot from the first day of the convention.
Ronald Reagan, now battling Alzheimer's disease, is the party's icon. His wife's heart-tugging words centered on the legacy that he will leave with the Republican Party.
There were few dry eyes in the crowd.
But, enticing moments aside, is there something about the convention that the firefighters say affects them?
"I don't know that I'll watch any more of it," Wine said Tuesday.
"It's just about spending money," chimed in Martin.
Jimmy Jennings said he didn't watch any of the multi-network convention coverage Monday night but did catch a few news clips later.
The firefighters said they talk politics from time to time around the table at the station, and the convention was brought up at lunch Tuesday.
The reason: a captain at the station, Carl Roberts, is a supporter of President Clinton.
So, Wines said, what better way to rib the captain than to discuss the best moments from the Republican convention - including the speech of retired Gen. Colin Powell.
"I wouldn't say I'm a Democrat or a Republican," Wines said. "I just want Clinton out of there."
- TODD JACKSON
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. AP Gov. George Allen shakes hands with a member ofby CNBthe Virginia delegation, Gabby Galbreath, in Tijuana, Mexico, on
Tuesday. color
2. ALAN SPEARMAN STAFF Firefighters from Roanoke's Church Avenue
station discuss the GOP national convention on Tuesday. color KEYWORDS: POLITICS PRESIDENT