ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, August 16, 1996 TAG: 9608160074
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
Taking a walk on the supply side
SAN DIEGO - Jim Vascik is a Roanoke County neurosurgeon who states his commitment to conservative principles in an unshakable voice.
``Clinton has been a disaster,'' he says. ``He's raised taxes, and our military has its lowest rate of preparedness since 1938, and I don't need to remind you that that was three years before Pearl Harbor.''
Vascik, 45, is a supply-sider to his very bones. ``The deficit is high because we're spending too much,'' he says. ``The falsehood being spread by Democrats that we have to pay for it with tax increases is ridiculous. If we cut taxes, people will have incentive to work harder, because they'll be able to keep more of what they earn.''
Vascik, who is attending his first national convention, was worried a few weeks ago that conservatives were not rallying around Bob Dole. He says those fears have been abated by the enthusiasm at the convention this week and by the nomination of Jack Kemp - an ardent supply-sider - for vice president.
``Kemp appeals to a broad range of people,'' Vascik says. ``He's very comfortable in all sectors of the country, with the rich and the poor. He's an athlete, and I think he's respected by people no matter where they come from.''
Vascik says the most important thing happening at the convention ``is the uniting of the party behind candidates who are committed to the successful programs of Ronald Reagan.''
He says, ``It really irks me that the networks are picking and choosing what the public can see.''
- WARREN FISKE
Shady Ladies like Elizabeth Dole
BEDFORD - The Republicans scored some points with the Shady Ladies this week on style, if not on substance.
Most members of the women's club - largely made up of retirees from Shady Knoll Drive who meet once a month for lunch at the Blue Ridge Cafe - said they were impressed with Elizabeth Dole's talk show-like stroll on the convention floor during her speech Wednesday.
"That was kind of homey," Dorothy Arthur said. "I thought it was fantastic that she could remember all those things."
Eileen Miller said she had mixed emotions about the speech. "I thought it was good; but of course, I'm a Republican...''
"You are a Republican," Arthur interrupted. "Where's your elephant shoes?"
But, Miller continued, "I thought it was overdone in some ways. She was trying to bring across all his good points, and I thought it was a little bit braggy. But I guess a wife's supposed to be that way about her husband."
"It sounds like she did a good job," Ada Eubank said. "I think she'll help him. ... Of course, we're not voting for her."
As they ate their meatloaf specials, many of the women agreed on one thing: The convention speeches have been televised too late. Several said they wanted to watch but were too tired to stay up.
Sen. John McCain's speech about Bob Dole's heroics as a wounded soldier in World War II also struck some chords at the luncheon.
Lillie Ayers said McCain's speech underscored for her the differences between Dole and Clinton. "Clinton's our president, and he doesn't want to fight for our country," she said.
- RICHARD FOSTER
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: CINDY PINKSTON/Staff. 1. Ada Eubank (from left), Eileenby CNBMiller, Dorothy Arthur and Helen Logwood gather Thursday with other
members of Bedford's Shady Ladies lunch club, many of whom agreed
that the GOP convention speeches were televised too late for them.
color. 2. (headshot) Vascik. KEYWORDS: POLITICS PRESIDENT