ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 29, 1996 TAG: 9608290077
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: convention notebook
DATELINE: CHICAGO
In case there's anyone left alive who thinks the Democratic National Convention's roll call of delegates maintains even a shred of actual political consequence, consider that Virginia isn't even sure how many votes it can cast to nominate the presidential candidate.
And consider that no one cares, because it doesn't make any difference anyway.
The Democratic National Committee formally assigned Virginia 96 delegate votes for Wednesday night's roll call. ``We count sometimes and come up with 97, but I guess whatever they say we have, we have,'' said state party chair Sue Wrenn.
Still not convinced the convention's ``vote'' for a presidential nominee is as fixed, rigged and pre-planned as any political stunt even a city like Chicago has ever seen?
Consider Wrenn's instructions to delegates for Virginia's individual vote tally: ``When your name is called,'' she said, ``stand and cast your vote to nominate Bill Clinton.''
- Landmark News Service
Aboard the 21st century express
The cost of President Clinton's preconvention train trip probably will exceed $750,000, White House spokesman Mike McCurry said Wednesday.
Of that amount, the Clinton-Gore campaign is paying $113,000, McCurry said, and the accompanying corps of reporters paid an estimated $250,000 to cover its costs. Taxpayers get to pick up the rest of the tab.
McCurry declined to specify the cost of support services for the president, saying only it is ``substantial.''
``As substantial as Air Force One,'' McCurry said. ``Traveling by train is no different from traveling by air in that respect.''
The ``substantial'' expenses, McCurry said, includes every cost associated with ``the work the president is doing in his political capacity as well as his official capacity.''
At any given time, the spokesman said, there have been 35 to 50 guests, 150 to 200 journalists and 75 staff.
- Associated Press
It's a long night to Va.'s roll call
It seems the convention planners and their most important constituents - the television networks - have lost a little confidence in the roll call process as well. Democrats scheduled the ceremonial vote tally for 10 p.m. Chicago time, just as prime time - and nationwide television coverage - was coming to an end.
Virginia organizers put out the word to delegates Wednesday morning to call home and tell friends and relatives they better find a television with C-SPAN or some other convention junkies' network.
``We are Virginia, the end of the alphabet,'' Wrenn said. ``They're not going to do it backward.''
- Landmark News Service
The nation's TVs are tuned in
NEW YORK - TV ratings held steady for the second night of political theater from the Democratic National Convention.
ABC, CBS and NBC combined for a 13.4 rating and a 24 percent share of the TV audience during Tuesday's 10-11 p.m. EDT hour - three-tenths of a rating point higher than opening night, but 1 share point lower.
The Democrats outrated the second night of the Republican's 1996 convention two weeks ago in San Diego. The GOP's three-network average was an 11.6 rating, 22 share.
A single rating point equals 959,000 TV homes, or 1 percent of the U.S. television audience's estimated 95.9 million households; share is merely the percentage of sets in use that tuned in during the convention coverage.
- Associated Press
From baby sitter to Cabinet member
She's a distinguished Virginian, a member of the president's Cabinet, and for that Hazel O'Leary had the attentive ear of the entire Virginia contingent during a breakfast meeting Wednesday.
But long before she became Clinton's energy secretary, O'Leary was one accomplished baby sitter.
Granted, U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott was just a 6-year-old kid when O'Leary, a Newport News native and old friend of the congressman's family, used to watch after him. But she apparently didn't stunt his political growth.
How was the congressman as a kid? O'Leary just smiled. ``She was very well behaved,'' Scott finally offered.
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS PRESIDENTby CNB