ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, October 20, 1996 TAG: 9610210079
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NORFOLK
SOURCE: WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITER
Bob Dole's presidential campaign received a much-needed shot of adrenalin Saturday afternoon as a cheering, flag-waving throng of about 2,500 greeted the Republican at a downtown rally.
``There are a lot of differences between Bill Clinton and me,'' Dole, clad in a white windbreaker, said in a speech outside the Nauticus museum. ``My blood pressure and cholesterol are lower. He's a liberal, and I'm a conservative. He trusts the government, and I trust the people.''
On a cool day with winds off the Elizabeth River buffeting the crowd, rally organizers hoped that Dole's visit would allow him to seize momentum in Virginia, which polls suggest may be on the verge of backing a Democratic presidential candidate for the first time in 32 years.
``We're going to win this fight; it's very important,'' said Dole, who is trailing Clinton in most parts of the country, including Virginia, where polls last week showed the Republican lagging by at least 7 percentage points.
Dole, who flew in from Kentucky, gave a 20-minute stump speech in which he sounded his familiar calls for a 15 percent across-the-board tax cut, public subsidies for private-school tuition and a ban on partial-birth abortions.
After the speech, Dole whisked back to the airport to fly to Washington, where he planned to spend the night in his own bed. Today, he heads for New Hampshire.
Dole was joined on the platform by a host of Republican politicians including Gov. George Allen, U.S. Sen. John Warner, Attorney General Jim Gilmore and four Hampton Roads candidates for Congress.
``I know this man probably better than anyone else in Virginia,'' said Warner, who served 18 years in the Senate with Dole. ``During that time, no man or woman in the Senate, Democrat or Republican, ever questioned Bob Dole's integrity. You could take his promises to the bank.''
Dole sought to assure the crowd that he will keep his vows to enact a 15 percent tax cut. Clinton has argued that it would be impossible for Dole to initiate such a tax cut while keeping other campaign promises to balance the budget in seven years and protect Medicare.
``Take my word, you're going to have a tax cut,'' Dole said. ``You haven't had one in 10 years.''
Dole said a family of four with a household income of $30,000 would save $1,261 a year under his plan. ``That's a lot of money,'' he said. ``It can help you pay for tuitions and mortgages.''
``We're paying more in taxes than for food, clothing or shelter,'' Dole said. ``We've given a whole new meaning to two-income families: One parent works to support the family, and one parent works to pay taxes to the government, and that's wrong, and we're going to turn it around.''
Dole pledged to support constitutional amendments that would require a balanced federal budget, allow voluntary public prayer and ban desecration of the U.S. flag.
The last Democrat to carry Virginia was Lyndon Johnson in his landslide 1964 national victory over Republican Barry Goldwater.
Dole strategists remain optimistic that they will win the state's 13 Electoral College votes, saying polls show their supporters are more deeply committed to Dole - and more likely to show up to vote - than are Clinton's. To help things out, the Republican National Committee has agreed to finance a ``modest'' television advertising campaign for Dole in Virginia.
Clinton, who is concentrating on protecting his lead in large states such as California and Ohio, has not slated any visits or advertising in Virginia before Election Day. ``We're hopeful that will change,'' said Chris Dolen, Clinton's Virginia campaign chairman.
Dole supporters left the rally enthused about their champion's message but disillusioned about his precarious chances of defeating Clinton.
``It surprises me,'' said Eric Coard, 32, a marketing executive from Suffolk. ``It's tough to accept that people can prefer someone with as flimsy a spine as Clinton. I'm not optimistic at all.''
Ellen Hatcher, a 46-year-old Roanoke nurse, added: ``I'm worried about the way this election is going, but I'm a fighter, and I'm determined to do my best for Dole. I guess Clinton just looks better to a lot of people - he's debonair, good-looking and manipulative. Maybe that's all people want.''
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole campaigns Saturdayby CNBin Norfolk, touting his integrity and his proposed 15 percent tax
cut. color. KEYWORDS: POLITICS PRESIDENT