ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, October 28, 1996 TAG: 9610280106
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
WELL, THE Republicans are certainly rustling their wings and polishing up their halos as they desperately try to paint Bill Clinton as the very devil himself. In all fairness, I believe a few less-than-sterling Republican moments should be brought out and dusted off.
One of Ronald Reagan's aides didn't make it past inaugural week - something about Rolex watches and $1,000 payments from some Japanese newspaper. Then Michael Deaver got in a spot of trouble; Nancy "forgot" to return some $20,000 gowns; and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development scandal came along.
News broke on Iran-Contra, and the tapioca really hit the fan. Fawn Hall, the beautiful blonde, testified about smuggling documents out under her clothes so they could be shredded. Oliver North was convicted of lying under oath to Congress, but was sprung on a technicality. I'd like to hear again the story of how North saved up all that money to buy a car. I can't help but wonder if he had all that stash in his closet, and if he bought groceries and other things with that money. But I digress.
How about George Bush and his claims that he was out of the loop during Iran-Contra? He pardoned - a word you hear a lot about now - some of his cronies who were involved. It seems he also secretly sold arms to that great statesman Saddam Hussein. And don't forget the unlawful search of Clinton's passport file.
Who can forget Sen. Bob Packwood who thought that groping and having sex with his female staffers was a job perk? And wrote in his diary: "I think what we did tonight was a felony.'' If that had been found in Clinton's papers, I'm sure a special prosecutor would now be deep in a diarygate investigation.
I must not leave out Newtie Gingrich, who admitted that part of the reason he shut down the government was because he had to get out of the back of Air Force One. If that isn't an abuse of power, I don't know what is.
A congressman from Ohio gave out tobacco-lobby money on the House floor; Phil Gramm invested in pornographic movies; and the beat goes on (not a dig at Sonny Bono). Although members of the GOP like to think that they are pure as the driven snow, sometimes they have drifted.
LENA MAY FRANKLIN
VINTON
Goodlatte listens only to Gingrich
I WANT TO tell the voters in the 6th District about how Bob Goodlatte listens to you. When he has a hearing, it's by invitation and usually lasts about an hour, with 45 minutes being taken up by him. A woman tried to ask him a question and he didn't let her finish.
Take a look at his voting record. He voted against minimum wage, for cuts in Medicare, for cuts in funding for new police and drug-free schools, for cuts in school-lunch programs, for cuts in the Clean Water Act, for eliminating federal standards for nursing-home care, and for freezing veterans' health care.
Goodlatte is a rubber stamp for Newt Gingrich's programs. We need a change. Vote for Jeff Grey.
WILLIAM B. ZOLLMAN
GLASGOW
Articles on river have been slanted
WELL, BILL Cochran has done it again. He was his old biased self in his Sept. 29 column (``Supreme court ruling rocks boat and angler alike'') regarding the Jackson River property .
If this stream was in his backyard and had been paid for with much hard work by the property owner, he would have a different view. Or if it ran through his property in Catawba at his bed-and-breakfast inn, perhaps he would view it a little differently.
All the articles he has written on this matter have been slanted. We believe in the freedom of the press, but also think it shouldn't be used to the advantage of the writer.
This is just one example of many on how news is slanted. We are paid subscribers to The Roanoke Times, but many times we wonder why.
JAMES and BARBARA FLINT
COVINGTON
Goode's record is above reproach
VIRGIL GOODE has served his constituents well in the past 20 years as state senator in the 20th District. His record is above reproach, and his demeanor is impeccable. I have yet to hear anyone say a derogatory word about him.
Goode is now running for Congress to represent the 5th District. I am glad that we have one of his caliber to represent us.
FRANK L. WEBB
COLLINSVILLE
LENGTH: Medium: 87 linesby CNB