THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 17, 1994 TAG: 9406170569
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF HOOTEN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940617 LENGTH: VIRGINIA BEACH
Chants of ``Ollie, Ollie'' heralded North's arrival at WNIS's third annual ``Power Party'' at Grand Affairs.
{REST} North came for an hourlong live broadcast with Perry Stone, who hosts the station's afternoon show.
The warm-up act was conservatism's super weapon, Rush Limbaugh, whose top-rated, three-hour broadcast entertained the crowd before North's arrival.
Prompted by a faulty microphone - ``Those darned Democrats wired it,'' quipped North - Stone and North abandoned the stage and waded into the crowd for a question-and-answer session.
North immediately responded to former GOP state Attorney General J. Marshall Coleman's announcement that he will enter Virginia's Senate race as an independent, creating a four-way race for the seat held by incumbent Democratic Sen. Charles S. Robb.
Former Democratic Gov. L. Douglas Wilder also is running as an independent.
``You've got three professional politicians and three lawyers against the outsider,'' North said. ``You've got guys who have done nothing in their entire adult lives except run for elected office.''
North fielded questions on topics ranging from the federal reserve to Bill Clinton's military and foreign affairs leadership.
``There's no doubt that this president is willing to do almost anything to stay in office,'' North said. ``And I hope . . . we don't end up starting a war just to keep his job.''
North repeated his call for ``honest-to-goodness Lincoln-Douglas-style debates, not those pretty little pre-formatted things, where you get a bunch of pundits and handlers to ask the questions.''
North claimed that none of his opponents has the courage to face him.
Each North comment was greeted with enthusiastic applause. North signed autographs tirelessly during every commercial break. He had a wink and a handshake for everyone who approached him.
Matt and Jennifer Dollar drove about 70 miles from Toano just to meet North and have him kiss their 10-month old daughter, Kayla. Both work for Matt's father, and both said they listen to WNIS ``every day.''
``My father let us both off because he likes Ollie, too,'' Matt said.
While North had a lock on the adults, youngsters were captivated by the ``Amazing Balloon Man'' (aka Pat Cotturone), who had kids waiting in line for one of his multi-colored, multi-balloon creations.
The Power Party featured appearances by Republican candidates Jim Chapman, who will challenge incumbent Rep. Owen Pickett in the 2nd District, and the Rev. George Sweet, who is taking on incumbent Rep. Norman Sisisky in the 4th District.
{KEYWORDS} CANDIDATE SENATE RACE
by CNB