THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 29, 1994 TAG: 9407290534
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A01 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE GOLDSTEIN, KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
Increasingly nervous about losing control of the Senate in November, the Clinton administration is taking bold steps to settle the landscape.
The most audacious move came two weeks ago, when Vice President Al Gore privately asked Democratic former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder to drop an independent challenge to Democratic Sen. Charles S. Robb.
The White House is worried that Wilder's independent candidacy will hand the election to GOP nominee Oliver L. North, the controversial Iran-Contra figure and champion of the religious right.
To Gore's dismay, the meeting boomeranged.
In what some insiders termed a cold double-cross, Wilder tipped reporters to the White House meeting and held a news conference later to say he was staying in the race.
Gore, who in a previous phone conversation with Wilder was led to believe that the ex-governor would quit if he was courted by the White House, was irate at the outcome.
``There's not a hell of a lot you can do about that - the first time (it happens),'' the vice president said late Wednesday.
Wilder ``wanted to create an opportunity to dispel the widespread belief that he will get out of the race,'' Gore said. ``I think he may still, . . . (but) the last thing he would do is say that.''
Wilder, meanwhile, accused Gore of ``wishful thinking.''
``There's not a ---damn thing I ever said in either conversation that would suggest I wanted to drop out,'' Wilder said Thursday.
The ex-governor admitted, however, that he was looking for an expression of ``respect'' after what Wilder viewed as a White House snub in not inviting him to be part of the official party attending the inauguration of President Nelson Mandela in South Africa.
``They never wanted me in the race to begin with,'' Wilder said. ``The White House wants Robb because he'll do whatever they tell him.''
Gore called Robb before his meeting with Wilder to ask if Robb knew what Wilder was going to do. ``Expect the unexpected,'' Robb said. Of the meeting itself, he said: ``The vice president has a little better understanding as to how one participant does business.''
Gore said he was still hopeful that Wilder might reconsider. He denied that he was going to extraordinary lengths to stop North.
``We don't want to lose any Senate seats, and especially a good senator like Chuck,'' Gore said.
During the interview in his White House office, Gore also defended leading Democrats for criticizing the religious right as an intolerant and exclusionary force.
``Anyone who tries to pretend that he or she has a direct and exclusive pipeline to God, through which God expresses political opinions on pending legislation, is committing a sin,'' Gore said.
``To paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen,'' Gore said, ``I know Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the most important part of my life. And Jesus Christ is no Republican . . . or Democrat.''
Of the senatorial race in Virginia, home to religious leader Pat Robertson and the Christian Coalition, Gore said: ``My impression is that there is a small, politically active group that has a good deal of influence in the Republican Party, and they have managed to play an important role in securing the nomination for North.''
Christian Coalition director Ralph Reed Jr., meanwhile, said he was ``stunned'' that the White House tried to intervene in the Senate race and ``risked the prestige of the vice presidency on a feud on the scale of the Hatfields and the McCoys.''
``The Democrats are scrambling,'' Reed said. ``This is one rabbit they couldn't pull out of the hat.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
``They never wanted me in the race to begin with.''
L. Douglas Wilder, on how he believes the White House feels about
his candidacy
We don't want to lose any Senate seats, and especially a good
senator like Chuck.''
Vice President Al Gore
KEYWORDS: U.S. SENATE RACE CANDIDATE
by CNB