THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 27, 1994 TAG: 9408270244
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A01 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVID M. POOLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ARLINGTON LENGTH: Long : 103 lines
U.S. Sen. Charles S. Robb on Friday launched a long-awaited counteroffensive against Republican Oliver L. North, describing his top challenger as a political ``extremist'' who wants to ban abortion in virtually all circumstances and allow the proliferation of assault weapons.
``I can understand, if you have sold arms to the ayatollah, why you would not be quite as sensitive to why we shouldn't have assault weapons on our streets,'' said Robb, referring to North's role in an arms-for-hostages scheme with Iran in the mid-1980s.
Robb, a Democrat, said the state's much-watched Senate race boils down to a clear choice between ``the mainstream and the extreme.''
``I very much hope the public will finally realize that they're choosing between two very clear opposites,'' Robb told about 50 supporters during a rally outside the Arlington County Courthouse. ``I hope that all Virginians will decide to remain in the mainstream.''
A North spokesman agreed with Robb's analysis - with a twist.
``For once, Chuck Robb has it right,'' Mark Merritt, North's deputy campaign manager, said. ``What he hasn't figured out yet is that in Virginia he's the extremist. People in this state can't understand how their senator would help Bill Clinton impose his liberal agenda . . . on the people of Virginia.''
Robb's speech signaled the end of a long summer in which theincumbent was so absorbed in his congressional obligations that North was allowed to define the race in his own terms.
In the process, North has climbed even with Robb in recent polls, raising fears among some Democrats of a reprise of last year's gubernatorial campaign in which Democrat Mary Sue Terry squandered a big lead by sitting out most of the summer.
Friday, Robb said the comparisons are off-base because this year's Senate race features a four-man field that includes two independents: former Democratic Gov. L. Douglas Wilder and former Republican state Attorney General J. Marshall Coleman.
Robb argued that his low-profile summer has paid dividends because Wilder and Coleman have slipped in the polls, allowing Robb to launch his campaign with his sights set squarely on North.
``I think it's a two-tiered race now,'' he said, ``and I have to concentrate on Ollie North.''
Robb wasted no time in getting his campaign into high gear after the Senate declared a two-week recess early Friday morning. Within hours, Robb had lit out for the hustings.
``This is the liberation morning,'' he told the crowd in Arlington. ``We are free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last! And I'm looking forward to doing some campaigning.''
In developing his ``mainstream-versus-extreme'' theme, Robb contrasted his 14-year record of elected service as governor and senator to what he called ideologically tinged sound bites from North:
Robb said that while he pumped $500 million of new state money into public schools as governor, North wants to take money away from public schools through vouchers for parochial and private schools.
Robb said that while he has supported a woman's right to chose, North supports outlawing abortion except in cases of rape, incest and danger to the mother's life.
Robb said that while he has made some tough and politically unpopular choices in order to reduce the deficit, North has spoken only of cutting taxes and raising defense spending - both of which, Robb said, would add to the red ink.
``We're going to try to point out the difference between ideology and reality,'' Robb said. ``This campaign is about a long-term commitment to the mainstream values of Virginia and America.''
After the rally, Robb climbed into a rented minivan and headed for campaign stops in Fredericksburg, Port Royal, Tappahannock, Callao, Heathville, Kilmarnock and Warsaw.
In Fredericksburg, the usually stiff and formal Robb went out of his way to try and reconnect with everyday voters during a tour of the revitalized downtown business district. He told a teenage sales clerk about his childhood baseball card collection as the two lingered over a case of vintage cards at a sports memorabilia shop. He waited for a bookstore owner to answer a telephone call so he could tell her about his wife's devotion to children's books.
But there were signs that Robb has paid a price for his absence. A quick survey of cars parked along the two blocks that Robb toured revealed three North bumper stickers, but no Robb stickers.
There also was one indication that Robb's close association with Clinton may not be playing well among voters. ``Clintissue,'' toilet paper printed with Clinton's picture, is the most popular item in a Fredericksburg shop that features Virginia-made products.
``Everybody loves it,'' Sarah Silver, a 16-year-old sales clerk, said.
Robb glanced at two rolls of Clintissue toilet paper near the cash register, but had no comment.
State Sen. R. Edward Houck, a Spotsylvania Democrat who accompanied Robb, acknowledged that North has made gains in the area.
``I've been terribly concerned that his (Robb's) absence left a void in terms of invigorating the troops,'' Houck said. ``But now we've got our guy out here to shake the branches some.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff color photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
At a stop in Tappahannock on Friday, Democratic Sen. Charles S. Robb
got a low-key reception at the Essex Bank.
KEYWORDS: CANDIDATE U.S. SENATE RACE
by CNB