THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, September 13, 1994 TAG: 9409130467
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: - Staff writer Keith Monroe
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
Candidate: Oliver North
Title: Stand Up.
When: Scheduled locally through Sunday, Sept. 18.
Text:
Narrator, in voice of understated drama, says: ``In Vietnam, his
bravery earned the Silver Star. When terrorists captured the Achille
Lauro cruise ship and murdered an innocent American, he worked
tirelessly to help launch the commando raid that captured them. He
helped plan the rescue of American students on Grenada and helped
freedom fighters end communism and bring free elections to
Nicaragua. Ollie North -- always the courage to stand up for
freedom. Today, the courage to stand up for Virginia families in the
U.S. Senate.''
Video:
Montage of clips shows combat clips from Vietnam, pictures of
medals, the Achille Lauro cruise ship, a flag-draped coffin, a New
York Daily News headline: ``We Bag the Bums''; mug shots of four
terrorists, amphibious ships landing on Grenada; a student kissing
the tarmac of a runway, Contras on patrol, goose-stepping soldiers,
Nicaraguan President Violetta Chamorro; Ollie North raising his
right hand to take the oath before the congressional committee
investigating Iran-Contra in 1987; North giving a campaign speech.
What's the message: The ad was unveiled during ``60 Minutes'' on
Sunday to counteract claims, made earlier in the program by former
National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane, that North lied to
President Reagan and Congress about his role in an arms-for-hostages
deal with Iran and clandestine efforts to aid anti-communist rebels
in Nicaragua. "This is not somebody you want in public life,"
McFarlane said.
The spot paints North as a patriot who has fought for freedom at
every turn. It is part of North's strategy of running on the
Iran-Contra scandal, not away from it. The ad focuses on North's
patriotic motivations and steers clear of questions about the the
wisdom and legality of his actions, such as the unathorized
diversion of arms sales profits to the Nicaraguan Contras. Finally,
the ad asks viewers to see his Senate candidacy as an extention of
his freedom-fighting efforts, this time for the rights of "Virginia
families."
Factual matters: North was decorated in Vietnam, did play a role
in capturing the Achille Lauro terrorists, in planning the Grenada
operation and in aiding the Contras. However, there are omissions
such as the fact that North helped the Contras at a time when such
aid was restricted by Congress and that North was convicted of three
felonies (later overturned) for his role in Iran-Contra.
KEYWORDS: CANDIDATE U.S. SENATE RACE by CNB