THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 25, 1994 TAG: 9410250323
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A11 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
Pundits, columnists and reporters from around the country continue to comment on the race.
IN A BLISTERING COLUMN in USA Today (10/18), Michael Gartner said North's refusal to recognize Clinton as his commander in chief showed ``disrespect for democracy, disdain for democracy, disgust with democracy.'' Gartner judged North guilty of ``conduct unbecoming an American.'' And yet he admitted, North wouldn't be where he is without a public. ``We have sent him nearly $15 million. . . . We idolize him on talk shows, canonize him at political meetings.'' So Gartner concludes, ``maybe the question isn't, What's wrong with Ollie North? We know what's wrong with him. He's a liar and a demagogue. No, maybe the question is: What's wrong with us?''
The race has been all over the TV screen, wherever talking heads gather. On ``McLaughlin One on One,'' (10/14), the moderator asked Democratic strategist Mark Mellman and Republican pollster Frank Luntz to comment on the Robb and North campaign ads.
Luntz: ``I think we're reaching a new low in character assassination in this country in politics.''
Mellman: ``I think particularly the anti-Robb ad by North is the kind of thing that people find repulsive. They don't like those personal smears, they don't like the personal attacks, they don't like tabloid journalism when it's in tabloids, and they certainly don't like it in television advertising.''
Luntz: ``Do you now understand why Americans are so cynical and so angry about the process and they want to get rid of all of them? Because of ads like these.''
KEYWORDS: CANDIDATE U.S. SENATE RACE
by CNB