THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 2, 1994 TAG: 9411020010
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A21 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Opinion
DATELINE: MANASSAS LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
The encounter in a press conference at the commuter railroad station here was not unusual for Oliver North's Senate campaign. But the invective exchanged between reporters and the Republican candidate, along with his supporters, reached a level of sustained nastiness seldom reached in American politics.
North reiterated his opposition to District of Columbia statehood and to what he said would be the resulting commuter tax for Virginians. Reporters seized the opportunity to act as hostile interrogators, bringing up North's Marine Corps psychological rec-ord and trying to nail him as a foe of Social Security. Sign-carrying North backers heckled the reporters, telling them to shut up. When a television correspondent protested, North defended his backers: ``I will never get a fair deal from the news media.''
Here was another skirmish in a war concluding Nov. 8: Ollie North vs. the elites, including the news media. The former National Security Council aide has not self-destructed. The prospect of Senator North generates rage among my journalistic colleagues, who otherwise strive to maintain at least a veneer of objectivity.
This phobia extends throughout the establishment - to Virginia's GOP Sen. John Warner, Nancy Reagan and that totem of upper-class Republicanism, Elliot Richardson, who was dragged out of retirement last week to campaign for Robb against a man he has never met. ``A lot of old-time Republicans will hold their nose, then vote for Ollie,'' a state party leader told me.
However, North's views are within the Republican consensus (less conservative than those of former federal Budget Director James Miller, his safely respectable opponent for the GOP nomination). Why, then, the hysteria?
The usual answer is that he lied to Congress (though, in fact, he was acquitted of those specific Iran-Contra charges). But that poses another question: Why do many in the upper socioeconomic strata overlook Robb's years of deception about his personal life and stress North's misleading of Congress in support of Nicaragua's anti-communist guerrillas? North's own explanation to me: ``For Ollie North to win is the ultimate vindication of Ronald Reagan.''
In truth, North's campaign generates so much emotion because it embodies protest by non-elite Virginians against what they believe is happening to their state and their country. At a Halloween parade in the liberal stronghold of Northern Virginia last week, North's marchers included a large body of law-enforcement officers and war veterans; he attracted a surprisingly favorable reception from watchers.
Robb is so lackluster and out of touch with Virginia today that Miller, though inept as a campaigner, probably could have defeated him easily. This has become a conservative Republican state, where 12 years of Democratic governors ended by Republican Gov. George Allen's big victory last year were an aberration caused by special circumstances.
In this climate, Robb must assault North personally, not on issues. Jesse Jackson came to Virginia for Robb to point out financial contributors who backed racist David Duke and are now backing North. Expecting that, North was ready with evidence that he went to Louisiana in 1990 to campaign against Duke for the Senate.
In the face of the onslaught, North's support is firm. Seeking votes elsewhere, a new Robb commercial attacks the independent candidacy of moderate Republican Marshall Coleman for being insufficiently pro-choice on abortion, in an effort to draw away Coleman's backers.
Novice candidate North is charismatic but also cool and calm under fire. He has ingratiated himself with the state party's grass roots and until recently (when he stumbled over President Clinton's role as commander in chief and blundered by mentioning vol-un-tary Social Security) avoided self-damaging state-ments.
Yet, under this heavy fire, North has not broken out beyond the bounds of his loyalists. Paul Goldman, former Democratic state chairman and a shrewd political analyst, says North is a Ross Perot ``protest leader'' but has failed to extend his base to become a Ronald Reagan ``populist leader.'' If he wins here and then takes that next step, the whole country will have to deal with the former Marine lieutenant colonel. MEMO: Mr. Novak's column is distributed by Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century
Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90045.
KEYWORDS: U.S. SENATE RACE VIRGINIA CANDIDATES OPINION by CNB