THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 3, 1995 TAG: 9508030519
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: MCLEAN LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
The guests shelling out $1,000 apiece for cocktails with President Clinton and Sen. Charles S. Robb on Wednesday are paying off the debt L. Douglas Wilder ran up trying to unseat his old rival Robb last year.
But the participants deny that paying off the debt means the White House is paying back Wilder for rescuing Robb's close race against Republican Oliver North.
``There was no arrangement made. Sen. Robb has always said he would try to help Gov. Wilder any way he can,'' said Robb spokeswoman Karen Gravois.
Robb feuded for years with his fellow Democrat Wilder, the nation's first elected black governor and a much-admired leader among Virginia black voters.
Wilder defied his party to challenge Robb as an independent. Widely seen as a spoiler, he pulled crucial black support away from Robb and was at times a harsher critic than North. He bowed out of the race in September when he could not raise enough money.
At a White House meeting a few weeks later, Clinton asked Wilder to put aside a long history of sniping and endorse Robb. All three men denied at the time that Wilder was offered anything in return, but rumors persisted that Wilder wanted an African ambassadorship.
``We hope to retire our campaign debt, plain and simple,'' said Glenn Davidson, who was Wilder's campaign director. ``There isn't any more to it.''
Wilder owes about $140,000, much of it to small vendors.
``It's clear this is the payoff that everyone talked of,'' said Tim Carpenter, who headed North's campaign. ``Will there be more? Has there been more? We don't know.''
White House spokesman Mike McCurry denied the fund-raiser is a political quid pro quo.
``Gov. Wilder has indicated himself that he traveled the country in support of President Clinton in 1992, supported him vigorously, and was not shy about asking for the president's assistance,'' McCurry said.
Clinton will attend the private fund-raiser for about 200 people at Wilder's request, Gravois said. The party's host, Leslie Kerman, was a Wilder supporter.
Wilder did not immediately endorse Robb for the Senate last year, which left Wilder's black supporters adrift and seemingly unenthusiastic about supporting Robb.
An uneasy minuet followed, with Robb gamely insisting that Wilder would eventually endorse him, and Wilder making no promises.
Wilder's endorsement 18 days before Election Day came after the White House meeting. Wilder worked daily after that to rally black and urban support.
Robb defeated North by a scant 3 percentage points, largely thanks to winning nearly 95 percent of the black vote.
Wilder credits himself with saving the election for Robb.
``Obviously, had I not withdrawn from the Senate race in 1994, Oliver North would have been elected,'' Wilder said Tuesday in an interview with The Washington Times.
Antipathy between the two men was at the heart of scandal that dogged Robb during his re-election campaign.
Political skullduggery among Robb aides backfired in 1991 when an illegal tape recording of Wilder led to a federal investigation and five guilty pleas. Robb's role was investigated but he was not indicted.
Robb also admitted receiving a nude massage from a beauty queen in 1984, while he was Virginia's governor.
Robb and Wilder have been cordial since the election, and Robb has been a guest on Wilder's daily radio show.
``I would characterize the relationship as good, really,'' Gravois said. ILLUSTRATION: PAYING FOR VIRGINIA'S 1994 SENATE RACE
L. Douglas Wilder still owes $140,000 from his fight against Sen.
Charles S. Robb. Most is owed to small vendors.
KEYWORDS: SENATE RACE CAMPAIGN FINANCE by CNB