THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 18, 1995 TAG: 9510180380
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: GUY FRIDDELL
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
The big grizzly is coming to town Friday, folks. Get ready!
Colin Powell will end his 23-city tour Friday with a double-stop in Norfolk, trailing clouds of glory and a vast entourage of media hungry for his comments on issues.
The former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will sign copies of ``My American Story'' at Norfolk Naval Station Exchange from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Only authorized customers of military exchange stores may attend.
From 3 to 5 p.m. he will be at Prince Books at 109 E. Main St. At both places he will sign only two copies per person.
After the signing at the Naval Station Exchange, Powell will hold a news conference.
In interviews here and there during his cross-country ramble - a bear travels far and fast - he has given inklings of how he feels about what's going on in his America.
The big bear, scratching tree trunks along the way, has let the lesser ursines in the forest know he is moving around his territory.
He is disgruntled over some of the drastic cuts in the domestic budget; he growls at the demonization of welfare recipients; he favors some affirmative action; and he wants gun controls that are sane and sensible, adjective missing in the NRA lobby's scant vocabulary.
People trust him on sight. Powellmania is abroad, much like that for Ike that propelled Dwight Eisenhower to the presidency in 1952.
Eisenhower campaigned mainly by grinning and presenting his wife to crowds: ``HERE'S MY MAMIE!'' They went wild over that.
Already, with hints, Powell has told more of his thinking than Ike admitted throughout the campaign.
GOP right-wingers are queasy at Powell's revelations. And rattled by polls showing President Clinton beating U.S. Sen. Bob Dole, front-runner among GOP aspirants.
Their showing in the first debate in the New Hampshire primary was so flat it would make a pancake look like the Arc de Triomphe.
Speaker Newt (Narcissus) Gingrich was so disquieted he consulted advisers whether he should run.
The Democrats would go into a delirium of delight if the GOP nominated Gingrich; they would droop in despair if it picked Powell.
Their blunt patron saint, Barry Goldwater, who acts at times more like Punch slugging Judy, gave Powell a hearty slap on the back.
Of a Powell candidacy he said: ``I think you call him automatically elected. He's that good. Either party would be lucky to get him.''
Dole said Tuesday that Powell's popularity will begin to plummet the moment he gets in the race.
In the past 30 days, he said, Powell ``has been lobbed more softball questions by the media than anybody in memory.''
Voters seem to think that Powell has plenty to offer when it comes to their main concern: character.
The autograph you get Friday may be that of our next president. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Colin Powell is ending his cross-country ramble in Norfolk with two
book signings and a news conference.
by CNB