THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 28, 1996 TAG: 9608280599
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 86 lines
``Larry, C'mon down.''
It isn't the behavior you'd normally expect from a state senator.
``Larry, come say hello to us.''
But Louise Lucas of Portsmouth is determined to have her picture taken with CNN talk show host Larry King before the Democratic convention ends.
King broadcasts from a plate-glass booth just behind the Virginia delegation. ``We've been shouting at him so long that sometimes he just sits and stares at us,'' Lucas laughed.
On Tuesday afternoon, she thought there was a breakthrough. King left his booth. Lucas, clutching her camera, ran outside the hall to a staircase where she thought King would exit.
She waited. And waited. Alas, no Larry was to be found. She struck out with Hillary Clinton the day before, too. He must be in the front row
While the Virginia delegation is seated in the way, way, back section, one Virginian has been selected to deliver a podium speech.
U.S. Rep. James P. Moran Jr. of Alexandria will give a five-minute speech Thursday afternoon on downsizing the federal government.
He should know: 70,000 federal employees live in Moran's Northern Virginia district. No other House member represents as many.
Moran supports streamlining the bureaucracy, said Jim McIntyre, his press secretary. But he said the congressman will complain that Republicans have vilified federal workers as lazy and inefficient. I'm holding out for the burger poll
Informal poll results are rolling in, and Bill Clinton is in the lead.
Beginning Monday, Suparossa Ristorante in downtown Chicago began offering patrons a choice of a donkey-shaped pizza for Clinton, an elephant-shaped pizza for Bob Dole, or a smiley-face pizza for Ross Perot. As of Tuesday noon, Clinton was leading with 12 orders, followed by Dole with eight and Perot with one. The large pizzas, of course, go for $19.96.
Flamingo Surprise has no such edible polling methods. The company specializes in placing flamingo ornaments in a friend (or enemy's) lawn before dawn - thus the name. This week they're offering lawn ornaments. Yup, it's the donkey for Clinton (nine orders), elephant for Dole (four) and yellow smiley face for Perot (dragging last with two). Tipper is a dipper [Text unavailable for the segment] So what if they can't vote yet?
There are thousands of journalists covering the Democrats, but perhaps the most unique media outlet is Children's Express, a nonprofit news service produced by kids 8 to 18.
Here's how they reported an encounter with Hillary Rodham Clinton:
``We saw Mrs. Clinton doing an interview with CNN. She was about to walk out, and we said, `Mrs. Clinton, Mrs. Clinton, this is Children's Express.'
``She turned around and recognized one of our CE reporters. Her eyes popped out of her head. It was like her eyelashes grew and her neck got skinny. She said, `Hi!' and she looked just like a cartoon character.
``It was weird seeing the first lady like that with her neck growing, like she could be really affected by people. And that popping out of the eyes thing comes from her sense of humor.
``She told a lot of jokes in her speech, too. She was relaxed and saying the first thing that came to her head. Being funny is always a good quality for a first lady to have.''
Etc. and other stuff: If you missed President Clinton on his train trip, check him out here in our own neck of the woods. He's scheduled to speak at the Sept. 7 christening of the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman in Newport News. . . . Here's a sobering tidbit for all you aging liberals: Feminist Gloria Steinem disclosed that she had flown to the Democratic National Convention on a senior citizen discount ticket. She's 62. . . . Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Will T. Cheek offered delegates this advice on how to act on camera: ``Don't be asleep. Don't be talking. Be real attentive. Don't scratch.'' . . . And the demonstrator of the day award goes to BLUES - Belushi Lovers United to Establish a Stamp. Its demand: a Postal Service stamp honoring John Belushi, the late Chicago comic. ``He was funny,'' the organizers declare in their fliers. ``Now give him a damn stamp.'' MEMO: Compiled from reports by staff writers Robert Little and Warren
Fiske, and by the wire services.
KEYWORDS: DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION 1996 by CNB