THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 16, 1996 TAG: 9609160041
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY MASON PETERS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: EDENTON LENGTH: 56 lines
Long before the American Revolution, Edenton learned to mind its manners and on Saturday the gracious little city held two potentially loaded political gatherings without a single angry voice being raised.
And there were more neckties on Democrats than on Republicans.
Two hundred Republicans and several heavyweight GOP candidates gathered at the Edenton American Legion building for a ``beans and jeans'' barbecue that included one of Richard Petty's race cars as an added attraction.
Petty didn't show, but Bobby Jones, a well-known Republican restaurateur in Elizabeth City, wore a Petty-styled western hat that caused a lot of double-takes.
State Rep. Robin Hayes, R-Concord, flew his own plane to Edenton from Charlotte after starting a long day of campaigning for governor with Oliver North.
North, an unsuccessful GOP candidate in Virginia last year, came to North Carolina to help Hayes try to unseat North Carolina Gov. James B. Hunt Jr.
``Let me tell you - Ollie North can shoot a gun,'' said Hayes. ``We stopped at an indoor firing range and Ollie took a .357 magnum revolver and his first 25-yard shot was in the X-Ring (bull's-eye).''
In Edenton, Hayes tossed a few polite beanbags at Hunt.
``What has Jim done for North Carolina after 15 years in office?,'' Hayes asked.
``If you elect me I'll do something in Raleigh, not just talk about it,'' Hayes said.
Meanwhile, a mile and a half away in Edenton's Holmes High School, a large gathering of Democrats was preparing to welcome Harvey Gantt, the Charlotte architect who is running for a second time against GOP Sen. Jesse Helms.
Helms beat Gantt six years ago in their first U.S. Senate race, but the outcome was sufficiently close to encourage Gantt to try again this November. So far Helms has withheld personal attacks on his opponent - the ``negative'' kind of campaign that demolished Jim Hunt in the 1984 U.S. Senate race.
Gantt, an African American, was the guest of honor at the 19th anniversary dinner of the Edenton-Chowan Civic League at the John A. Holmes High School.
At least 200 Democrats welcomed Gantt at the dinner-reception, which began a few minutes after the Republican meeting across town began to adjourn.
A blue-ribbon audience of Edenton, Chowan County and area Democrats was on hand to welcome Gantt, some obviously hoping to hear their candidate take a few shots at Helms.
But instead, Helms' opponent urged fellow Democrats to work for re-establishment of family values.
``His remarks were unusually conservative, I thought,'' said Cliff Copeland, Chowan County manager, who was among the dignitaries who welcomed Gantt to the dinner.
Others at the head table were Mayor Fred Yates, of Winfall; Dr. Larry Donnithorne, head of the College of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City; Chancellor Mickey Burnim, of Elizabeth City State University, Mayor Roland H. Vaughan jr., of Edenton, and James Taylor, chairman of the Chowan County Board of Commissioners, who presided. by CNB