THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 20, 1996 TAG: 9610200041
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY WARREN FISKE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 108 lines
Bob Dole's presidential campaign received a much-needed shot of adrenalin on Saturday afternoon as a cheering, flag-waving throng of about 2,500 greeted the Republican at a downtown rally.
``There are a lot of differences between Bill Clinton and me,'' Dole, clad in a white windbreaker, said in a speech outside Nauticus. ``My blood pressure and cholesterol are lower. He's a liberal and I'm a conservative. He trusts the government and I trust the people.''
On a cool day with winds off the Elizabeth River buffeting the crowd, rally organizers hoped that Dole's appearance would allow him to seize momentum in Virginia, which polls suggest may be on the verge of backing a Democratic presidential candidate for the first time in 32 years.
``We're going to win this fight. It's very important,'' said Dole, who lags behind Clinton in most of the country and by about 7 percentage points in Virginia, according to polls last week.
Dole, who flew in from Kentucky, gave a 20-minute stump speech in which he sounded his familiar calls for a 15 percent across-the-board tax cut, public subsidies for private school tuition and a ban on partial-birth abortions.
He also slammed Clinton for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign money from an Indonesian family, calling the money a suspicious form of ``foreign aid.''
After the speech, Dole whisked back to the airport to fly to Washington, where he planned to spend the night in his own bed. Today, he heads for New Hampshire.
Dole was joined on the platform by a host of Republican politicians, including Gov. George F. Allen, U.S. Sen. John W. Warner, Virginia Attorney General James S. Gilmore III and four Hampton Roads candidates for Congress.
``I know this man probably better than anyone else in Virginia,'' said Warner, who served 18 years in the Senate with Dole. ``During that time, no man or woman in the Senate, Democrat or Republican, ever questioned Bob Dole's integrity. You could take his promises to the bank.''
Dole sought to assure the crowd that he will keep his vows to enact his tax cut plan. Clinton has argued that it would be impossible for Dole to initiate the cuts while keeping other campaign promises to balance the budget in seven years and protect Medicare against cuts.
``Take my word, you're going to have a tax cut,'' Dole said. ``You haven't had one in 10 years.''
Dole said a family of four with a household income of $30,000 would save $1,261 a year under his tax-cut plan. ``That's a lot of money,'' he said. ``It can help you pay for tuitions and mortgages.
``We're paying more in taxes than for food, clothing or shelter,'' Dole said. ``We've given a whole new meaning to two-income families. One parent works to support the family and one parent works to pay taxes to the government, and that's wrong and we're going to turn it around.''
Dole pledged to support constitutional amendments that would require a balanced federal budget, allow voluntary public prayer and ban desecration of the U.S. flag.
The trip was Dole's fifth to Virginia this year. Many analysts say his appearance in a traditional Republican stronghold only 17 days before the Nov. 5 election underscores his campaign's inability to cement its base conservative vote.
The last Democrat to carry Virginia was Lyndon B. Johnson in his landslide 1964 national victory over Republican Barry Goldwater.
Dole strategists remain optimistic that they will win the state's 13 electoral college votes, saying that polls show their supporters are more deeply committed to Dole - and more likely to turn out at polls - than are Clinton's. To help things out, the Republican National Committee has agreed to finance a ``modest'' television advertising campaign for Dole in Virginia.
Clinton, who is concentrating on protecting his lead in large states such as California and Ohio, has not slated any visits or advertising in Virginia before Election Day. ``We're hopeful that will change,'' said Chris Dolen, Clinton's Virginia campaign chairman.
Dole supporters left the rally enthused about their champion's message but disillusioned about his precarious chances of defeating Clinton.
``It surprises me,'' said Eric Coard, 32, a marketing executive from Suffolk. ``It's tough to accept that people can prefer someone with as flimsy a spine as Clinton. I'm not optimistic at all.''
Ellen Hatcher, a 46-year-old Roanoke nurse, added: ``I'm worried about the way this election is going, but I'm a fighter and I'm determined to do my best for Dole. I guess Clinton just looks better to a lot of people - he's debonair, good-looking and manipulative. Maybe that's all people want.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
BETH BERGMAN/The Virginian-Pilot
Pat Luman of Chesapeake has flags to hand out at Nauticus in Norfolk
Saturday afternoon before Bob Dole's arrival at the Republican
rally.
HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian-Pilot
An enthusiastic, flag-waving crowd of about 2,500 supporters greeted
the Republican presidential candidate, wearing a windbreaker against
a chilly breeze.
Virginia Attorney General James S. Gilmore III, left, and Gov.
George F. Allen, center, greet Republican presidential candidate Bob
Dole at the Norfolk rally Saturday.
Photo
HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Dole campaign volunteers pass out 15% (tax cut) signs before the
rally at Nauticus in Norfolk Saturday afternoon. Rally organizers
hope that Dole's appearance will let him seize momentum in Virginia,
where polls show that Dole lags behind Clinton by about 7
percentage points.
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