Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 4, 1993 TAG: 9303040414
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
WILDER-ROBB
GOV. WILDER, clearly, is still steamed at offenses, real or imagined, of fellow Virginia Democrat, Sen. Charles Robb.In particular, he can't forget an odious memorandum, written by a Robb staffer in 1991 and leaked to the press last year, that outlined schemes by which Robb might divert unflattering public attention away from himself by sabotaging Wilder.
The governor mentions the memo frequently. He even cites it as one reason he may challenge Robb for his Senate seat in 1994.
"I don't think Virginians want a senator whose staff has been conspiring to diminish a sitting governor," says Wilder. "When you discredit the sitting governor, you hurt the state."
Wilder has a point. No one would argue that the bitter feuding between Robb and Wilder has been good for the state or for its image.
But now, for the good of the state, the governor ought to rise above the pettiness.
According to published reports, the Wilder administration has not invited Robb to speak at a conference on defense conversion next week in Richmond. Virginia's Republican senator, John Warner, has been invited.
A Wilder administration official said there was no intent to snub Robb, but somehow that doesn't ring true.
Both Robb and Warner are members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Robb has taken, generally, a higher profile than Warner on issues related to defense conversion.
Virginia's economy is closely linked to military spending. Defense cutbacks will have a big effect in the commonwealth.
Thus, more than most states, Virginia has a big stake in defense-conversion strategies - and these may depend on cooperative efforts by state officials in Richmond and elected representatives in Washington.
In other words, Robb needs to be in the loop - regardless of what Wilder thinks of him personally.
In 1994, Virginia voters will have an opportunity to pass judgment on Robb's record, and that record does include the staff memo outlining a "guerrilla warfare" campaign against Wilder. Should Wilder decide to challenge Robb for the Democrats' Senate nomination, he's certainly entitled to make use of the record.
Meanwhile, the governor may choose not to forgive or forget. But he has an obligation to work with Robb, as well as other members of Virginia's congressional delegation. Not for Robb's benefit but for the state's - and Wilder will come out looking the better for it.