Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 21, 1994                   TAG: 9405230145
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CUT BENEFITS TO RICH, ROBB SAYS

Robb told a gathering in Richmond that he could support limiting Social Security benefits to the affluent.

``Unless we're willing to tackle entitlements head-on we're just going to tinker at the margins,'' the Democratic senator told the Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan group dedicated to balancing the federal budget.

Robb said he would consider supporting a plan that would give the affluent what they paid into Social Security plus interest and then cap their benefits.

Meanwhile, Republican Oliver North said he had picked up support from two delegates who formerly backed Jim Miller, his GOP rival for the U.S. Senate.

North appeared at a news conference in Norfolk with the two delegates, who are among more than 14,000 expected at the June 4 convention in Richmond. Both said they were disturbed by tactics used by the Miller campaign.

``He's just going to be another wheeler-dealer, just like the rest,'' said M.D. Galbreath, a Williamsburg contractor. ``I want to elect a pit bull to Congress with a junkyard attitude to represent me.''

Galbreath said he changed his mind when Miller's campaign publicized a letter in which former President Reagan accused North of lying about Reagan's role in the Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal.

Victoria Rizzi of Virginia Beach said she switched to North when Miller tried to make an issue of North's hospitalization for depression about 20 years ago. ``I realized I was making a major mistake,'' she said.

A Miller campaign spokesman said many more delegates have switched from North to Miller.

``If they want to go toe to toe with us on switchers, they'll get pummeled,'' Jonathan Baron said.

Wilder, meanwhile, told a gathering of the Radio-Television News Directors Association that the question was not whether he has made up his mind to enter the race, but when his decision would be announced. June 14 is the deadline to file petitions to get his name on the ballot.

Wilder dismissed criticism that his independent bid would split the Democratic vote.

``I don't believe I would be causing Oliver North to win,'' he said. ``I'd be causing me to win.''

Keywords:
POLITICS