Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 7, 1994 TAG: 9408080057
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: E-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Wilder began a statewide campaign tour Saturday afternoon in Richmond's historic Shockoe Slip in front of about 60 supporters.
He strolled through the crowd, shaking hands, giving hugs and making small talk with the crowd. He passed out blue-and-gold bumper stickers reading ``Virginia: The Wilder State.''
Wilder dismissed recent polls that show him trailing North and incumbent Democratic Sen. Charles Robb.
``You can't pay any attention to the polls,'' Wilder said. ``When the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there.''
He largely refrained from attacking his opponents, who also include independent candidate Marshall Coleman, but said of Robb, ``We don't need a candidate who says, `Elect me because you elected me before.'''
Wilder did question North's need for a concealed-weapon permit, which was denied Friday by Clarke County Circuit Judge James L. Berry.
``That's going back to the Old West days,'' Wilder said. ``That's not progress, that's regress.''
Berry had issued North a permit two years ago, but said this time he could not overlook North's ``moral turpitude'' in the Iran-Contra affair.
Wilder said Berry was right to refuse the permit.
``The judge may have said, `I'm not going to make the same mistake as last time,''' Wilder said.
North, who spent Friday wooing the hunting and fishing crowd at Smith Mountain Lake during a ``floating press conference,'' has said he applied for the permit because of a threat he received from a terrorist while working in the Reagan administration.
Cardell Patillo Sr., 38, drove to Richmond from the Tidewater area to show support for Wilder.
``I believe in his principles and what he stands for,'' he said. ``And like he said - there's no other candidate with a better record.''
Wilder's tour continues through Aug. 31 and spans nearly every region of the state. He plans stops in more than 35 cities and towns, with Sunday church visits along the way.
When the half-hour rally ended, Wilder rode off as his supporters chanted, ``Go, Doug!'' Wilder smiled, waved, gave the peace sign and a thumbs up to the crowd.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB