Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 16, 1994 TAG: 9410170027
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The leaves drift from the trees, the air turns brisk and cold.
Procrastinators that we are, my roommates and I delayed getting oil until the circulation in our toes slowed to a sluggish trickle. We ordered new oil on Monday - $186.16. But we're not turning on the heat just yet.
It's election season, after all. And with all of the politicians in the area, we should have enough warm air to take us through to Thanksgiving.
Each year, come a significant election, lawns fill up with burgundy leaves and red and blue signs. Frost covers cars decked out in new bumper stickers.
North this. Robb that. Coleman here and there.
And then there's a ring on my phone, and it's our receptionist saying there's a politician waiting out front who wants to talk.
"Mr. Rudmin is here to see you."
"Who?"
"Mr. Rudmin."
I can only picture his grimace as he waits in the lobby, determined to overcome obscurity, a briefcase full of information about his write-in campaign for the 9th Congressional District seat against Rep. Rick Boucher and Steve Fast.
He's here to tell us of some speeches he's giving, he says, all over the district and just outside the district, too. It's been a bit of a drive for him. Michael Rudmin is from Harrisonburg.
"Sir," I told him during his last campaign stop. "You're not even from here."
"Well, you don't have to be," he replied. Besides, he graduated from Virginia Tech.
Rudmin is not the only unknown running for a seat, asking people to send him letters or support or questions and to include self-addressed, stamped envelopes. He is one in a small army decked out in slightly rumpled suits from hours in automobiles. Members of that army lack a certain professional slickness. But they all have their own ideas. And they all have the right to run, to press the flesh, to dream that somehow, they can win. Or at least, to make a statement.
And so it was only expected that we receive our yearly call from the Libertarian Party candidate.
And that Radford-born William Pratt, also a Tech graduate, would stop by on his way to campaign for the U.S. Senate at a recent football game.
"There are at least 10 of us running," he told me.
Perhaps I should make it 11.
While the rest of the state runs a platform based on jobs and health care, I can focus my efforts on halting the return of bellbottoms to Southwest Virginia. Find my niche. Find my supporters. My five-point platform would look like this.
Fashion: I promise to work toward abolishing the Wonderbra, or at least making it illegal to mention it in public.
Traffic: As your senator, I would strive to make it a traffic offense to keep a turn signal on for more than a distance of one (1) block. Further, I would ban all car horns that play cute songs when beeped.
Holidays: I would bring forth legislation moving federal holidays to Fridays instead of Mondays.
Money: I would work with Congress to have our currency manufactured from recycled plastic grocery bags.
Humor: O.J. Simpson jokes and Cathy cartoons would be no more.
Employment: Uh, speaking of employment, maybe I'll just stick to my day job.
Madelyn Rosenberg is the Roanoke Times & World-News' assistant New River editor.
by CNB