Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 21, 1995 TAG: 9510230038
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAVE ADDIS LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium
A crowd that looked a lot like America - all races, ages and stations jumbled up as one, but in fairly reasonable and friendly order - lined a quiet downtown street Friday to get glimpse of a man who might one day be president.
The final stop on Gen. Colin Powell's nationwide book-promotion tour brought them to Prince Books and Coffee House on East Main Street. As a group, they were a mix of serious political supporters and people who sensed that they might snatch up an easy piece of history on a sunny autumn afternoon.
Admitted only on proof that they'd bought a book, and limited to one book signature per customer, each was eager to see the man who has captured the nation's fickle political attention - and equally willing to offer his or her assessment.
``He's just a good man,'' said Jocelyn N. White of Newport News, who took a day off work to be there. ``I'm here to help convince him to run for president.
``We've had a good Republican and a good Democrat,'' she said of George Bush and Bill Clinton. ``Now we just need a good man.''
To Bernie Lee, a guitarist for The Perpetrators, a local musical group, Powell ``represents something incredibly positive. And the country needs as much of that as it can get.
``And he represents a mountain of potential racial harmony, and we need as much of that as we can get, too,'' Lee said.
But he said he'd rather not see Powell run for president, at least not yet. ``I think he'd be out of his mind to jump into that shark tank. I'd rather see him think about the presidency in four to eight years.
``He is such a strong black role model,'' Lee said, ``that even dyed-in-the-wool redneck racists have to give a tip of the hat to this man.''
Cindy Welch of Norfolk, who received her sociology degree in the mail Friday from Old Dominion University, was in line for less complex reasons. ``I just kinda want to see him,'' she said. ``He'll make history today - or at least he will when he announces.
``He just represents something that really appeals to me ... He stands for a lot of women's issues that are important to me. I just kinda like the guy.''
The simple appeal of Powell's bearing was mentioned repeatedly. That's what compelled Alma Hall of Portsmouth to arrive at the book shop's door at 9 a.m., first in line.
``As an English teacher,'' she said, ``I'm impressed with people who use the English language with power and clarity. And he knows how to use that power.''
Hall, chairwoman of the English department at Salem High School in Virginia Beach, said she had ``pretty much given up assigning students to write about their heroes. Young people today, they just don't have heroes.
``Now I can go back and talk to them about what a man of heroic proportions he is.''
by CNB