THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, September 2, 1994              TAG: 9409020620
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY KAREN JOLLY DAVIS, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: CHERITON                           LENGTH: Short :   44 lines

ROBB MAKES PLEDGES TO BUSINESS DURING QUICK STOP ON E. SHORE

U.S. Sen. Charles S. Robb breezed into the Cheriton Super Market on Thursday and started shaking hands. Startled shoppers froze, barely able to do more than nod before Robb was off down another aisle.

There were more camera operators and reporters than customers in the small grocery store. Only a few of the shoppers appeared to recognize Robb, and most tried to politely ignore the commotion.

TV crews jockeyed for position. A photographer from Time magazine scurried for just the right shot. Meanwhile, Ralph Hinman, an elderly man with a bandage across his nose, squeezed tomatoes in the produce section without looking up.

Suddenly Robb was in Hinman's face, shook his hand, and dashed off.

``I like him. I like his looks,'' said Hinman, dazed and laughing as the entourage hurried out the door.

Robb's sprint through the Eastern Shore on Thursday was part of a two-week, 100-locality handshaking tour that he hopes will help show the voters how different he is from Oliver North.

``It's mainstream vs. extreme,'' said Bert Rohrer, a campaign worker for Robb.

The senator spoke to several local officials and promised that he would do whatever he could to help businesses move to the Eastern Shore. In particular, he told Northampton County Administrator Tom Harris, he would gladly speak to anyone who might consider moving into a ``green,'' or ecologically safe, industrial park planned at the Cape Charles harbor.

``You can't promise or do everything, and I understand that,'' Robb said about what he can do to help the Eastern Shore. ``But you can simply recognize that there are special opportunities here and support them when you can. Anything we do that basically benefits the overall economy is likely to have a positive impact in each individual's part of the economy.''

KEYWORDS: U.S. SENATE RACE VIRGINIA CANDIDATES

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