THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 22, 1994 TAG: 9410220305
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVID M. POOLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ALEXANDRIA LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
In a gesture likened to a peace treaty between Middle Eastern blood enemies, former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder on Friday endorsed his longtime Democratic rival, U.S. Sen. Charles S. Robb.
Wilder, with Robb and President Clinton at his side, brought a dinner crowd of 700 Democrats to their feet when he offered a reconciliation that, while not glowing, came without equivocation.
``I think we should all be involved in a monumental effort, one that isn't going to rest until the last vote is taken and all the polls are closed, to elect Chuck Robb as the next senator.
``I have no reservation. There will be no equivocation. I don't endorse lightly. I will be involved in every conceivable manner.''
Robb strode across the stage in the Radisson Plaza Hotel and offered his hand to his on-again, off-again nemesis.
``It put me in the mind of Arafat and Rabin when you and Chuck were shaking hands,'' Clinton quipped, referring to the White House treaty ceremony between Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
``Peace is breaking out all over.''
Time will tell whether the Robb-Wilder detente will be enough to salvage Robb's re-election bid. With 17 days before the Nov. 8 election, Robb is trailing Republican challenger Oliver L. North in the polls.
Some Democrats were optimistic that Wilder, the nation's first black elected governor, will rally support among African Americans, who have been key supporters of Robb in past election victories.
``I'm hoping we can pull something together for Robb,'' said Joyce Casey Sanchez, 61, of Alexandria.
But some said the endorsement's credibility might be undercut because Wilder has called Robb ``unfit for public office'' and broke party ranks to run for Robb's seat as an independent. Wilder dropped out of the race last month because a lack of campaign contributions and support.
``I have no doubt that any second-year communications student will be able to put together a video with a lot of crow in it,'' said state Del. Bernard Cohen, D-Alexandria.
Speaking to reporters after the dinner, Wilder glossed over his past statement that Robb was unfit for office.
``That's passed,'' he said.
Does that mean he's withdrawing the statement?
``I don't withdraw anything. It's passed. Living in the past won't help us, given that the election is taking place November 8.''
Wilder said he would make campaign appearances for Robb, but not daily. ``I haven't earned a paycheck since January,'' he said.
Robb and Wilder both denied published reports that Wilder set as a price for his endorsement either appointment as a roving ambassador in Africa or repayment of his $50,000 Senate campaign debt.
Robb called such suggestions ``an insult'' to Wilder.
Earlier, speakers at the 8th District Democrats' second-annual dinner honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy took turns savaging North.
``We have a contest where some Virginians want to send a man who can't tell the truth to a city named after another Virginian who couldn't tell a lie,'' state Democratic Chairman Mark Warner said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
Sen. Charles Robb
L. Douglas Wilder
KEYWORDS: SENATE RACE CANDIDATE CAMPAIGN ENDORSEMENT by CNB