THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 10, 1994 TAG: 9411100637
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVID M. POOLE AND WARREN FISKE, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: TYSONS CORNER LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
Saying he was humbled by his hard-fought re-election, U.S. Sen. Charles S. Robb promised Wednesday to work hard over the next six years to regain the public trust he once enjoyed.
``I'm going to try to demonstrate by competent public service that trust and support is warranted,'' Robb said the morning after he survived a Republican avalanche felt across the nation. ``I know it won't come overnight.
``I may not get back to the (public approval) numbers we once had, but some of those numbers are a little unhealthy anyhow.''
Robb also said he looked forward to working with the new Republican majority in Congress and to reaching out to committed followers of his GOP challenger, Oliver L. North. ``I'm going to do my best to give . . . honest representation, even though my priorities may be different,'' he said.
Robb predicted that North would continue to be a player on the political scene, but said the former Iran-Contra figure was better suited to be an ``advocate rather than an implementer.''
``My guess is that he will command very substantial fees on the lecture circuit and add substantially to his wealth using the skills he demonstrated during the course of the campaign,'' Robb added.
Meanwhile, several Democratic activists said Robb was lucky to have North - one of the most polarizing figures in recent American history - as an opponent in a year when many Democratic incumbents were swept away in GOP tidal wave.
``This campaign had a lot to do with Virginia's unwillingness to elect Oliver North,'' said John J. McGlennon, Democratic chairman of the 1st Congressional District. ``I think Chuck Robb ran a good campaign in the final days, but what was basically energizing voters was basic unelectability of North.''
Ken Geroe, a vice chairman of the state Democratic Party, said three crucial factors swayed the election down the stretch: North's numerous gaffes; former First Lady Nancy Reagan's characterization of North as a liar; and and former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder's late endorsement of Robb.
``Robb's pretty lucky,'' Geroe said. ``When you look at those three factors, how many was Robb personally responsible for? None. It's great to be lucky,'' Geroe added.
Former state Democratic Chairman Paul Goldman agreed: ``Democrats should thank God for North.''
Many Democrats credited Robb with running a strong campaign during the final weeks and keeping North on the defensive with negative advertising about his character and his proposal to make Social Security optional.
They expressed surprise that North did not respond to the assaults forcefully.
``North was a lot like Robert E. Lee,'' Goldman said. ``He got off to a good start, but in the end he was retreating to Appomattox draped in a Confederate flag.''
Although Wilder's endorsement was influential in Robb's gaining 86 percent of the black vote, Democrats said that it was not the decisive event of the election. ``I don't think it turned the election, but it made the job of galvanizing blacks that much easier,'' said McGlennon.
Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist, said blacks cast about 13 percent of all ballots Tuesday. ``That's no better than a moderate turnout.''
Even so, Wilder was given credit for turning aside his longstanding personal animosity toward Robb and campaigning vigorously for the Democrat during the final two weeks.
Robb conceded that some people who voted for him did so to stop North, but he insisted he could have prevailed against any opponent.
McGlennon said he hoped Robb learned a lesson from the campaign.
``I think he's learned from this election to maintain contact with voters in this state,'' he said. ``I think Robb thought it was enough just to do a good job affecting policy in Washington. He didn't put a very high premium on letting voters know what he did.''
Tuesday, Robb said it was difficult for him to get any message across during his first term because of the media's preoccupation with his admitted marital indiscretions and a federal grand jury investigation into his staff's release of an illegally taped cellular phone conversation between Wilder and a supporter.
Robb said he his re-election should close that chapter of his political career.
``I would hope that we will simply move on,'' he said a few hours after he declared victory. ``I'm not asking for any declaration of vindication. I'm simply saying, let's move on to the kind of things that are important to Virginia and take a respite from what might be regarded as an obsession with my life.'' ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS photo
Sen. Charles S. Robb promised Wednesday in McLean to reach out to
committed followers of his GOP challenger, Oliver L. North.
by CNB