THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 14, 1996 TAG: 9608140547
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: Decision '96
SOURCE: Warren Fiske
DATELINE: SAN DIEGO LENGTH: 33 lines
Virginia Gov. George F. Allen on Tuesday said he'd be happy to pack his bags and come home.
Kicking back on a bus returning from Tijuana, Mexico, Allen said he was so pleased with the convention's progress that he doesn't know if it can get any better.
Monday night was a perfect political experience, he said.
``We could have called the convention over at the end of the night and everything would have been great,'' he said.
``Gerald Ford gave a great speech. The presentation by Nancy Reagan was touching, and Colin Powell was simply great,'' Allen said.
Allen said Powell's speech should give a great boost to the Republican Party. ``It was important to hear a person who is so well-respected giving a testimonial to why he's a Republican,'' Allen said.
Allen, an early supporter of Bob Dole's presidential candidacy, acknowledges some concern that the all-but-official Republican nominee has yet to tie down his conservative base. Even Virginia, which has voted Republican in seven straight presidential elections, has been a toss-up state this summer in polls.
``Nothing should be taken for granted,'' Allen said. ``Virginia has voted Republican because there's been a lot of hard grass-roots work.''
``The most important thing is that we leave this convention unified, energized and mobilized,'' said Allen, who believes Dole's proposed tax cuts would spur the economy. ``I think that's starting to happen.'' by CNB