THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 15, 1996 TAG: 9608150347
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT LITTLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SAN DIEGO LENGTH: 52 lines
Former presidential candidate Steve Forbes hopped onto a tiny riser, pumped his hands in the air and waited with a crinkly grin until an exuberant group of Virginia Republicans finally calmed down.
``Wow,'' he said, when it got quiet enough for him to speak. ``Wish I had you up in New Hampshire.''
An hour later, Pat Robertson was on the same small stage, before the same small crowd, grinning and waiting for them all to give it a rest.
``Isn't it great to be a Republican?'' he finally said. And the cheering started all over again.
In the delirious cloud of the Republican National Convention, any celebrity GOP-er is worth an ovation to the party faithful. But Forbes and Robertson - both one-time presidential aspirants, both runners-up - got receptions befitting party royalty Wednesday at the Virginia delegation's first formal party rally.
The gathering was called more to pump up the troops than discuss policy. Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, Ohio Rep. John Kasich and Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson all spoke, giving the Virginia delegation its first in-the-flesh glimpse at the party's national firepower.
In Forbes and Robertson, the delegation embraced two Republicans it credits with molding the presidential ticket before fading to the convention periphery. Forbes won acclaim for his flat-tax proposal, which has been incorporated into the Dole agenda, and Robertson for his morals, which have permeated the party fabric.
``Steve Forbes has set the economic agenda for this United States, for hope and growth and opportunity,'' said state Attorney General James S. Gilmore III, who introduced Forbes to the Virginia delegation.
And when Robertson proposed eliminating government assistance for Planned Parenthood, the crowd of 50 offered a rowdy ovation.
Forbes praised Bob Dole's economic agenda, while Robertson waxed about the potential of a Republican Congress married with a Republican White House.
``I have a dream,'' said Robertson. ``I have a dream of seeing a new America under Republican leadership from every level.
The rest of the rally was reserved mostly for criticizing President Bill Clinton. Robertson, technically a Virginia delegate but making his first appearance at the delegation hotel, called Clinton ``the most adroit teller of falsehoods who has ever occupied high office in America.''
Said Gilmore: ``This president thinks all you need to do is go on MTV and play the saxophone and you've got policy.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Steve Forbes
KEYWORDS: REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION 1996 by CNB