THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 31, 1996 TAG: 9608310360
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Decision '96
SOURCE: BY TONY WHARTON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 71 lines
President Clinton's specifics about his ideas for a second term, and his general outlook toward the future, impressed several undecided voters who watched his acceptance speech Thursday night.
Interviewed by The Virginian-Pilot on Friday, these Hampton Roads voters said Clinton has some strikes against him still, but on balance came off better than Bob Dole in his speech at the Republican convention two weeks ago.
Rachael Pilger, 50, of Virginia Beach, said she's ``not a Clinton person. I didn't vote for him last time.''
But after watching Clinton and Dole accept their parties' nominations, she said, ``Dole wants to do everything so big and so quick, I don't see how he can do it so fast. Clinton didn't say he's going to make such huge differences. They're going to be gradual differences, progressive differences.''
She was impressed with Clinton's attention to education and the well-being of American children, as were others who watched.
``I think he gave a very powerful and positive message,'' said Linda Owen, 48, a Newport News switchboard operator. ``I liked what he had to say about children, and about his goals for educating them.''
She said Clinton gave her a ``good feeling,'' which she contrasted with the tone of Bob Dole's speech: ``I think he's kind of stuck with the idea of going back to the old days. I don't think it's possible. I don't see that happening.''
Jay Lorek, 32, a college student from Chesapeake, found both men persuasive, but is leaning toward Clinton. ``It was pretty good,'' he said. ``It's funny, you listen to Dole's speech, and you're good to go for Dole, and then you listen to Bill Clinton again, and think, maybe I'll go with Bill again.''
Clinton's character produced the most ambivalence in those watching. He struck them as sincere, and some said they don't trust Dole, but Clinton's character is a potent misgiving.
``That has me really uneasy there,'' Pilger said. ``Clinton puts on this beautiful image in public, but there's always this underlying thing, the two sides to the man.
``That thing Thursday where his adviser resigned just makes you go back to thinking that way. I had pushed all that innuendo and gossip out of my mind because nothing had happened in the last two years.''
Clinton's top political adviser, Dick Morris, resigned Thursday after a newspaper report linked him to a prostitute and said Morris had shared White House information with her.
Yet Pilger said Clinton sounded ``sincere and honest'' Thursday night, an impression echoed by others.
Owen said: ``There are still things I don't agree with because of my religious preferences. But this is supposed to be a democracy, and you have to try to meet someone halfway.''
Patrick Doody, a priest at DePaul Medical Center in Norfolk, is an Irishman who just became an American citizen. He's looking forward to voting for the first time and is eagerly watching the candidates.
Clinton ``is easy to listen to,'' Doody said. ``I do like the idea that we're building a bridge to the future. I liked his challenging the private sector, because we can only take people off welfare if we make opportunities for them.''
Still, Doody's mind isn't made up. He and others said they want to hear more from the candidates, perhaps in a debate.
``I'd like to see them go head-to-head on issues, without any script or prompting,'' Pilger said. ``I want to see what comes out of his gut. That would really help. You know, what kind of person are you? Are these your thoughts, your feelings?''
KEYWORDS: PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CANDIDATE SURVEY by CNB