Gov. Wilder Links Bush to Helms, Racism News Article from the Los Angeles Times

    SUBJECT: Terms not available

press ALT-H for Research Software He1p,' Press ESC for the Utilities Menu

LEVEL 1 - 19 OF L27 STORIES

Copyright (c) 1990 The Times Mirror Company;
Los Angeles Iimes

November a5, 1990, Thursday, Home Edition

SECTfON: Part A; Page 26i Column L; National Desk

LENGTH: 516 words

HEADLINE: GOV. WILDER LINKS BUSH TO HELI{S, RACISU

BYLINE: BY ROBERT SHOGAN, TIMES POLITICAL WRITER

DATELINE: WASHINGTON

BODY:
Accusing President Bush of allying himself with Sen. Jesse He1ms by caterinq

to racial prejudice, Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder charged Wednesday that Bush
had shown nimieff wilting to rrmortgage the moral authority of the White House.rr

rtSurely, Americans here and in the Persian Gulf deserve a President who will
put as nuch effort into ensuring, that basic human rights are protected here at
press ALT-H for Research Software Help; Press ESC for the Utilities Menu

(c) l-990 Los Angeles Times, November 15, L99O

home as he does on ensurlng that the emir of Kuwait returns to his thron€,tt
Wilder said in addressing a forum on the Democratic Party's future.

rtSurely, a President who stands up to the intinidation of (Iraqi dictator)
Saddam Huisein must stand up to the intimidation of extremj-sts like Jesse
He1ms. rl

The speech and a letter he sent to Bush Monday naking sirnilar charges
represent a bold attempt by Wilder, the nation's first elected black governor,
to confront the issue of race.

Many politicians consider racial divisiveness a threat to Wilder's apparent
ambitionL for national office and, more broadly, his party's chances of

LEXiS' NEXIS', LEXIS', NEXtS', LEXTS'tEXrS'
Services of Mead Data Central, lnc.



regaining the presidencY in L992.

Wilder noted the racially charged tactics used by Helms, a three-term
Republican incumbent and right-wing champion, in his.defeat of Democratic
chillenger Harvey Gantt, a b1ack, in last week's midterm election.

A Hel-ms teLevision commerci-aI showed a white man's hands tearing up a job
rejection notice as it accused Gantt of advocating racial quotas for emplolment.
I,leinwhile, the state Republican Party sent out a massive mailing warning black
press ALT-H for Researih Software Help; Press ESC for the Utilities Menu

(c) 1990 Los Angeles Times, November 15, 1990

voters of criminal prosecution if they violated election laws.

Wilder contended that Bush rtlaid the groundworktr for Helms' commercial by
claiming that the l-990 civil rights biII, which he vetoed, required racial
quotas in employment. Also, h€ accused the President of being trthe leading
apologist rr for the GOP rnailings, which Wilder described as rrblatant ballot
intinidation. r'

When reporters asked Bush about the mailings, h€ had made a noncommittal
response: itI just don,t know enough about what you're trying to get me into to
get into that. rr

Wilder said: ttlt seems that the President has decided that he needs the
senator from North Carolina and his supporters across the nation if he himself
is to win reelection in Lgg2. As a result, h€ has demonstrated a willingness to
mortgiage the moral authority of the White House to avoid alienating the senator

. .ll

Some Democrats are wary of raising the issue of race, fearing that doing so
wiII underline their party's dependence on black support. But Wilder and his
chief political adviser, Virginia Democratic Chairman Paul Goldman, apparently
have decided to force racial concerns to the surface.
press ALT-H for Research Software Help; Press ESC for the Util-ities Menu

(c) 1-990 Los Angeles Times, November L5, 1990

Wilder and Goldman evidently bel-ieve that the problems Wilder's race poses
for his political future can be partly offset by his conservative approach to
economic policy. He enphasizes that approach as part of the rrnew mainstreamrt
doctrine he advocates for the Democratic Party-

Both in his speeches and management of his state's affairs, Wilder has
opposed tax increases and resisted proposals for new government programs.

SUBJECT: WILDER, L DOUGLAS; HELI{S, JESSE; BUSH, GEORGE; RACIAL DISCRIMINATION;
RACIAL RELATIONS -. UNITED STATES, TELEVISION ADVERTISING; POLITICAL
ADVERTISING; NORTH CAROLINA -- ELECTIONS; POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS

LEXTS', NEXIS', LEXIS', NEXtS', LEXlS',tErrs',
Services of Mead Data Central, lnc.