Former U.S. state governor on V.I.P. tour of N.Z.

Press, 30 November 1987, Page 46

Former U.S. state governor on V.I.P. tour of N.Z.

By

TOM BRIDGMAN

NZPA Washington

A former governor of Virginia, Charles (“Chuck”) Robb, often touted as a potential Democratic presidential candidate, will be shown New Zealand and exposed to its political thinking during a planned visit. Mr Robb, aged 48, a stern-faced former Marine officer son-in-law of President Lyndon Johnson, is chairman of the Centrist Democratic Leadership Council (D.L.C.), a role which gives him an important say in Democrat policy. He was a widely regarded, successful and popular governor of the state of Virginia from 1981 until his term expired in January last year. That period, in which he emphasised economic modernisation and racial harmony, brought Democrats back into power in the state for the first time in 12 years. Since he bowed out in Virginia there has been speculation as to his political future. His name has been mentioned as a possible vice-presidential or presidential candidate. For the latter, 1988 has been ruled out but there is still the possibility that he could run in 1992.

Mr Robb settled his political future for the time being at least when earlier this month he announced he would run for

the United States Senate next year, his first attempt at national office, and one he is expected to accomplish with ease. His bid to represent Virginia in the Senate “cleared not only the air but also the field,” commented the “Washington Post.” New Zealand’s Ambassador to the United States, Sir Wallace Rowling, has long admired Mr Robb, describing him as a “mover and shaker” in Washington politics. “He is is a very prominent figure in the political world here, and is likely to be around for some considerable time yet “One day in the future he could well be a presidential nominee, and could have been this year if he had chosen to be,” he said, explaining the reasons for New Zealand’s invitation to the former governor.

Because of that political importance, both present and potential, Mr Robb and his wife Lynda will visit New Zealand under the Government’s V.I.P. visitor programme, which means New Zealand picks up the costs of the trip.

The Robbs will arrive in Christchurch from Australia on Friday, December 4, for a quick visit that will include a look over the U.S. naval support force facility at Christchurch, moves on up to Rotorua for some sightseeing and golf and

then down to Wellington for a series of political meetings. In Wellington Mr Robb is scheduled to meet the Minister of Finance, Mr Douglas, an Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Fran Wilde, the leader of the Opposition, Mr Bolger and, although a time has not yet been finalised, the Prime Minister, Mr Lange. He will also address Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee on Wednesday, December 9, before heading to Auckland where he is scheduled to give a speech on the United States economy to a business group before leaving New Zealand. Mr Robb said recently that the stock market collapse on October 19 was a sign the United States Government had to do everything in its power to fight a total economic collapse and restore confidence for domestic and international investors. “Uncertainty is the greatest enemy to economic investments,” he said. Charles Spittai Robb, was bom in Phoenix, Arizona. He attended Cornell University and then the University of Wisconsin from where he graduated with a lower-graded Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1961.

After graduation he went into the Marine Corps and in 1966 was

posted to Washington, D.C., where part of his duties entailed being a social aide at the White House, a position which led to his meeting and then marrying Lynda Bird Johnson, eldest daughter of the then president.

Two months after the wedding Captain Robb was shipped to Vietnam where he served for more than a year. After his return to the United States he volunteered to recruit new marines on college campuses, not an easy task with anti-war sentiment growing. He apparently had a communications skill and from that experience in talking to antagonistic college students he began to think about a career in politics. He took up law and in 1978 was elected lieutenant-governor of Virginia and governor in 1981. Mr Robb comes from the moderate to conservative side of the Democratic Party, which means he is a strong supporter of United States’ defence interests, and, through the D.L.C. aims to get the national party back “into the mainstream.” His role on that group of mainly southern and western state-elected officials, which includes others like Senators Sam Nunn from Georgia and John Breaux from Louisiana, has given Mr Robb national exposure as an attractive, younger politi-

cian with a potential future.

The D.L.C. has been a leading force behind “Super Tuesday”, March 8, an important day in the American presidential election process next year. On that day around 20 states from Massachusetts to Hawaii, but principally in the South with 14 taking part, will hold their primaries to determine candidate preferences. No such regional primary has taken place before. Analysts are still unsure whether it will result in the Republican and Democrat nominations becoming a foregone conclusion or even more confused. Mr Robb and others see “Super Tuesday” as a way of ensuring that the South plays an important role in the nominating process, acting as a brake on the undue influence of the more liberal orientated selection processes in lowa and New Hampshire three weeks earlier, and making candidates address a national agenda rather than regional interest groups in those two states.

“We want the candidates to think about the South as they speak to audiences in lowa. We want to keep them from taking positions there that would kill them in November,” he said earlier this year, referring to the presidential election now a year away.