University of Virginia Library

White Speaks
On Campaign

Roy White, Democratic nominee for
the U.S. Congress seat in the Sixth
District now held by Rep. Richard Poff,
addressed the New Democratic Coalition
Thursday night, stating that "people are
fed up with politicians today and one
thing I want to do is shoot from the
shoulder."

Mr. White, a professor of political
science at Virginia Western College and
winner of the Democratic congressional
primary in the district that includes
Roanoke and Lynchburg, is trying to
unseat Mr. Poff, an eighteen-year veteran
of the House.

Mr. White, a leader of the 1968
campaign for Eugene McCarthy, spoke
briefly from a text and then answered
questions from the students.

In his speech, he outlined the
"bankruptcy of the Old Politics in
"Virginia" and the methods available to
"bring party politics down to the
people." He noted that the Democratic
Party in Virginia is "yours for the
asking," saying that if interested youths
worked in politics they could now
realistically expect to make progress.

"You've got to get more out of
politics than glue on your tongue, and I
think you can do it now," stated Mr.
White.

Mr. White was brief but firm on the
Vietnam issue. He said, "I'm against the
war in Vietnam and have been against it
since 1965. We have to get out, and I
believe in setting a specific date."

Asked about marijuana, the
Democratic candidate said, "We ought to
legalize marijuana. I don't care if they sell
it in liquor stores."

Speaking on the draft, Mr. White
declared, "If anybody had come up to me
when I was young and told me I'd be
stripped naked, marched down a hall, and
put in the army, I would have said, "You
fascist bastard, not on your life!"