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By JOHN GOOLRICK
Rappahannock News Special Writer
Truth in packaging isn't necessarily the law in politics or political punditry.
But I want to make it perfectly clear, as one politician used to say, that this column is being written three days before the Republican gubernatorial primary and won’t be printed until after the results are in.
Former Sen. Paul Trible has managed to sit on a theoretical lead so long that it appears to be slipping away from him at this moment. If he loses it will be because he did not take advantage of his statewide name recognition to effectively let Virginians know why he wants to be their governor.
I was among those who felt Republicans should hold a primary to avoid the distinct possibility of an intra-party bloodbath that comes too often with a hotly contested mass meeting-convention process.
There are those who contend the negativism of the primary, the tendency of the three candidates to ignore talking about issues and Democratic shortcomings, and the public apathy about it have demonstrated it would have been better to have a convention.
I still respectfully disagree.
Certainly, I think all three candidates squandered their opportunities to take a clear message to the electorate and set the stage for a fall showdown with Democratic nominee L. Douglas Wilder.
Sen. Trible took comfort in the numbers game although organizations polling for a statewide Republican gubernatorial primary in Virginia were into a brand new game.
Congressman Stan Parris probably did the best media job of all and tried valiantly to present himself as the candidate who would be most acceptable to the supporters of his foes. In the campaign’s closing days, Parris was superb as he flitted around the state by helicopter.
Former Attorney General Marshall Coleman constantly and vigorously attacked Trible, Figuring he
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