North Carolina Now; North Carolina Now Episode from 10/02/1996

It's Wednesday October 2nd. You know that's right. Tonight celebrating an American television legend in North Carolina. Good evening everyone I'm standing there for a filling in for Merida McRoy. In tonight's edition of North Carolina now we'll bring you some perspective too of North Carolina's political candidates. Correspondent Ted Arison looks into the queue. Paying a Republican challenger for governor Robin Hayes and Robert manyin it continues with our series of congressional interviews with Ted Tyler the Republican candidate in the first district. We'll also bring you a piece of North Carolina in this town. As

Maria Lumbergh travels back in time to the days of Andy Griffith Barney Fife and Mayberry RFD. But first the race for governor. Republican gubernatorial candidate Robin Hayes has a record as a legislator but he faces an uphill battle in his race to beat incumbent governor Jim Hunt. And as Ted Harrison reports Taipei's has been affected by another opponent. Hurricane Fran is not on a single North Carolina ballot nor a registered voter in any precinct. But the effects of the storm that hit on September 5th may linger all the way to Election Day on November 5th. While pollsters pundits and political operatives try to assess the storm's impact there's one thing most agree on disasters generally blow voters into the incumbents corner. That's especially bad news for GOP gubernatorial candidate Robin Hayes. Most polls show him well behind Governor Jim Hunt even before France Druck polls play a role.

But they don't play near the role for us to do for some other folks. We knew who we were as a candidate when we started so we didn't have to poll to see where our stands would be. Now as far as the Mason-Dixon Poll that's the most recent one that's been taken. Those numbers are really not that significant because again the hurricane played into that very much we have not been on television our opponent has been on television both paid and because of the hurricane. Day after day after day doing his job which he should do so while his opponent was busy looking gubernatorial. Hayes was forced into a holding pattern. There's attempts to bring the legislature back into session to deal with the aftermath of the hurricane went nowhere. Now the question is whether Hayes can put some direction back into his campaign. I think Robin Hayes is in some major trouble here Ted. Jim Hahn is outflank among a lot of issues whether it's a crime whether it's cutting taxes whether it's being pro-business for a Republican to win

in the state he has to get a lot of the Democratic vote a lot of conservative Democrats. What's happening is the exact opposite. One is been making inroads into the Republican vote and he's getting a lot of business support a lot of business contributions. And Hahn is a master. Incredible. Yes he's on his way to having raised 9 million dollars he raised one million dollars a day at one golf tournament this summer if you can believe that hunt is been helped by this hurricane. And here is Robin Hayes having to suspend campaigning parts of the state and Jim Hahn is you know picture on TV every night showing leadership only and the hurricane so that that that was helpful to him and then a presidential contest usually in the state as you well know Ted that Republicans are helped by the national ticket. And while it's quite possible that Bob Dole will carry North Carolina it's not going to be pining kind of landslide margin he's unlikely to have any coattails.

But hey it's his play the underdog recounts paperweight back in the polls and heartbreakingly in the roof and maybe by March. Now that his television and the role of The Pervert's lawmaker says he sees a shift in his paper I have sensed a momentum shift particularly in the last four days we have had a very tough situation in North Carolina when I say we I'm talking about the state not the campaign because of the hurricane and appropriately we have kept campaigning there parts of the state that have not been affected. And this obviously has had something of an impact on our visibility. Now people are beginning to put their businesses and their lives back together and what we've seen since we went on television last Friday and the kinds of crowds that we've been getting in the questions that were asked. We really feel good about how things are going in campaign appearances hate Bush's conservative stance on issues including education. He says he wants to play a part but doesn't want to dictate curriculum basic learning skills have a consistent pattern.

Either our children can read and write and do math or they can't. So our testing will reflect those basic skill is campaigning to cut the state's taxes popular phrases not as much during the general campaign as it did when the primary was also found. Record straight leg just like George does not seem to help in the race to become the state's chief executive. Right now I would think it more people known as Robin Hayes the candidate for governor. But the statewide polls are seem to be showing that he's still not very well known. They're showing that the vast majority of people just don't know who he is which is obviously especially going up against an incumbent like Jim Hahn is a frightening thing. Five weeks out from the from the general election one of the most tangible parts of the campaign was the connection between candidate and constituent campaign want to say hey you need that working the crowd which is one of his biggest assets in the whirlwind of the next four weeks Robin Hayes will need to draw on

all of his. Political abilities if he hopes to be the pilot who can weather the storm. Thank you Victoria race is still in its early stages. Well bring you more on the campaign throughout the month. In just a few minutes a discussion with Tom Tyler the Republican candidate for the first congressional district. But first we go to Mitchell Lewis from the North Carolina now news death getting it. Thanks Shannon. Good evening everyone. Topping our news North Carolina is showing evidence of a significant decrease in child mortality. The state death rate for children under the age of 18 fell to 89 deaths per 100000 for 1995. That's a nine percent decrease from 1994. And according to state health director Ron Levine the decline is a 25 percent drop from 1988. The state's Center for Health Statistics report shows deaths caused by Infant Death Syndrome illness and suicide were down. In addition the report indicates the number of homicide deaths among children dropped a full 33 percent.

The leading cause of death for 16 and 17 year old children was automobile accidents. North Carolina is home to three of the nation's top ten pork producers with Murphy farms the largest hog producer in the world headquartered in Rose Hill. Along with Carole foods and prestigious farms North Carolina dominates the producer list. The state also places second behind Iowa in the sheer number of market hogs with the swine population of eight and a half million. Representatives from North Carolina's government testified to Congress on Capitol Hill about the federal response to Hurricane Fran. Local officials including Wilmington Mayor Dawn Betts and Cary Mayor Koch a booth were invited to speak before a panel of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The panel headed by North Carolina senator Locke fair cloth hopes the testimony will help gauge the performance of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and lead to improvements if necessary. Their County has two months to remove a sandbag barrier along Highway NC 12. That order comes from a federal

judge. County officials took steps today to file a motion putting on hold the new order until federal courts have heard their side. U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials say the barrier only leads to more shoreline erosion and sea 12 is the only existing highway that connects Derr counties Hatteras Island to the mainland. County officials say the barrier was the only thing that didn't wash away during the last storm to hit the Outer Banks. And now for a look at tomorrow's weather. Temperatures in the low to mid 70s will be predominant across most of the state tomorrow. Wilmington could approach 80 degrees and the mountain areas around Boone could be a full 20 degrees cooler than the coast variable cloudiness is forecast from the triangle eastward with a chance of a shower or thunderstorm. The mountain should see partly sunny skies for Thursday. And in business news North Carolina has received the number one rating for having the best climate for doing business in the nation. The survey was conducted by development counselor's International a worldwide economic development consulting firm.

The rating was based on responses from 173 top executives at medium and large companies. Thirty three percent of those executives placed North Carolina in the first second or third position. Texas ranks second and Georgia third. New York and California finished at the bottom of the list. And now for a look at what happened on Wall Street today. North Carolina's first congressional district has gotten a lot of attention lately. The district is currently

represented by Eva quite. And stands to be impacted by this year's Supreme Court decision striking down the formation of the state's 12th district on the basis of race. Political Correspondent Robyn Miniato sat down today with Ted Tyler the Republican challenger for the first congressional seat. Mr. Tyler thank you very much for joining us this afternoon. You know you're running in the first district a district that has been solidly Democratic historically. How do you hope to sway the voters to a Republican candidate. Well I think the issues are one thing but in Washington D.C. They refer to people east of Highway 95 as Jesse Kratz because there's Democrats who vote for Jesse every time. And Jesse is running this time and I'm holding on to him and hope he'll help me stay in course maybe in some remote areas I can help him. But that's one thing and I think the issues are very important because the things that congressmen vote for like in my case my overall vision is to

bring government back home to the people to take it as much of it as we can out of Washington and give it back to the local people. How do you take a congressional office and make it local It's the duties are federal. Yes that's that's extremely hard to do. But the things that we can do for our country and the people in our district are great in the course of things will help people in every district for instance. If we balance the budget that will help people in every district regardless of age or whatever you know just it just affects all people equally I think. Let me ask you you're in one of the two black majority districts that were drawn in 1992. Does this in any way affect your candidacy for office. It probably does but it shouldn't because the things that I want like a balanced budget again and term limits would affect all people regardless of whether a black or white. And I to think that most black people are conservative you know they they know what their income is per month that they want to check for whatever use they get. And they are they are able to

pay the rent pay the electric bill the telephone bill would give some to the church and groceries and whatever they have left over but they know they know how much they have company in every month and all of us alike that we all know what we have coming in. Our state government works on a budget. Our county governments work on a budget our cities. By law they must balance the budget every month. So should the federal government is the only one of the groups that does not do it. And if we do that work a long way around to getting to but if we do that interest rates will go down and all of us will benefit regardless. I would like to get back to the budget I know that's an important issue for you but before we leave the redistricting you were one of the challengers who sued to try to have the redistricting done in time for the 1996 election. How would you like to see that district redrawn and I should add it won't be drawn and redrawn this year. That's correct I was one of the ones that sued I think about 10 of us that sued to have it done this year. And our lawyer was a Democrat in fact. Judge Everett a law professor at Duke and his

argument was that it's been wrong two times in a row why make it three times in a row especially since the Supreme Court has already declared it unconstitutional and it went before those three federal judges and the two Democratic judges voted to not change it. The one Republican judge said to change it but it should be changed because according to the Constitution it should be John. Done just with numbers and this is the same thing to judge everybody out. And he said it could be done by computers and done fairly and I think the things that I would like to see it with with the changes don't split up counties you know the way it is right now it's just a messed up mess. For instance Fayetteville is in three different congressional districts. What is in the first the seventh and eighth. That's not fair. The first district runs all the way from Virginia but Bantry I live 20 miles from a Virginia bound boundary ridge where it runs all the way from Virginia to downtown Wilmington. The downtown Fayetteville to Newbern. All of this to Elizabeth City. All of this is in the first district and it could be it could be a lot more compact than what it is now. In fact it should be.

You mentioned that one of the top priorities for Congress is spending our money wisely. How would you like to see Congress spend our money and maybe more importantly how would you like to see them stop spending our money. The Cato Institute has published a book that we all get and get in so does the Heritage Foundation and both of them say virtually the same thing they're just lots of committees that can be either reduced or eliminated like transportation like education like commerce. That's just to name three. The government shouldn't be in the railroad business for SS You know why should the government subsidize Amtrak you to make sure it doesn't you know that's just another business like a trucking company and the government should have anything to do with that. And those are the things that we should look at as as Congressman to see if we can turn it back to Probyn to sell the Amtrak. There are lots of things that could be done lot of kit like that in government that would save us millions of dollars in fact I think is the tenth amendment. It lists the things that the federal government should do and there are very very few. So as

I said in the beginning my overall objective is to try to bring as much back to states and counties and cities as we possibly can and take it away from Washington because Washington is up there is always up there. You just can't get in touch with them is very difficult. But but our legislators back home. We know where they live. You can call them. I was mayor the time of rich where for 10 years people called me at my house when they had a problem because they knew me and and that's just the way it should be I think. What do you think an appropriate role for government is for the federal government to do what they do efficiently. As far as our national government I have to have a good strong defense. You know Army Navy that sort of thing and then everything else as little as possible because the government has the idea that they are more intelligent than we are that they would know more what we need than we ourselves do. And I disagree with that I think that the individuals out here are not as dumb as government believes we are and that we can handle

our own affairs and should have our own affairs turned back over to us. And of course what this would do would be more money for all of us. It's not the government's money it's our money. And they should let us keep more of it. Let me ask you whether that would apply to farm supports for example farming in tobacco in particular very important to the first district do you believe the government has a role in farm subsidies. It should be very limited I think and I think the way it should be tied into that would be because of export imports you know it's kind of unfair for our peanut farmers for instance not to be able to use some of the cheaper chemicals that they can use in Brazil to put on their peanuts. And then the Brazilian people because they can produce some less sentiment to America that that's not right. What about price supports. Well they're going to be phased out I mean I think it's just a question of time because you know the government really shouldn't be into farming or in accounting industry they should do it themselves and I think the program is going to eventually dissolve and the farmers will be able to plant where they want to as much as they want to

and have more control over it. What about all the controversy over the regulation of tobacco. I'm very much in favor tobacco because it's not an illegal substance at this point in time. I've been in pharmaceutical sales for all my life I work with political for 27 years and we were under the FDA so I know what the FDA can do for you or against you. And therefore I think the backers should not be on the day. Under the heading of the FDA and government you leave it alone. You know small decisions we can make for ourselves and I grew up on the back of a prime tobacco home in a barn to get all those things with it and I have never smoked. And so you know you can it can be done. Mr. Tyler I'd like to thank you for taking the time to join us this evening. Thank you very much it's a pleasure being here. And interview with Mr. Tyler's opponent Eva quite a year later this month. In 1960 a brand new television show went on the air and thirty

six years later the Emmy Griffith show is brought to life in a group his home town of Mount Airy North Carolina. Reporter Maria LA Berg an associate producer Jonathan reap visited the annual festival last weekend and show us what it's all about. It's a. The appeal of The Andy Griffith Show comes from its portrayal of the genuine warmth and friendliness no small Southern town with characters so memorable that they have become legends in their own right. And although you won't find Mayberry on a map of North Carolina the heart and soul of Mayberry live on in the small community of Mount Airy especially during Mayberry days. The parade down Main Street isn't like any other parade you've ever seen. This one is full of cars from the vintage variety to miniatures driven by Shriners and even replicas of the Mayberry squad car. Several recognizable faces appear like Otis Campbell the lovable town drunk

Deputy Barney Fife taking his duties very seriously and Ernestine Bassett being his usual eloquent self. Right here. Let me turn it round right. Anything you want or you get me it's me it's me. It's never nice to be you. Each year thousands of visitors come from as far away as California Canada and England to attend Mayberry days. It's actually proven to be a way not to just hate your Mayberry and our Andy Griffith connection but to share our whole town and our community and certainly our Arts Council. And to to honor Andy and what he's done for our town it's not within a day to just relax and enjoy the feeling of a small town because we get away from that and that's what it's all about. This is the fourth year that Beverly stomp and her husband have come from Indiana to

participate in the fun. Mayberry is the town where you feel like every line are grand and nothing really bad goes on. Opie and Andy and of course Barney you know is around to keep him alive and up and and funny and is just and the nicest little town you could hope he could ever be and and so when we come here we hope to see the same kind of thing which we did. David Rieff of hickory loves the show so much he made. Replica of the squad car. Well always been a Mayberry phone I love the ending of the show ever since I was a little boy and I was reading a Car Driver magazine one day and saw all those old Ford in there that it was this one obviously and I thought oh gosh you know I would make a pretty good looking squad car while I'm Michael. So I just kind of went from there. He even has signatures from original cast members on the car's dashboard but fans aren't the only ones who thoroughly enjoy the atmosphere lookalikes

impersonating show characters have just as much fun. This is a great U.S.S. I love it I come down here every year you know and I don't even know that I have about. Do you think they OK in navy here. You know and you get into things like Mayberry days to see the reaction of other people and get to see the nice people that come through there. It makes my day. One of the most popular faces in the crowd belongs to David Browning alias Barney Fife. He feels people get so involved in this show because it represents a simpler time and paints a picture that we all would like to be a part of. People caring about people stories that resolve themselves in a half hour of simple problems that can be resolved with a little bit of communication. And I think that's what the whole basis of the Andy Griffith Show is all about people caring about people and helping each other kind of solve problems. We need more of that today.

Our visit to Mayberry days truly is like stepping back in time. People line up on the sidewalk for a chance to eat at the snappy lunch where Andy Griffith ate as a boy. The atmosphere of the small town diner hasn't changed much through the years and remains as popular as ever next door is Russell Hyatt who was the inspiration for Floyd the barber. His shop is popular with tourists from around the world and still has that Mayberry charm and friendliness. Music is also a part of the festival with everyone getting into the spirit of the occasion. No matter what their age. This is something fine for everybody at Mayberry days. One of the highlights is that time eating contests that it isn't just any old pie eating contest this one special because it's presided over by none other than Deputy Barney Fife himself. The good spirited fun and enjoyment of participants and observers is what this festival is all about. Those who come here for the three day event. So it's a great way to experience

what Mayberry is all about. And of course if people happen to get a little carried away by the very minute Barney Fife is quick to offer his words of wisdom you know the more informational Mayberry days contact that story Arts Council at 1 800 2 8 6 6 1 9 3. Or call the Mount Airy visitor center at 1 800 5 7 6 0 2 3 1. Well that's it for tonight. Good evening everyone. We

are.