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First Out: The Short-Lived Wilder Candidacy
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20419 |
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CURRENT ISSUES
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| Issue
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3 / 1992 |
1,990 Words |
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A. Barton Hinkle
A.Barton Hinkle is an editorial writer for the Richmond News
Leader |
It came as a shock even to the man's most cynical doubters when Virginia Gov.L.Douglas Wilder announced at the end of his annual State of the Commonwealth address that he was withdrawing from the presidential contest. Indeed, nearly everyone expected his candidacy's star to wane quickly, but no one expected it to wink out so soon.
What Went Wrong?
Wilder's campaign theme had been "Put America First," but what it really meant was "Put Doug Wilder First"--something he had been doing all his life. The grandson of slaves, he was the Virginia Senate since Reconstruction. He was the state's first black lieutenant governor. He is the state's first black governor indeed, the first elected black state governor in the country. If anyone seemed capable of becoming the first black president of the United States, Dough Wilder probably was the man.
Wilder grew up in poor black district of Richmond called Church Hill, not far from the governor's mansion where he now sleeps--and where he keeps a 9 mm pistol in the office next to his bedroom. He attended public school and earned a chemistry degree from the all-black Virginia Union University. Shortly thereafter he was drafted into service in Korea, where he won a Bronze Star for capturing 19 enemy soldiers under fire at Pork Chop Hill.
When he returned to the United States, Wilder was refused admission to Virginia's law schools. Instead, the state gave him money to attend Howard University Law School in Washington, D.C.
In 1958 Wilder married Eunice Montgomery. They divorced 20 years later in a bitter separation, which Wilder does not talk about even today the records of the divorce are still sealed.
After passing the bar exam, Wilder spent the next several years-during the civil rights era-establishing a law practice. Perhaps because Wilder was building his career and personal fortune (now estimated to $1-2 million) while others were facing fire hoses, some blacks now view Wilder's commitment to the cause with skepticism. Jesse Jackson, for example made it clear that Wilder would not automatically win the support of the coalition that buoyed Jackson's candidacy unless Wilder cam around on certain issues.
In 1969 Wilder won a seat in the Virginia Senate. Initially ignored by the white
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