Wilkes-barre Rec Dept Holds Tennis Camp

Aldo Russo 
Aug. 9, 1996 
Aldo Russo, 88, Of New Hancock Street, Wilkes-barre, And Formerly Of Scott 
Street, Parsons, Wilkes-barre, Died Friday At Home.

By RENITA FENNICK; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Sunday, August 11, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





There will be trips to the San Diego Zoo and Tijuana, Mexico, and parties
galore -- even a Hawaiian luau. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But make no mistake. The six local delegates and alternate delegates to the
Republican National Convention are well aware of the seriousness of their
task. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; They must formally nominate Bob Dole, endorse his running mate Jack Kemp
and iron out differences on platform issues. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The biggest tasks, says convention veteran Marc Holtzman, will be to unite
the party, kickstart the Dole campaign and carry that enthusiasm back to the
communities. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Despite polls showing President Clinton with a double-digit lead over Dole,
most members of the local delegation think the Republican patriarch has a good
chance of winning in November. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's a matter of getting the message across," said Holtzman, who is
attending his fifth national convention and his second as a delegate. "The
point will be to come away feeling that Bob Dole is someone who wants to
expand the base of the party, to reach out to minorities. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "To be inclusive, not exclusive." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Being a delegate is a first for Susan Parrick Cox and M. Scott Burnside,
the other two elected delegates from the 11th Congressional District. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Paul DeFabo, Bruce Phillips and William Quinn are alternate delegates, who
participate in all convention activities except for the formal nominating
process. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Elected in the April primary, the six local representatives are among
Pennsylvania's 146 delegates and alternates. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 To run for delegate, a candidate had to be a registered Republican and
obtain 250 signatures on a nominating petition. The top three vote-getters in
April's primary won. Alternates, who are elected in the same way, fill in for
delegates who cannot attend the nominating session. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 All are paying about $2,000 to attend, said Joe King, executive director of
the Republican State Committee. That includes transportation, lodging and
other expenses. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even though there is no suspense as to who will be the nominee, there is no
lack of enthusiasm among the delegates, especially those attending for the
first time. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I'm going to try to go to as many functions as possible, to meet as many
people as I can," said Cox, who ran for state representative in 1994. "It's
really exciting to be able to share ideas with people from all over the
country." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Burnside is a newcomer to the political scene and ran for delegate out of
curiosity. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I don't know what to expect. That's what's interesting about it," Burnside
said. "I want to see what the other side of the fence looks like." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Convention veteran senses big change &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Holtzman, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1986 against incumbent
Rep. Paul Kanjorski, came of political age during the Reagan era. But he sees
this year's election as potentially more monumental. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This is a historic opportunity for the country," Holtzman said last week.
"For the first time in my lifetime, the Republican Party has the chance to
take control of the executive and legislative branches." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The locals are among the 3,980 delegates and alternates in San Diego for
the convention, which opens Monday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The issues atop the locals' lists are the economy and foreign policy.
Although abortion is critical to some of them, they don't think it splinters
the party as some people are led to believe. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "There are those who feel very strongly on each side but, unfortunately,
the media focuses the most on it," Burnside said. "I think that is a matter
for the states. Pennsylvania has dealt with it eloquently." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Quinn and Cox vehemently oppose abortion but say Dole's strong economic
package is the component that will unite the party. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Although Quinn wanted former cabinet member Jack Kemp of New York to run
for president, he has no trouble lining up behind Dole. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I like what he (Dole) stands for economically. He's a no-nonsense guy,"
Quinn said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Cox, the only female among the district delegates, said she supports Dole
from the viewpoint of a young professional. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The party's practical approach to restoring the American dream is what is
most appealing," Cox said. "It's about giving power and money back to the
American people and trusting them to do what's best for themselves. We need to
get that point across in a grassroots campaign." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Getting the message across is a two-front war for Republicans, DeFabo said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We not only fight the Democrats but we fight an uphill battle with the
media," he said. "Whenever Clinton says something wrong, it's minimized. If
it's good, it's overblown. I think Bob Dole will have a good chance at winning
if people start getting serious about who is their president." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For Phillips, the major theme is cutting taxes and reducing the size of
government. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Taxes are central to this campaign," he said. "Things will change after
the convention. The race will tighten around the second week in September." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 TIMES LEADER/BOB ESPOSITO &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Five of the six delegates and alternate delegates from the 11th
Congressional District who are attending the Republican National Convention
gather before leaving for San Diego. Standing, from the left are: M. Scott
Burnside, Paul DeFabo, Susan Parrick Cox and Bruce Phillips. Kneeling at right
is Bill Quinn. Marc Holtzman, Burnside and Cox are delegates. Quinn, DeFabo
and Phillips are alternates. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Area Delegates Have High Hopes 
Editor's Note: 
This Is The First In The Times Leader's Continuing Coverage Of The Upcoming 
Elections. In An Effort To Localize The Important State And National Issues, 
We Will Be Calling On You, The Readers, To Participate

Area Delegates Have High Hopes Editor's Note: This Is The First In The Times Leader's Continuing Coverage Of The Upcoming Elections. In An Effort To Localize The Important State And National Issues, We Will Be Calling On You, The Readers, To Participate