Georgia

| \'Я? -4 1 Wilder cuts Norfolk ribbon, then visits Carter in Georgia «- Associated Press SOME HELPFUL HINTS — Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, a Democratic presidential candidate, talked politics in Atlanta yester¬ day with former President Carter, who also was a governor. South vital to hopes, he says From wire and staff dispatches Campaigning in Georgia, Gov. L. Douglas Wilder met yesterday with former President Carter. Wilder said he spoke with Carter about what it’s like to be a Southern governor and a virtual unknown in a presidential race. “I’ve always regarded him as a friend. It was very good to see him,” said Wilder, a candidate for the Democratic nomination. Wilder had a fund-raising event scheduled later in the day and also Wilder aide resigns, page C-6 was to appear at a speaking en¬ gagement. “It’s important for me to begin to spend more time in what I consider one of the most vital parts of the country, and that’s the South,” Wilder said. The governor is counting heavily on a good showing in the March 10 Super Tuesday primaries, when del¬ egates are up for grabs in about a dozen states, most of them in the South. He was in Norfolk earlier yester¬ day during a ribbon cutting for a $37 million, 405-room hotel next to the new Waterside Convention Center. Wilder said he has met dozens of people during the campaign who ave relatives in Norfolk or who nee lived in the area while serving the Navy. He said the city’s effort rebuild its downtown could be- le a national role model. In the ’90s, people from the com¬ onwealth and far beyond will get j know the new Norfolk,” he said. Mayor Joseph A. Leafe said the program was long in the making. “Our patience paid off,” he said. The 24-story hotel, which opened last month, has 297,000 square feet, including a 140-seat restaurant and a 150-seat tavern. After the ceremony, Wilder talked politics. He said he was not surprised that President Bush changed course on ending preferen¬ tial hiring and promotions for wom¬ en and minorities in federal pro¬ grams. White House officials had earlier circulated a draft statement for de¬ livery by Bush at the signing ceremo¬ ny, ordering an end to government hiring preferences. The document leaked Wednesday night, causing an uproar in the civil rights community. Bush did not deliver the state¬ ment, and administration officials said he had not even seen it. But they stopped short of a promise that it would never be revived. In a strong statement issued out of his Richmond office, Wilder said Bush should “stop the cynical poli¬ ticking” and drop further consider¬ ation of a plan to end federal hiring preferences for women and mi¬ norities. “We need a president who will talk straight with the American peo¬ ple about affirmative action, and not one who stirs up fears,” the gover¬ nor said. Wilder often has questioned the administration’s commitment to af¬ firmative action. “I think the president has heard from the American people, who say they don’t want the clock turned back on civil rights,” he told report¬ ers as he prepared to take a tour of the new hotel. Wilder also continued to hammer at the Bush administration’s han¬ dling of the economy. He said for¬ eign affairs have taken precedence over financial troubles at home. “There’s a restlessness in our land,” he said. “People say, why not put America first?” Cold dm to retun Sunday By Peter Васциё Times-Dispatch staff writer Virginia’s in for warm, i and not particularly cozy, through the early part of th< end. Winter will finally Ы catch up with the calen. Sunday. “Unsettled conditions for day’s] Virginia-Virginia game,” opined David Stooks the State Climatologist’s О Charlottesville. “For people to the game, I would suggesi ing raincoats. “Umbrellas are not advise said, “being that umbrellas ; allowed” in U.Va.’s Scott Si The unseasonable warmth ed by a ridge of high pressure ing the invasion of colder a; Canada, made for record ma temperatures for the date a noke and Norfolk yesterday. Norfolk broke its 60-year-c ord of 78 degrees for the dat< the temperature reached 80 in Roanoke, the mercuiy r« 72, breaking the record of 7( 1942. A slowly approaching colt brought in clouds and som rain with it yesterday and “There’s a good chance most area will see a little bit [of said Charlie Chillag, meteor with the Richmond weather office, though rainfall amoui likely be “more on the light si Some areas could get up to ) inch.” Central Virginia will see skies today with showers like 70 percent chance of rain - thunderstorms a possibility highs will be in the lower southwest winds at 10 to 15 m hour continue to blow warm ; the state. The chance of showers will off tonight to only 30 percen the cloud cover will break up should be in the low to midd: By tomorrow, the weather ' partly sunny and the highs w around 70 degrees. Another chance of showe turn up Sunday as the weath comes breezy and turns code the front passes Virginia and c flows into the state. The higl drop to the 50s and lower 6(