Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 2

REPUBLIC KEPUBLIO pity MAIL HST AVAiLASLE COPY A2 THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1987 Buck's mother recalls him to crusade one day in January telephoning reporters to ask them A E.J. Montini "Srftf- RePublic ISWJ Columnist idea about money, about business, about anything." The firm, called Rapid Information Services, was located in a one-bedroom apartment near 17th Avenue and Roosevelt Street Buck became obsessed with it He had his name legally changed from Buckmelter to Buck "In part to make it easier for business contacts to remember." He taught himself about about salesmanship, about marketing. Eventually, Buck moved into the company office, sleeping on a mattress in the storeroom Within a year and a half, he bought out his friend for $250,000. Within five years, he sold the business for what he says was "a million-dollar profit." It was 1986. Ed Buck one-time vagabond student, fashion model and businessman was suddenly rich, suddenly "retired" at age 32, suddenly looking for something to do.

"It was a tough time," he remembers. "I lost money on a restaurant. I lost money on a pay telephone business." Then, Evan Mecham got elected governor. "There's an interesting parallel between the success of my business and the success of the recall," Buck argaret Buckmelter arrives at her son's house, Lit I on a hill near Squaw Peak, just as the sun is going down. In'a large sunken, living room just inside the entrance, the local television news is showing on a big screen.

However, no one is in the room, which has only one piece of furniture, a couch. There are few furnishings anywhere in the house, as if whoever lives there has just moved in. But, in fact, Buckmelter's son has lived in the house for a year. Two T-shirts are nailed on a wall just inside the door. On one is printed, "Mecham for Ex-Governor." The other has a picture of Gov.

Evan Mecham with his name and "Governor, 1987-1987" printed on it Buckmelter walks through the vacant family room, through a pair of sliding doors and onto a patio. Outside, there is a swimming pool, a small yard and, to the south, a spectacular view of Phoenix. There is a path behind the pool leading to the top of another hill. From below, Buckmelter sees her son standing on a small wall on top of the hill A photographer stands below him, snapping pictures. "Buck, you're such a ham," she says as she climbs up to where her son stands.

"This gentleman is working for the New York Times Magazine, Mom," Ed Buck says to her. "I'm impressed," she says, rolling her eyes. "No," he answers. "You're just jealous." Buckmelter smiles and says, "He's always had a smart mouth." Then the mother and the son kiss. The Buckmelter family moved to Phoenix from Steubenville, Ohio, when Buck and his brother were boys.

They were enrolled in a Catholic elementary school. Edward Bernard Peter Buckmelter, as Ed Buck was then known, was once sent home for arriving at grade school on St. Patrick's Day with his hair dyed green. "He had his own mind," Margaret Buckmelter says. "Even then." He went to North High School in Phoenix.

they haq heard about a Department ot udiic aaieqr investigation into Buck's attempt to falsify a prescription. 7i It seems that.Buck photocopied an old prescnpticji for the painkiller Percodan his dentist was out qf town at the time and tried to have it filled. As result, a judge ordered Buck to be tested for drugs once a week' for one year, after which the charges may be dismissed. Buck's family also became targets. One Mecham supporter telephoned Buck's father at home and said, "I can understand why you made your boy change his name, him being a faggot and all." Ironically, the attacks against Buck attracted some of the recall movement's most energetic volunteers.

They also illustrate one curious similarity between Ed Buck and Evan Mecham as if such a thing were possible. 5 Each man, it seems, reacts to personal attacks by becoming even more committed to his cause. -t "I have a vague memory of personal life and a social life and a sex life," Buck says. "But now it seems that everything is tied to the recall. All the rest have dried up." I Now that the recall movement has gathered more than 300,000 signatures and an election seems ensured, people "ask Buck about his own possible political aspirations.

"I don't believe that I would be happy holding elective office," he says. "IH be real honest with you. I think running for office would be fun. It's just that I don't think I would enjoy the bureaucracy once I got there. "Besides, I think I'd be more effective as a private citizen.

The recall movement has shown how people can get together and change things. I know how to do that now. It may come in handy later." Margaret Buckmelter has been sitting quietly, listening to her son speak. I ask her what she thinks of all this. "That's easy," she says, "I'm proud of him." "WhAn I Wnn the recall.

I was totallv ienorant of "The dean of boys had a hot line to my phone at work," his mother says. "I'd answer the phone and say, 'AH right, what is it this It was Buckmelter who had to deal with her troublesome son. Buck said his father is a longtime alcoholic who has suffered some mental incapacity from the illness. By the time Buck was 16, he had told his parents that he was a homosexual and that he would leave home the first chance he got. "It was tough on her then," Buck says about his mother.

"But we've become real close friends." He enrolled in Phoenix College and won a scholarship to study in Yugoslavia for a year. On a return visit after his year of study, he was offered a part as an extra in a television commercial. Shortly afterward, he decided that fashion modeling would be a way to get by in Europe. He worked in the business for five years, doing everything from movies to magazine i covers. Then he got tired of it He returned to Arizona in 1980, broke and without a job.

"One of the things I did when I got back was work, for a friend of mine as a bicycle courier, picking up his mail," Buck says. Buck's friend was offered the chance to buy the Arizona franchise of a national business providing driver's license information to insurance companies. "I told him that if he bought the business for $25,000 and let me work with it, I would buy it from him in a year for $75,000," Buck says. "At the time, I had no politics. When I began in business, I was totally ignorant of business.

In both instances, all the experts said it couldn't be done." Buck started alone, standing at the state Capitol with a few crudely made bumper stickers. He passed his telephone number to anyone who wanted to help with the recall and spent his evenings at home, alternating between four phone lines. As the effort began to catch on, pro-Mecham forces began taking Buck more seriously. They found out about Buck's 1983 arrest for "public sexual indecency." It happened in a Phoenix adult bookstore. As Buck tells it, a police officer saw him "grab the crotch" of a friend.

The charge was dismissed after Buck pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace and paid a fine. Ron Bellus, then Mecham's press secretary, spent Sunday, October 18, 1987 QUIT Continued from A 1 If i. iiiiifliisiw ARIZONA LOTTEST Winning numbers in Arizona's weekly lottery are picked at 10 p.m. Saturday, after the deadline for this edition. The numbers appear in Sunday Arizona Republic editions that are delivered to homes throughout the Valley and in all Monday Republic editions.

Numbers information is available by calling (D-829-PICK. Congressional vote, B20 THE ECONOMY In less than 3'j years, California will open its doors to interstate banking. It has been billed as a sort of banking industry High Noon, with such Eastern gunslingers as Citicorp and Chase Manhattan taking aim at more than $450 billion in deposits held by their Golden State counterparts. 1 PERSPECTIVE BThe 25th anniversary of the Cuban missile crisis holds lessons for today's superpowers, says Tad Szulc, Washington, D.C.-based writer on foreign affairs. CI.

With Indian issues about to get long-overdue congressional attention, U.S. Sen. John McCain's proposal for "enterprise zones" on reservations might get the hearing it deserves. Editorial, C4. SPORTS BUCLA overwhelms Oregon, 41-10, and assumes undisputed possession of first place in the Pac-10 football standings.

D1. Undefeated Syracuse ends 16" years of frustration against Penn State by thrashing college football's defending champion, 48-21. D1. LIFE LEISURE Madison Avenue has discovered that the fastest way to a "baby boomer's" wallet is through his love for good old rock 'n' roll. Manufac-.

turere of everything from burgers to blue jeans are using classic songs from the 1950s and '60s to shake, rattle and roll their products on television. F1. SUN LIVING Arizona artists show off one-of-a-kind furniture in an exhibition that runs Friday through Nov. 17 at the Builders Design Center, 15125 N. Hayden Road in Scottsdale.

S1. his administration during a rally before 300 supporters on the state Capitol mall, and he predicts he will win a second four-year term. B5. POLITICS The Christian Broadcasting Network, founded by Republican presidential candidate Pat Robertson, is linked to $8.5 million in unreported contributions to tax-exempt organizations that did early groundwork for Robertson's presidential bid. B21.

THE NATION A baby born with a fatal heart defect is in critical but stable condition on his second day of life, a milestone doctors said he would not have reached except for a heart transplant hours after birth. A4. An enraged woman grabs an alleged subway molester by the collar, drags him off the train and beats his head against a concrete platform. A7. THE WORLD A French export company Illegally sold millions of dollars worth of sophisticated electronic equipment to the Soviet Union in deals that will improve the Soviet military, published reports say.

B13. The Soviet Union has engaged American industrialist Armand Hammer in its bid for a political solution to the war in Afghanistan, but Western envoys in Moscow say the shuttle diplomacy is unlikely to yield early results. B18. NEWS 2 The Earth's climate is changing with ominous speed and we are the reason. AA1.

BOOKS Answered Prayers, the three existing chapters of the late Truman Capote's final work, is a lasting tribute to his style, both as a writer and as a social butterfly. F14. cate support for the governor it's-up 5 points," he said, referring to the increase to 46 percent from 41 percent of those who oppose a recall. Kruglick discounted findings that show Warner winning a recall election against a variety of opponents. "The results would be entirely different," Kruglick said.

"We don't know who all the players would be. And secondly, people don't have all of the facts. Opinions change during a campaign. We saw that last year." Kruglick was referring to the fact that Mecham started low in the polls last year but won. If a recall election were held today, Warner, who lost to Mecham in November, was favored by 50 percent, compared with 36 percent for the governor, with 16 percent undecided, the poll found.

'a race involving Mecham, Warner and Attorney General Bob Corbin, a Republican, the results were: Warner, 40 percent; Mecham 26 percent; Corbin, 18 percent; and 16 percent undecided. With Warner, Mecham and former GOP Rep. John Rhodes in a contest, Warner gets 37 percent; Mecham, 26 percent; Rhodes, 26 percent; and undecided, 13 percent. If last year's election were rerun, the poll found: Warner, 41 percent; Mecham, 29 percent; independent Bill Schulz, 17 percent; and undecided, 13 percent. On Goldwater's call for Mecham's resignation, 84 percent said they were aware of the former senator's comment.

Of that group, 16 percent said they were more supportive of Mecham based on Goldwater's statement, 11 percent were less supportive of the governor, and 72 percent said Goldwater had no effect on their opinion of Mecham. Asked whether the media have been fair and accurate in reporting on Mecham and his administration, 54 precent said yes, 41 percent said no, and 5 percent had no opinion. I Television news received a favorable rating of 61 percent vs. 31 percent; radio got a 51 percent vs. 27 percent rating; and newspapers got a 53 percent vs.

40 percent rating. The Republic, which has been accused by Mecham of having been the most unfair, got the poorest grades. Forty-three percent said The Republic is fair, 34 percent said the paper is not fair, and 23 percent were undecided. The poll was conducted in Maricopa and Pima counties. A total of 808 adults were questioned, involving 35 percent Democrats, 37 percent Republicans, 12 percent independent or other, and 16 percent who were not registered to vote.

said he should quit, 43 percent said he should not, and only 4 percent had no opinion. It was the first time The Republic posed a question on resignation. On the satisfaction factor, 10 percent are very satisfied with Mecham's performance, compared with 12 percent two weeks ago. The "satisfied" group rose to 27 percent from 25 percent, which means that 37 percent still are satisfied with Mecham. Those who are dissatisfied re-: mained at 26 percent, but the "very dissatisfied" rose to 29 percent from 27 which means 55 percent are not happy with the job Mecham is doing.

The poll also compared Me-; cham's performance with that of his immediate predecessor, Bruce Babbitt, who served as governor for nine years and is running for the Democratic nomination for presi-' i Twenty-one percent feel Mecham is doing a better job than Babbit did, and 47 percent say he is worse than Babbitt, with 24 percent seeing both Mecham and Babbitt about the same. Jack Londen, Republican national committeeman, said of the strong demand for Mecham to quit, isn't going to do it, and I think he ought not He was elected for a term. He hasn't been convicted of Anything. He would be letting a lot of people down. "This poll tells me things are moving slowly, and we.

need to 'quietly let things happen for a while. It's going to settle down. I'm convinced he is committed to having things get better." Garry Smith, president of the Mecham Recall Committee, said the most significant finding is that Mecham would not have won a recall election late last week. Mecham has said he has no intention of resigning and that if forced into a recall election, he would win. "This poll shows that not to be true," Smith said.

Smith noted that the poll was conducted while the public still was 'digesting the controversy surrounding Steiger, who is charged with extortion in connection with his dealings with Ron Johnson, a member of the state Board of Pardons and Paroles. Steiger is accused of attempting to prevent Johnson from serving as a justice of the peace pro tern and of having him fired from the parole board because of the way Johnson voted on a personnel matter. Once the charges against Steiger become more commonly known, Smith said, the number of people demanding that Mecham resign or be recalled will increase. "The question is: Can this man THE VALLEY 0 It appears that most people living in the 430 homes that stand in the way of the Rio Salado Project would choose to move if the project was approved by voters. 1.

Reflections by Dawn, a Phoenix modeling agency, promises glamorous work for up to $50 an hour. But models who have worked there say they mostly worked showing off lingerie in nightclubs and that their paychecks often bounced. B1. THE STATE Wes Steiner, the state's former water "czar," says water transfers from rural land to Arizona's large cities should be halted or restricted, except western Arizona where he is working trying to buy up land for jte water rights. B1.

4 The Arizona attorney general's ffice recommends that approxi-l jaately 90 four-wheel-drive pickups ised by the Arizona Game and Fish department be taken out of service pf safety reasons, but the depart-jfient's head says his job can't be done without them. B1. ftb Gov. Evan Mecham accentu-ttes the positive achievements of Burt Kruglick "I'm still not convinced there is to be a recall election. (Mecham) effectively govern? How much longer does he intend to demand that Arizona must continue with the national embarrassment?" Glenn Davis, executive director of the state Democratic Party, said he expects the number of people demanding Mecham's resignation to go up once the Mecham Recall Committee files its petition signatures with the state.

The recall committee announced last week that it had collected 302,000 signatures. It needs the valid signatures of 216,746 regis- tered voters by Nov. 3 and is aiming for a total of 350,000 to provide a cushion for duplications, errors and others that will be rejected in a signature-by-signature check by county officials. "If people are faced with expense and turmoil of this whole recall; election, he (Mecham) will probably see the merit for him simply sitting down and allowing for an orderly transition," Davis said. He added the poll tells him that Warner has "a pretty strong base," no matter what combination of candidates she would face.

Warner has signed a recall petition but has not declared her candidacy. On the role of the news media, Davis said the poll "basically discounts Mecham's argument that all of his problems are because of the press." "The public sees through that," Davis said. "His problems are generated by his own conduct and by the people he has put in his administration." State Republican Chairman Burt Kruglick said it would be hard for him to assess the significance of the 53 percent figure favoring Mecham's resignation. The rest of the poll shows little change from the last one, he said. "If anything, more people indi News shows TRAVEL Colorado's a state of mind, a perpetual Rocky Mountain high for skiing, biking, hiking, climbing, rafting and fishing enthusiasts.

T1. KIPS At the Arizona State Fair, kids not only have fun, but they also provide it for others through their stage performances, animal exhibits and art projects. The fair opens Thursday at the state fair grounds, 19th Avenue and McDow KTSP-TV (Channel 10) Preempted. NBC's Meet the Press, KPNX-TV (Channel 12) Preempted. CBS' 60 Minutes, 5 p.m., KTSP (Channel 10) Segments on the controversy surrounding Arizona Gov.

Evan Mecham; Sister Emmanuel, patron of the poor who live in the slums of Cairo; George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees. Associated Prss Here are the lineups for today's news shows: ABC's This Week With David iprinkley, 11 a.m., KTVK-TV (Chan-, el 3) Democratic National Chairman Paul Kirk; Sen. Sam Nunn, P-Ga; pollster Peter Hart; and journalist Michael Barone, on the Democrats in 1988. CBS Face the Nation, ell. Back of comics page.

To contact Mesa-Tempe office: It you wish to deliver newspapers: WHERE TO CALL Suggested Retail Subscription Prices The Arizona Republic Metropolitan Phoenix Single Copy, Dally 35c8unday: $1.00 Delivery by Carrier, Dally and Sunday: 1 .75 per week Delivery by Auto Route, Dally and Sunday: per week Outside Metropolitan Phoenix Single Copy, Daily 35c Sunday: $1.00 Delivery by Carrier. Daily and Sunday: $1.80 per week Delivery by Auto Route, Dally and Sunday: $1.90 per week (USPS 030 920) Published every morning by Phoenix Newspapers, Inc. 120 E. Van Buren, Phoenix, AZ 65O04 P.O. Box 1950.

Phoenix, AZ 85001 Telephone 271-8000 MEMBER: AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS News 982-8060 Advertising 964-0938 To contact Scottsdale office: News 949-9010 Advertising 941-2361 To contact Glendale office: News 939-8301 Advertising 939-7932 To contact North Phoenix office: News 949-9010 271-8416 To contact South Phoenix office: News 271-8067 Advertising 271-8420 To contact Southwest Valley office: News 271-8066 Youth Carrlera 257-8300 Adult Carriera 271-6398 To place Classified Want Ad 266-9111 Display Ad 271-6416 Legal 271-8491 To contact: All other Departments 271-8000 News Room 271-8236 Editorial Pages 271-8499 City Desk 271-6222 Sports 271-8261 Sports Scores 268-1212 Life Leisure 271-8241 Weatherline 967-6700 Photo 271-8288 Economy 271-6145 Personnel 271-8672 Sun Living 271-6236 Community 271-6664 Went Ad billing 27 1-6574 Sunday, October 18, 1987 (Sorry, we cannot assist with questions of a general nature.) It you don't know which department: 271-8000 Mexico City Bureau Cuauhtemoc 16 Mexico City. D.F.. Mexloo Phone: (626) 761-0806 Washington News Bureau 1000 National Press Building Washington, D.C. 20045 If you missed your 257-8300 Delivery available 6:30 a.m.- 9:30 a.m.: Sun. 7:30 a.m.-noon.

To start a 257-8300 To stsrt a mail 27 1-8503 Valley Toil-Free Numb 1-800-332-8733 Vol. 98, NO. 153 Mall Rates Payable In Advance By Mall In Arizona, Daily Sunday: $35.76 (Quarterly) Daily Only $19.60 (Quarterly) Sunday Only $16.25 (Quarterly) (See Classified eection lor Mail Routes Outalde Arizona) Seoond class postage paid at Phoenix, Arizona. All unsolicited Hems are sent to The Republic at the sender's risk and the company accepts no responsibility lor their return. P0STMA8TER: Send address changes to: ADVERTISING STANDARDS Merchandise or service advertised in The Republic is expected to be accurately described and readily available at the advertised prices.

Deceptive or misleading advertising is never knowingly accepted. Complaints regarding advertising should be directed in u.ritin to Th Arlmno Rnnnhllr. Advartioino Dnnartmant. or the Advertising 271-842 The Arizona Republio, P.O. Box 1950, Phoenix, Better Business Buru, 4428 No.

1 2th Street, Phoenix 850 1 4..