Wilder Says Campaign Was a Mistake: Governor Reflects on Presidential
Wilder used his State of the Commonwealth address to announce the end of his presidential campaign, saying he would devote himself to VirginiaÛªs problems.</br></br>RICHMOND, Jan. 9ÛÓGov. L. Douglas Wilder seldom admits making a mistake, but today he said "obviously I was wrongÛ in thinking he could , run for president and manage the nationÛªs 12th-largest state, especially during the depths of a recession.</br></br>ÛÏYou canÛªt do both things well," Wilder said during an impromptu, on-the-move news conference a day after he abandoned his campaign for national office.</br></br>. Wilder insisted his decision was: motivated by a desire to live up to his responsibilities as governor, but some observers said his unexpected . announcement during Wednesday night's State of the Commonwealth address was impelled by the realities of a failed campaign.</br></br>ÛÏHe was trying to make a virtue out of a necessity," said Robert Holsworth, a political science professor at Virginia Commonwealth