Direct Mail giant fights O’Connor

WASHINGTON (AP) – Conservative Richard Viguerie says his direct-mail organization is working nearly “around the clock” to block Sandra D. O’Connor’s nomination as a Supreme Court justice . But with Senate confirmation hearings scheduled to start Sept. 8, Viguerie hints that it’s the principle – not necessarily a victory – that counts. “The only way we’re going to lose this is if we fail to fight the fight,” Viguerie said Wednesday. The White House would view the conservatives as “paper tigers” if they did not mount their opposition, he said, adding, “It’s a battle that has to be waged.” Senate leaders from both parties have predicted the 51-year-old Arizona appeals court judge will win easy confirmation, despite conservatives’ claims that she supports abortion and the Equal Rights Amendment. Viguerie refused to predict whether the coalition’s efforts would succeed. He said the fight against the nomination would be aimed at reminding President Reagan of the conservative coalition that helped elect him last fall. He charged that the White House staff has not been considering the grass -roots support that Reagan received – particularly when it came to the Supreme Court nomination. “We are working around the clock, almost, to generate support,” for the opposition to Mrs. O’Connor, Viguerie said. “These senators have to be shown there is grass -roots support.” “We’re going to have some big events before the nomination takes place,” he said, adding that the opposition to Mrs. O’Connor