Off the Sideline

Oklahoma happens to be football-happy, and for 17 years the state's No. 1 hero has been Bud Wilkinson, now 48, coach of the always dangerous Oklahoma University Sooners.

Tall, slim, clean-living Bud Wilkinson has for some time shown signs of political ambition. Both parties vied energetically for his allegiance. Thus it was to vast Democratic dismay and great Republican rejoicing that Wilkinson last February announced his candidacy for the G.O.P. nomination for U.S. Senator.

On the campaign field, Wilkinson was disappointing, proving himself mostly a master of the end run around issues and of the long-bomb cliche. "I believe with all my heart that it is high time for common sense in fiscal affairs," cried Wilkinson across the state. When that didn't set the electorate on fire, Wilkinson declared: "We must conduct our foreign affairs with confidence and dignity befitting the greatest nation." That one didn't score many touchdowns either, so Wilkinson came up with the old Statue of Liberty declaration. "We must," he thundered, "act with unwavering courage." When asked if he was a liberal or a conservative, Minnesota-born Wilkinson said only: "I'm an Oklahoman." And when he was questioned about how he felt toward a right-to-work law, a hot issue in the state, he blandly replied: "That's for the citizens to decide."

No matter. Such is Coach Wilkinson's standing in Oklahoma that he easily won his party's nomination, piling up 105,044 votes to 19,170 for his nearest opponent. But November's Election Bowl could be a different matter. There Wilkinson will face the May 26th winner of a runoff between Incumbent Democrat J. Howard Edmondson, a former Governor, and State Senator Fred Harris. Neither of these is any great breakaway runner, but after all, Oklahoma has only had one Republican Senator in the last 33 years.

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