Glenn, Nunn Call for Strong Defense Plank

Sens. John Glenn and Sam Nunn urged Democratic platform writers meeting Friday in Alexandria, Va., to emphasize a strong national defense, but liberal Rep. Ronald V. Dellums (D-Oakland), representing the Rev. Jesse Jackson, said the Democrats should seek deep cuts in Pentagon spending.

Glenn, of Ohio, a member of the Democratic Platform Committee, said the public is under “the great misconception” that nuclear arms treaties may allow the United States to spend less on non-nuclear weapons.

The platform writers also heard Nunn, of Georgia, say that the United States “has a worldwide commitment, whether we like it or not. There’s no one going to take our place in the Free World.”

But Nunn, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, did say “the time is overdue for a review of the relative defense burden of the United States and our allies.”

Both Names Mentioned

Both Nunn and Glenn have been mentioned as possible running mates if Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, the Democratic front-runner, wins the nomination.

Dellums, representing the Jackson campaign and his own views, said the Democrats should move beyond talk about “burden sharing” and find ways to reduce the Pentagon’s $299-billion budget, which has doubled since 1980.

Dellums said the United States should call home some of its 325,000 troops in Europe and scrap a wide range of weapons, from missile systems to research on President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative.

Former Virginia Gov. Charles S. Robb, a Senate candidate who moderated the forum, said: “This campaign could be decided by which party offers a more compelling vision of America’s new role in the world. If Americans, and our voters in particular, believe Democrats are ready to defend this nation, we can win it.”