Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010
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N C
GOVERNMENT
KITZHABER
CITIZEN
DUDLEY
COLBERT
DEBATE
OREGON
REPUBLICAN
DEMOCRAT
ENDORSEMENT
The Clackamas Print 3
Dudley do-wrong
By Brian Baldwin
Associate News Editor
A citizen’s sacred civic duty is
to vote and ensure that our gov­
ernmental system runs smoothly
with representatives we choose
serving our interests. A vote
should be well informed and care­
fully considered. This November,
Oregonians will be choosing their
state representatives including
their new governor. However, I
do not feel that Chris Dudley
will have governor in front of his
name in January 2011.
Before I continue on, I am
going to state that I am a regis­
tered Republican. The platform
shares most of my beliefs, but in
no way do I represent the views
of the other writers and photogra­
phers of The Clackamas Print.
In the spotlight are former
Trail Blazers star and business­
man Dudley, representing the
Republican” Party,’ and former
Oregon governor John Kitzhaber,
representing the Democratic
Party. Both have been running
negative attack ads on TV, radio
and in newspapers as well as
campaigning around Oregon.
They also have had only one
televised debate sponsored by the
television station KGW and The
Oregonian.
The average registered voter
likely has a blue, collar job. They
work long shifts throughout the
week to either support their fam-
ily or pay the bills. Add a young
student into the mix and those
long shifts are accompanied
by homework, class time and
tuition. Not every person reads
a newspaper, the radio is a filler
activity during the drive to and
from work, and TV is riddled
with attack ads trying to damage
the image of candidates. With all
of these factors, the only con­
stant area where voters can find
information to form a vote is the
Internet.
Dudley’s website is perhaps
one of his first mistakes that
comes to mind. “Paid for by
friends of Chris Dudley” marks
the bottom right of his official
campaign webpage. Also this
message appears on many of his
“Point Plans” where he lays out
his plans to “fix” Oregon’s prob­
lems. This troubles me as it feels
that he did not write or develop
these plans; but had his party
draft it and he slapped on his seal
of approval to get elected.
Dudley also fails to elaborate
on his views for where he will
fund most of his plans and doesn’t
provide any guarantee that busi­
nesses will come to Oregon even
if we lower the capital gains tax
and provide a desirable market
for big businesses and starting
entrepreneurs.
During the KGW-Oregonian
debate, Kitzhaber out-debated
Dudley simply by explaining
how he was going to fund his pro­
grams. I apologize, Mr. Dudley,
but I prefer to be led by a guide
who knows where the road leads,
not one who promises that the
path “could” be shorter.
Attack ads are a horrible way
to run a campaign as I have
seen this election year. They have
taken situations out of context
and twisted a candidate’s words.
According to a July 26 article in
The Oregonian, Dudley had raised
$2.6 million overall in his cam­
paign compared to Kitzhaber’s
$1.76 million. All that money
and all Dudley can do is simple
attack ads? Both candidates have
approved, funded or have had
advertising on radio or televi­
sion attacking the other’s charac­
ter, ethics or lack of experience.
Although they are both guilty of
losing perspective on informing
the voters, Dudley’s campaign at
least has more than enough funds
to purchase a longer air time
on-television and radio for more
informational pieces.
The last mistake is the lack of
endorsements from public figures.
As much as I hate to say it, some
people vote based on celebrity fig­
ures. Today on Wednesday, Oct.
20, former governor Kitzhaber
will receive an endorsement from
President Barack Obama. To date
Dudley has not received such
an endorsement announcement
from a public figure. Although-
I feel that any voter that casts a
vote based on celebrity endorse­
ments should become a castaway,
I cannot deny the effective use of
exploiting that flaw in people to
gain voter support.
Dudley’s campaign may have
the large dollars on their side, but
so far they have not convinced
this voter.
In next week’s issue, read the
pro-Dudley opinion.
ndidates bash, pull hair in TV ads
I Kayla Calloway
oEditor in Chief
I a Democrat, and I’m
for Chris Dudley.”
you’re an actor who is
[Paid to sell a product; in
K the product is a candi­
rne race for governor.
b time I turn on the
R, there is a commer-
cial for or against a candidate.
Three factors are always pres­
ent in these political bash fests:
1) The candidate running is
only mentioned at the end of the
clip; 2) As previously stated,
the goal is to humiliate or dis­
respect the opposing side, and
3) The outcome is confusion for
the audience.
Before I go further, I must
say that I will not be voting in
these elections because I moved
right at the deadline for submit­
ting my registration card.
However, if I had gotten my
card in on time, I’m not sure
I would want to vote in the
upcoming elections, and, I must
say, I blame these ads.
I’m not a political person. In
fact, the only time I pay atten­
tion to them is when they are
forced in my face. I don’t mind
the ads in local newspapers or
even the humorously large signs
that line the streets. They don’t
talk to you. They don’t interrupt
your favorite show.
Thèse commercials assault
you visually and audibly. They
don’t help the voters decide
how to cast their votes by the
conventional and appropriate
ways. They slander the oppo­
sition and cast a holy light of
purity on whoever they are rep­
resenting.
Take, for instance, the tele­
vised ad that is designed to
cast John Kitzhaber as unethi­
cal. The entirety of the ad is
slandering Kitzhaber’s name,
running it through the politi­
cal mud. His opponent’s name
isn’t even mentioned until the
very end.
Is it just me, or should politi­
cal ads be more about express­
ing views on the issues, and be
less about childish name-call­
ing?
Dudley is not the only guilty
party, though. The Democratic
candidate has ads claiming
that Dudley is “a bad bet for
Oregon.” They also found the
dumbest picture of Dudley for
the ad. You know the one. It
looks like Dudley has a perma­
nent “der” face.
It’s as though we never fully
The Underworld Jaime Dunkle
get out of high school. Dudley
and Kitzhaber are acting like
aspiring homecoming queens,
pulling hair and gossiping.
Of course, this isn’t always
the case. Sometimes, the can­
didates get it right and their
ads are more than superficial
bashings, but there needs to be
more.
I’m not saying “don’t vote.”
That would be ridiculous. I’m
. just saying that these ads
don’t help anyone in the voting
process. It especially doesn’t
help the new voters who aren’t
experienced in the waters of
political jargon.
Just write in “Steven Colbert”
fpr governor. He would prob­
ably do a better job then either
Kitzhaber or Dudley and he
would make us laugh while
doing it.