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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 10, 2015)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Tuesday, February 10, 2015 OTHER VIEWS Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN Publisher JENNINE PERKINSON Advertising Director DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor TIM TRAINOR Opinion Page Editor OUR VIEW The Kitzhaber chorus The Oregon Attorney General’s RI¿FHKDVVWDUWHGLQYHVWLJDWLQJ Governor John Kitzhaber and his ¿DQFpH&\OYLD+D\HVDPLGFDOOV from both friends and foes that the governor should step down. The investigation is necessary, and AG Ellen Rosenblum had started the process days before Kitzhaber gave his belated blessing. That “blessing” was given only after it was clear that the governor’s preferred method of inquiry — the 2UHJRQ(WKLFV&RPPLVVLRQ²ZDV moving at a glacial pace too slow for the torrent of information that was being dredged out daily by media. Journalists from the EO Media Group, following initial digging from Willamette Week and follow- up from The Oregonian, among other outlets, have brought this controversy into the light for a very public reckoning. The state must respond sooner rather than later and Kitzhaber’s governorship — and his legacy — hang in the balance. Although the facts illuminated by the light of print remain dim, it is clear that Kitzhaber’s best chance for survival would be for the investigation to reveal he had little RUQRNQRZOHGJHRIKRZ¿UVWODG\ Hayes was making a living and how much of that living was built on her close relationship to the governor. If that turns out to be the truth, maybe Kitzhaber survives as governor longer than Hayes survives as his ¿DQFpH On the other hand, the worst- case scenario will show Kitzhaber did have knowledge of Hayes’ HWKLFDOO\DQG¿QDQFLDOO\VXVSHFW actions — that he helped facilitate them or was purposefully ignorant to her machinations. If that is FRQ¿UPHGE\WKHLQYHVWLJDWLRQ resignation seems inevitable and Kitzhaber could end up on trial like other recent governors accused of LOOHJDOO\SUR¿WLQJIURPWKHLUSROLWLFDO positions. More likely, however, is that enough unanswered questions add up to their own result. Kitzhaber showed his dislike of a pesky and bloodthirsty press corps after his disastrous no-news press conference two weeks ago, during which he professed innocence and ignorance. He was noticeably rattled and uncomfortable as he claimed to have no knowledge of Hayes’ tax documents, nor was he sure if his longtime, live-in girlfriend is even a legal member of his household. Hayes was not able to answer such questions herself, as she was helpfully on vacation in Sweden traveling on her own dime. Despite all this inanity, the editorial board does not yet feel comfortable adding our voice to the chorus calling for Kitzhaber to resign. We will closely watch the investigation, however, and will continue to focus our reporters on gathering facts about Kitzhaber’s administration. Every day we’re becoming less sure the governor survives this controversy and more convinced that people in his own party will be the ones that push him to resign. Democrats in the legislature will surely want to change the topic from governor’s mansion intrigue to issues they want Oregonians to get behind. And party operatives will chafe at a governor scandal splashed across front pages for years —no PDWWHUWKH¿QDORXWFRPH²WKDWGLUW undoubtedly trailing onto the next Democrat who campaigns for the top state job. That could be Kate Brown, who would take over from Kitzhaber in the event he resigns. It is kind of a shock that what weeks ago seemed all but impossible — Oregon’s longest serving governor laid low by a woman not yet his wife — is now a serious conversation. That conversation won’t end anytime soon, which is why the governor might not wait around to see what the investigation turns up. Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial board of Publisher Kathryn Brown, Managing Editor Daniel Wattenburger, and Opinion Page Editor Tim Trainor. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the East Oregonian. OTHER VIEWS An unexpected journey By KAREN HUTCHINSON-TALASKI Umatilla Chamber of Commerce A VDNLGLPDJHVRI&KLQDDOZD\V LQFOXGHGGRXUORRNLQJ&KLQHVH people, dressed in olive-drab military type uniforms, waving red ÀDJV7RGD\&KLQDLVDFRXQWU\WU\LQJ to modernize itself, attempting to outdo other countries with taller, grander high rise buildings, each one vying for the PRVWHODERUDWHO\GHVLJQHG&KLQDLVQ¶W WKH&KLQDRIP\\RXWK &KLQDLVVWLOODFRPPXQLVWFRXQWU\ but since the early 1980s, its doors have been opened up to the western world. 7KH&KLQHVHSHRSOHKDYHHPEUDFHG western culture to such a degree that \RXDUHKDUGSUHVVHGWR¿QGDQ\RQHZKR doesn’t speak some English; at least in the big cities. &LWVOLQFDWUDYHOFRPSDQ\ SURPRWLQJWULSVWR&KLQDRIIHUHG chamber executives the opportunity to visit Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou for a 10-day business mission in October, all expenses paid. Debbie 3HGURIURPWKH+HUPLVWRQ&KDPEHURI &RPPHUFHDQG,MXPSHGDWWKHFKDQFH WRVHH&KLQD:HDUHRIIHULQJDQRWKHU trip for $2,399 — including airfare, local transportation, food and lodging — with an orientation on Thursday, Feb. 12 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Oxford Suites in Hermiston. The trip was an eye-opener and is perfect for those who wish to have a totally different experience like we had LQ&KLQD2QHRIWKH¿UVWSODFHVZHVDZ ZDVWKH*UHDW:DOORI&KLQD7KHRQO\ man-made structure you can see from space, the Great Wall is, well, great. $OWKRXJK,NQHZZHZHUHLQ&KLQDLW wasn’t until I saw the Great Wall that I truly realized I was in the “Middle Kingdom.” It was incredible to stand on the wall where thousands of others have ZDONHGIRUFHQWXULHVDQGDGH¿QLWHWKULOO (DFKGD\ZHWRRNRIIIURPRXU¿YH star hotel on a bus — expertly driven by our drivers — and listened while our JXLGHUHJDOHGXVZLWK&KLQHVHKLVWRU\ We walked on Tiananmen Square to WKH)RUELGGHQ&LW\H[SORULQJWKHKXJH courtyards and into the smaller living quarters of emperors. We visited the Temple of Heaven, where the emperor prayed for a good harvest and elderly &KLQHVHH[HUFLVHGSOD\HG&KLQHVH chess, knitted, and sang as a way to continue their mantra of longevity. It is LPSRUWDQWWRWKH&KLQHVHSHRSOHWKDWWKH\ live long. Women retire at 55 and men at 60, so there is plenty of time to exercise and stay healthy long into their 90s. Watching an 80-year-old man do a back ÀLSRIIDSLHFHRIHTXLSPHQWUHVHPEOLQJ an arched bridge made me feel like a complete slug. Everyone appeared to be very limber and it was fascinating to watch them do stretches, tai chi and traditional dancing, and play hacky sack. Everywhere we went, we saw evidence of the modernization of &KLQD¶VFLWLHV%RWK6X]KRXDQG Hangzhou have transformed themselves into large cities with western factories and western jobs. One of the places we visited was a building dedicated to technology and DKXJHURRP¿OOHGZLWKLQIRUPDWLRQ RQKRZ&KLQDLVZRUNLQJWRZDUGVD more modern society and better paying jobs. The man who took us through the EXLOGLQJZDVTXLWHSURXGRI&KLQD¶V achievements in the past 29 years since opening its doors to the west. They have come a long way from what I remember as a kid. 7KHSHRSOHRI&KLQDZHUHZDUP and friendly and very generous. People wanted their picture taken with us. It was TXLWHIXQQ\WRVHHWKHVPDOOHU&KLQHVH literally dwarfed by tall Americans. I was surprised at the number of people ZKRVSRNH(QJOLVKÀXHQWO\DQGKRZ excited they were to speak to us. I met a young lady, dressed just like someone from the U.S. would dress — complete with braces — from the city of Tsingtao, where the famous beer is made. Her English teacher was from Philadelphia and when we told her we were from Oregon, she exclaimed, “The United States!” $OOLQDOORXUMRXUQH\WR&KLQD brought us closer to understanding a country which remained such a mystery WRXVIRUVRPDQ\\HDUV7KH&KLQHVH SHRSOHDUHVWLOOWU\LQJWR¿QGWKHLU footing in the modern world. I believe they will succeed. Ŷ Karen Hutchinson-Talaski is executive director of the Umatilla Chamber of Commerce. W Anchors aweigh ASHINGTON — This was :DOWHU&URQNLWHEHFDXVHKHULVNHGKLV a bomb that had been ticking career to go on TV and tell the truth for a while. about the fact that we were losing the 1%&H[HFXWLYHVZHUHZDUQHGD Vietnam War. year ago that Brian Williams was But TV news now is rife with cat, FRQVWDQWO\LQÀDWLQJKLVELRJUDSK\ dog and baby videos, weather stories 7KH\ZHUHÀXPPR[HGRYHUZK\WKH and narcissism. And even that fare leading network anchor felt that he caused trouble for Williams when he needed Hemingwayesque, bullets- Maureen reported on a video of a pig saving ZKL]]LQJE\ÀRXULVKHVWRSXIIKLPVHOI a baby goat, admitting “we have no Dowd up, sometimes to the point where it way of knowing if it’s real,” and then Comment was a joke in the news division. later had to explain that it wasn’t. The But the caustic media big shots who QLJKWO\QHZVDQFKRUVDUHQRW¿JXUHVRI once roamed the land were gone, and “there authority. They’re part of the entertainment, was no one around to pull his chain when branding and cross-promotion business. KHJRWWRRRYHUWKHWRS´DVRQH1%&1HZV )RUPHU$%&1HZVDQFKRU'LDQH6DZ\HU reporter put it. trended on Facebook for reportedly scoring It seemed pathological because Williams WKH¿UVWLQWHUYLHZDERXW%UXFH-HQQHU¶VJHQGHU already had the premier job, so why engage in odyssey. UpVXPpLQÀDWLRQ"$QG\RXGRQ¶WJHWWKRVHMREV :KHQFXUUHQW$%&1HZVDQFKRU because of your derring-do. David Muir was still a When Williams was correspondent, some declared the hair apparent 1%&1HZVUHSRUWHUVKDG to Tom Brokaw in 1995, a drinking game about hailed by Jay Leno as how many times he put ³1%&¶VVWXGPXI¿Q´,GLGD himself in the shot and how column wondering why TV many times his shirt was news programs only hired unbuttoned. pretty white male clones. I As the late-night comic asked Williams if he was an anchors got more pointed anchor android. and edgy with the news, “Not that I’m aware the real anchors mimicked of,” he said gamely, in his YouTube. anchor-desk baritone. “I Williams did a piece can deny the existence of on his daughter Allison’s a factory in the American FDVWLQJLQDQ1%& Midwest that puts out production of “Peter Pan.” people like me.” And Muir aired an Access Williams told friends last Hollywood-style segment ZHHNWKDWKHIHOWDQJXLVKHGFRPLQJXQGHU¿UH ZLWK%UDGOH\&RRSHU IRUKLVIDOVHVWRU\RIFRPLQJXQGHU¿UH As the performers — Jon Stewart, Stephen $OWKRXJKWKH1%&DQFKRUKDGUHSHDWHG &ROEHUW-RKQ2OLYHUDQG%LOO0DKHU²ZHUH the Iraq war tall tale, ever more baroquely, doing more serious stuff, the supposedly for more than a decade, when he cited it on serious guys were doing more performing. his Jan. 30 broadcast during a segment about The anchors pack their Hermès ties and going to a Rangers game with a retired, WLJKW7VKLUWVDQGÀ\RIIWRKRWVSRWVIRUWKH decorated soldier who had been on the performance aspect, because the exotic and ground that day when he landed, Williams got dangerous backdrops confer the romance of smacked down on Facebook. +HPLQJZD\FRYHULQJWKH6SDQLVK&LYLO:DU $FUHZPHPEHUIURPD&KLQRRNÀ\LQJ Oliver, who has made waves with pieces ahead of Williams, who was involved in the RQ¿QDQFLDOFKLFDQHU\LQWKH0LVV$PHULFD ¿UH¿JKWSRVWHG³6RUU\GXGH,GRQ¶W contest and the corporate players trying to remember you being on my aircraft. I do undermine net neutrality, told The Verge remember you walking up about an hour after that he is hiring more researchers with we had landed to ask me what had happened.” backgrounds in investigative journalism. Stars and Stripes ran with it. Meanwhile, in an interview with Fusion, Social media — the genre that helped make Muir acted out the facial expressions he uses the TV evening news irrelevant by showing during his broadcast: “the listening face,” us that we don’t need someone to tell us every the “really listening” face, and the “really night what happened that day — was gutting concerned” face. All that was missing was the institution further. “Blue Steel.” Although Williams’ determination to wrap :LWKQRSXVKEDFNIURPWKHEUDVVDW1%& himself in others’ valor is indefensible, it Williams has spent years fervently “courting seems almost redundant to gnaw on his bones, celebrity,” as The Hollywood Reporter put it, given the fact that the Internet has already guest starring on “30 Rock,” slow-jamming taken down a much larger target: the long- the news with Jimmy Fallon and regaling ingrained automatic impulse to turn on the TV David Letterman with his faux heroics: “Two when news happens. RIRXUIRXUKHOLFRSWHUVZHUHKLWE\JURXQG¿UH Although there was much chatter about the LQFOXGLQJWKHRQH,ZDVLQ53*DQG$.´ “revered” anchor and the “moral authority” As his profession shrinks and softens, of the networks, does anyone really feel that Williams felt compelled to try to steal the kind way anymore? Frothy morning shows long of glory that can only be earned the hard way. ago became the more important anchoring Ŷ real estate, garnering more revenue and Maureen Dowd, winner of the 1999 subsidizing the news division. One anchor Pulitzer Prize, became a columnist on The exerted moral authority once and that was New York Times Op-Ed page in 1995. The Internet has already taken down a much larger target: the long-ingrained impulse to turn on the TV when news happens. YOUR VIEWS Greatest Generation has left an incredible legacy behind In the past year I have attended several funerals of 90-year-old men who were memorialized as being members of “America’s Greatest Generation.” Tom Brokaw in his 1998 book “The Greatest Generation” said “it is, I believe, the greatest generation any society has ever produced.” These men and women did what they did because it was “the right thing to do.” They came of age during the Great Depression and witnessed the anxiety and hardship that was occurring when unemployment of able-bodied men was about 25 percent. The children of these unemployed were often malnourished, ill and had to quit school to work alongside adults who resented their taking the job of a man. Things were still only marginally better when World War II began. Over 16 million United States men and women were in uniform with 292,000 being killed on the EDWWOH¿HOGDQGPRUHG\LQJIURPRWKHU causes. Many more were wounded. As bad as our losses were, we fared better than most of the rest of the world. It is estimated that from 60 to 80 million people died as a result of this war. When one thinks of the impact this carnage must have had on these veterans, it is no wonder they did not want to talk about it when they came home. When these veterans came home we had become an industrial giant and these veterans QHHGHGWKHVNLOOVWR¿WLQ7KH*,%LOOZDV passed paying for school tuition and expenses, and low cost loans for mortgages and businesses became available. We also realized a good portion of the world was hurting and ¿QDQFLDODVVLVWDQFHZRXOGKHOSWKHPJHW³EDFN on their feet,” so we made loans to them. This all cost money, but they viewed it as “the right thing to do.” With all of this happening, it is obvious that we had incurred a massive debt, 112.7 percent of GDP at the conclusion of the war, the highest in our history. This “Greatest Generation” paid it off in about 20 years. How did they accomplish this? By taxing incomes over $200,000 with a tax rate of about 90 percent and being blessed with the longest run of economic success in our history. In the memorials I attended little was mentioned about what these men had done while in the service. Had they been asked they would probably have said they did their duty. In response to all the volunteer service they had done during their lifetime, they probably would have said, “it was the right thing to do.” Carlisle Harrison Hermiston
