Public Periscope

Campaign memories

With a few notable exceptions, the elections are decided and campaign memories are fading faster than a candidate’s yard sign in a slush storm. But before they disappear, we want to mark some of the best and worst of Campaign 2000.

The Silver Slug Citation, for the slimiest campaign tactics - and this was a particularly tough choice this year - goes to the National Republican Congressional Committee for its fall blitzkrieg of mail brochures against Democrat Tom Keefe. Ugly graphics, us-versus-them overtones, and the contention that an organization funded with millions of dollars from large corporate benefactors spoke for Eastern Washington earn the NRCC the nod over several local wannabes.

The Worst Costume Oscar, for a really bad get-up in which no one should be caught dead, goes to the U.S. Term Limits weasel, who looked more and more like a shabby Chuck E. Cheese as the campaign wore on. Best review of the costume was overheard at a campaign forum at the Eagles Aerie, where a woman at the desk banished the weasel with the admonition: “No rats allowed in here.”

The Jubilation T. Cornpone Citation, named for the Li’l Abner character notorious for losing tactics, to Citizens for Fair and Open Government. The political action committee, which at last count spent more than $65,000 in an unsuccessful effort to tar mayoral candidate John Powers, made several specious claims, including a suggestion that he was under investigation by the state Public Disclosure Commission. In fact, the C-FOG had complained incorrectly about Powers’ campaign reports. The commission dismissed the complaint a few days later, but not before the PAC sent out a mailer trumpeting it.

The Figures Don’t Lie But … Award, for the worst numbers thrown out during the election season, goes jointly to the Slade Gorton and Maria Cantwell staffs. On the last weekend before the election, both claimed their candidate was ahead by at least 5 percent in their internal polls. A few days later, the election left them all but tied, with the majority of the U.S. Senate hanging on sporadic counts of absentee ballots.

The Crimson Angler Plaque to the biggest red herring of the campaign season goes to any candidate who promised dogmatically to protect Snake River dams. Yes the dams are important, and so are the salmon that are struggling to survive despite them. The problem was that no candidate would look down the road far enough to answer what to do about the likely conflict among the courts, Congress and the administration if all the good things they promised to do for the salmon aren’t enough.

And now to other business

Seems like a group named Wildlife Leg Fund of America would support a ban on leg-hold traps, not oppose it. Turns out “Leg” - as it was written on state lists of campaign contributors - is short for “Legislative” … The organization, which gave $10,000 to fight the anti-trapping initiative, represents hunters, fishers and trappers. It was on the losing side Tuesday.

They’re really in Warshington

During the heat of the election night coverage, when the pundits were wondering how the Northwest might go, TV newsman Peter Jennings mistakenly put the four lower Snake River dams in Oregon. Of course, he pronounced it “ORE-e-gone.”

This just in …

A group of Pierce County Democrats are disputing claims made by Doug Sutherland during his recent campaign for state lands commissioner. Sutherland, a Republican who served two terms as Pierce County’s elected executive, exaggerated his accomplishments for salmon, and messed up on landfill and jail issues, his detractors claim … The press release, sent via e-mail by state Sen. Marilyn Rasmussen, might have gotten some attention if it hadn’t arrived in newsrooms at 11 p.m. on the eve of the election.

Fast fax

Don’t trust what you get in your fax machine. At least, that was the message from City Councilwoman Phyllis Holmes on Monday, who accused Councilman Steve Eugster of omitting information from his faxes to the media - specifically the final paragraph of the city special attorney’s report on the River Park Square litigation … That paragraph said that, given the complicated nature of the controversy, the city should pursue negotiation. A copy of the report Eugster faxed to this newspaper omitted that paragraph, which was later obtained from the City Clerk’s office … “Rely only on documents received from the City Clerk,” Holmes said.

Eugster was unapologetic, saying he left the last paragraph out to protect the city’s legal position.

“I took the precautions I thought I was supposed to take after our meeting (in executive session on Oct. 30),” he said, adding that he sent out the report to make sure the media got it in time … He also made no claims that the report came from the city: “When things come from me, they come from me. I’m responsible.”

A seat at the table

It wasn’t exactly a concession speech, but it was a notable gesture … At Thursday’s City Council study session on the 2001 budget, Mayor-elect John Powers sat at the side of the room while the council members met around a table.

Mayor John Talbott was late in arriving, and after he sat down he said: “Council, with your permission, I would like to invite Mr. Powers to the table” … The council assented, and Powers joined them at the table, sitting next to Talbott after shaking his hand.