Hopefuls bicker over truck deals

HELENA – The big issue in the 2004 gubernatorial race so far is not school funding, overcrowded prisons, human service programs, gay marriage or abortion. It’s where one candidate bought two vehicles last year.

Republican Bob Brown, whose campaign stepped up its criticism of Democrat Brian Schweitzer’s personal buying habits Tuesday, insists the issue is not as trivial as it may sound.

The fact that Schweitzer spent his money at an Idaho car dealership, rather than in Montana, is a sign Schweitzer cannot be trusted, Brown said.

“When he talks about the importance of supporting small business, it’s important for him to support small business,” Brown said. “His actions aren’t consistent with his rhetoric.

“There’s a question of Brian Schweitzer’s credibility,” he added. “People need to trust their governor as well as agree with him. This incident casts doubt on our ability to trust Brian.”

“Baloney,” Schweitzer called such charges.

“This is a smear campaign from beginning to end,” he said. “It has nothing to do with leadership for the future of Montana. Why is it any of their business where I conduct my private business?”

Craig Wilson, who heads the political science department at Montana State University-Billings, called the issue an example of “political minutiae” sparked by an effort to draw distinctions between two candidates with few major differences.

“It’s one of those political tempests in a teapot and we might see a lot of these teapots this fall,” he said. “I don’t think that this one’s going to decide the election.”

Criticism of Schweitzer’s out-of-state purchase of two vehicles from Dave Smith Motors in Kellogg initially came a few weeks ago from Montana car dealers, who considered it a slap in the face.

Brown’s campaign took up the cause Tuesday when Dave Lewis, Brown’s running mate, staged a news conference at a Helena auto dealership to show off the new pickup truck he bought there.

“I’m proud I could buy locally,” he said. “As a candidate for lieutenant governor, I know I can’t sell Montana and Montana products if I sell out by spending my money out of state.”

The dealership, Chevrolet of Helena, is owned by Oregon-based Lithia Motors Inc., which has more than 90 stores in 12 states.

Lewis challenged Schweitzer to make good on his claim that he saved $5,000 on each of his two new vehicles by buying in Idaho. He also indicated he thinks the Whitefish farmer is lying by claiming he gave a Whitefish auto dealer, Don Kaltschmidt, the chance to come within $1,000 of the Idaho dealer’s price.

Kaltschmidt, owner of Don K Chevrolet, has denied Schweitzer ever came to his store. “It never happened,” he told the Associated Press.

Casey Malmquist, of Whitefish, said Tuesday he was at the dealership Oct. 23 and saw Schweitzer test-drive two pickup trucks.

Brown declined to take sides in that argument, but he joined Lewis in questioning Schweitzer’s claim of a $5,000-a-vehicle savings.

Schweitzer supplied documents showing he paid $25,451 for his pickup and $31,447 for his sport utility vehicle. Based on Kaltschmidt’s estimated price of $80,000 for the two vehicles, Schweitzer said he actually saved $23,102 on the deal.

He also provided comparative before-rebate prices for the kinds of vehicles he bought, as listed on the Web sites for Doug Smith Motors and Don K Chevrolet last Friday. The Idaho dealer’s prices were $5,635 to $13,058 less.

“It’s all politics,” Schweitzer said of the furor over his auto buying. “Car dealers in the Flathead are Republicans who support Bob Brown.”

Campaign finance reports show Don and Debra Kaltschmidt have donated $700 to Brown’s campaign and have reason to help him, Schweitzer said.

The candidates for governor should be talking about Montanans’ low incomes, more affordable health care and prescription drugs, education funding and sparking more investment in Montana, not car-buying practices of candidates, Schweitzer said.

“It’s a little sad,” Wilson said of the focus on Schweitzer’s automobile buying. “Both (men) are qualified to be governor. One would hope they would use some bigger issues.”