Somebody Just Got Blinded By The Right

W. Clark Gallagher, Publisher of the Hillsboro Argus:

David Edwards is a Democrat, probably the most conservative we've met. He believed the meeting between his manager and Curry was private and the matter settled. But somebody lit a fire under Oregonian columnist David Reinhard, whose opinion I usually respect. He did some research and started the ball rolling with a pointed piece on the early campaign in Sunday's Oregonian. Reinhard was looking for something, and he found it.

He quotes Curry: "I have not made religion an issue in any way - until now. I by no means want to hide my relationship to my church. David Edwards has stepped over the line in this campaign and is attempting to use my religion to scare voters."

It gets going now. Reinhard calls Edwards, who clearly feels blindsided, and starts asking questions. Edwards denies any religious wrangling. But the die is cast. Buzzwords laid are buzzwords played. The game is on.

Last time we checked, over $70,000 lined up in Curry's campaign from Republican political action committees. Reinhard points to a single mailer sent "recently" from a Democrat PAC that mentions "Everett Curry is an ordained Baptist minister." To date, the Curry camp has sent over a dozen.

As I said at the beginning of this political tome, we've interviewed both candidates. Curry was the only one to talk of his ministry and then in passing. To us, it's not an issue. As the promoter, defender and watchdog of Hillsboro, we want the best candidate to fill Derrick Kitts' shoes. He did a good job representing our area and actually brought some tangible results to the community at large. The Oregonian took a swipe at him too. But that's another story.

We've said before, Edwards' experience as chair of Hillsboro's 2020 Vision Task Force and as a business owner gives him a unique prospective we could use in the legislature. His endorsements include most of those in Washington County and Hillsboro government. We are one of the fastest growing areas in the state. Curry would work, but Edwards would be better.

So to our brethren at The Oregonian, do you think the "R" folks could have lobbed some "Karl Rovian" type bombs your way? Frankly we think you've been hoodwinked - had and played. But then again, you see what you want to see, and you hear what you want to hear. We're just marching to a different drum.

This is essentially what I said, minus the profanity of course.

Heh.

So the question on the table now?

How many licks does it take before the squishy center of the Oregonian Editorial Board cops to their mistake?

Carla+Gallagher=2 so far.