Touchy, touchy. Silly. That was celebrity Republican candidate and King County Sherriff Dave Reichert, storming off the stage at a candidate forum, upset his GOP opponents in the Sept. 14 primary for Jennifer Dunn's old seat (WA-8) had dared to question his GOP bona fides, his stance on gun control, and his financial management skills.
The manly, silver-coiffed lawman, who has gained national exposure for his pursuit and later, role in the life-without parole sentence for Gary Ridgeway, The Green River Killer, ended up answering his critics in the above-linked article. And, he seemed to back off from his declaration he'd do no more live forums with his GOP brethren.
Helping administer an approximation of justice to a serial murderer is apparently child's play compared to politics. A touchy prima donna is not who needs to replace the estimable GOP star, Dunne. Perhaps the challengers who nettled Reichert, former federal prosecutor Diane Tebelius or state legislator Luke Esser, would be more up to the task than Reichert, after all.
Posted by Matt Rosenberg at September 01, 2004 11:11 AM | Email ThisIt also offered Reichert the opportuity to both clearly state without appology his reasons for his past positions and keep the spotlight on his campaign. That's a character and courage issue that would rebound to his benefit with almost all constituents.
Leaving the stage, he lets others define him; his opponents.
Dunn represented my District and I have a keen interest in her replacement. I want the seat occupied by someone who will stand by their record and not run away. How can he be heard if he leaves the stage?
Posted by: Gary B on September 1, 2004 12:08 PM_8_ people running in district #8.
Clowns only in district #7. Grr.
Posted by: Al on September 1, 2004 12:59 PMLike being one is a good thing in the first place.
Posted by: Steve Ramsey on September 6, 2004 12:49 AMI can also say that while Tebelius comes across as a tough campaigner on air, she is a two-faced career political busybody when the mics aren't on and the cameras aren't rolling. After the atrocious way she treated the people around her that wouldn't directly benefit her or her bid for Congress, I made my mind up to NEVER vote for her--even if her Democrat opponent was the embalmed corpse of Lenin on roller skates... in that case I'd throw away my vote on the Libertarian candidate.
Of course, many people want a career politician in DC to fight among other career politicians. I'd have been more apt to go for Reichert had he not stormed off the stage and stayed to fight. My vote will probably go to Conrad Lee because he:
1) Is a true conservative
2) Is a business owner
3) Will easily win the minority vote (if he really campaigns on that strength)