VIEW: 18-37: Election 2018 Final Lap

VIEW FROM HERE
By Bob McDowell (Born Neil Carson)
Number 18-37
ELECTION 2018 FINAL LAP Week of
2018/09/10
Following the recent 'run-off' election on August 28, we now head
into the
final 'home stretch' and it was not 36 hours after the counts were announced
before
one of those "dark money" electronic commercials were showing up to bash one
of
the Gubanatorial finalists. According to several reports it was paid for by
one of the
same 'groups', with a misleading name, that bashed one Republican candidate
in the
primary, another in the run-off, and now the opponent on the Democrat
ticket. Talk
show, and a few media 'news?' personnel have expressed confusion over the
plan
of the sponsors.
The main thrust of these different commercials appears to have been,
and
continue, that the subject of the attack would do irreparable damage to the
State
of Oklahoma, if elected. This fact seems to me to point to the idea that
they may
believe these attacks will actually serve to benefit the subject, especially
since the
expressed by many of indignation at the style and content of the
presentation. The
point being, and certainly not confirmed, that they might generate a
sympathy vote
for the Democrat victim. There seems to me to be some validity to this idea,
since
the run-off attackee managed to come out on top. He immediately went public
and
claimed to have not ordered it and even initially not known who had, and to
his
credit the Democrat opponent has publicly and believably stated that 'I
believe him'.
That quick response might very well serve to his benefit. The statements of
the
group behind the attacks is the same one that had attacked him in the
primary and
run-off.
It would be my hope, and advice to Party officials, that they would
become
proactive and issue strong statements against these 'dark money' evildoers
and
warn the candidates that it would be appropriate for them to go public with
statements against the groups, or suffer rebuffs from the Party. Of course
the
higher up leaders of the Democrat party in Washington seem to strongly
approve
of these tactics to the point of using them also. In my opinion Party
officials, for
the most part seem intimidated by the rules and maybe are afraid to see just
how far can be gone towards reining in some of the wrongheaded conduct and
tactics.
In any event it is going to be a long, tiring existence for us
voters until the
November 6 'general election' is past and the final results published. We
will be
inundated with post cards (oversized and some actually nasty and untrue),
electronic and print commercials and various rallies and meetings to see the
candidates in action. In my own case, Emails go out, but do not arrive,
although
those coming in, as well as political ads, show up regularly. Somewhere
there is
a program that captures my outbound massages during every election season,
then a few days after the votes are cast just as suddenly all is normal
again.
It would be most nice if everyone would relax and accept that the
USA
was founded as a "Nation of Laws" and act in a civilized manner to each
other.
In two head-to-head political campaigns in which I was personally involved
as a
candidate, 1990 and 1996, there was none of this 'politics of personal
destruction'
or vicious lies, so far as is known. In 1996 the opponent, a two term
incumbent,
continued to be friendly throughout and afterwards. That is the way it
should be,
that we can be friends and civil to each other even if we have different
opinions
on the issues.
It should be noted that there are some in the 'campaign advisor'
business
who strongly believe in those negative tactics and they should be publicly
denounced. Also the candidates stooping to use them should be held
accountable
by being on the losing side. If that would happen regularly, perhaps things
would
turn around and campaigns become more dignified again. I want to know what
the
candidate stands for and intends to act if elected, not hear her/his lies
about the
opponent!! Of course, there are a few who would never be elected if they
told the
truth about their intentions.
It is my practice to vote against ANY candidate stooping to the
negative, lying
campaign tactics, or even an old time 'whisper campaign' of the same trash.
What
a candidate thinks or believes bad about the opponent is of no interest to
me, and it
shouldn't be to any right thinking and honest voter!!!
END
Composed August 30, 2018
Robert W. McDowell, Jr.
841 Lynwood Lane
918-451-1051 Broken Arrow
OK 74011-8608
Email: abdmcfpi@localnet.com