That time again
The hype for "Candidates Gone Wild" has begun. The Bus Kids and Willy Week are throwing their regular pre-election political hoedown at the Roseland on April 28 this year, and already they've started their pitch: We don't have enough room on stage for everybody who's running. This artificial scarcity is supposed to get the candidates falling all over each other to get a spot on the dais, I guess.
I remember their big, bad banning of Emilie Boyles a couple of years ago. This move hyped the event, established the selectivity of the on-stage guest roster, and provided a handy scapegoat for the foolishness of "voter-owed elections."
Given how clear it is whom the sponsors of this event will be endorsing this time around -- Adams and Novick for sure, and probably Middaugh and Smith -- why would the other candidates want to show up? The program will no doubt make them look bad, at least in a subtle sort of way. It's a wildly entertaining and interesting event, but the Pabst-fueled crowd probably will already have made up its mind on these races long before the curtain goes up, and so there will likely be few on-the-fence voters to pick up that evening.
If you were Dozono, Merkley, Fish, or Fritz, would you participate?
| Posted at 12:07 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (7)
I'll try again since I probably did an html no no
Nope. This is an opportunity to look stupid and sophmoric. You'd think the bus project would rather have a discussion of issues that matter to the under 25 crowd than what looks like a frat party (see 2004 when Sam did ironing on stage). It's a waste of time.
Posted by J Ramsay | March 19, 2008 7:41 AM
I think it is just another gotcha opportunity. Someone like Adams will just play along with his cheerleading sqaud (which I am sure will be present in full force).
Some, ahem, more serious candidates will look like stoops in this kind of forum.
Sad that entertainment value is what we rely on to elect people in this town.
Posted by Steve | March 19, 2008 7:56 AM
I'd do it again in a hot minute. Nothing more fun than being booed by 1600 people for being a Republican, and then being cheered by 1600 people for being a good harp player!
Posted by Dave Lister | March 19, 2008 8:35 AM
Fritz's recent jump onto the VisionPDX bandwagon was disappointing and looked calculated.
the "Gone Wild" show is a cheap, amateurish, hipster-esque approach to leadership campaigning. it'll serve Sam Adams proponents well--wonkish who hope to appear hip--but it doesn't serve the other 90% of us humans much at all.
if candidates (other than Adams) want to show some original thought, why not stage their *own* debate in Pioneer Square, open to the public, and invite Adams?
Posted by ecohuman.com | March 19, 2008 9:20 AM
oh, and lest you think Pabst is served only in Portland, another city is doing "Gone Wild" too, complete with rabbit ears:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOVJWWdY4AQ
Posted by ecohuman.com | March 19, 2008 10:52 AM
3/19@5:30, top vote-getters
Mayor: Adams & Dozono
Seat #1: Fritz, Smith & Branam
Seat #2: Middaugh & Fish
Posted by Chris Coyle | March 19, 2008 5:45 PM
If Lewis gets in will he fill a pothole on stage?
Posted by JH | March 19, 2008 7:13 PM