Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., just finished off challenger Dino Rossi after a bruising campaign.
When it came to The Columbian’s not endorsing Murray, it was probably our most difficult decision.
Murray has done much for the state and our area. But our view was the country needed someone who could get a handle on our spending, and we felt Rossi was better equipped to do that.
In our editorial board meeting with Murray, we pressed her on spending. We specifically asked her how she could contain the rising governmental payroll cost.
She was cautious in this area but acknowledged that something has to be done because, frankly, there are few alternatives.
Murray is good people, and my sense is she will work on the spending problem.
o o o
Brent Boger is also good people. He ran and lost for the position of county prosecuting attorney. I was pretty tough on Boger a few days ago, essentially saying he was naive to believe his résumé was strong enough to beat Tony Golik.
Was I too tough on him? After getting into several discussions on this topic and listening to several of my critics, I’d have to say the critics were right and I was wrong.
Boger really isn’t your typical politician. Most politicians appreciate that running for office is a full contact sport. And the resulting commentary and analysis can be tough, as well.
But Boger was in it for the right reasons. He felt he had something to offer. And he did.
Buona fortuna, Brent. Buona fortuna.
o o o
Had some feedback — but not much — on my observations of Denny Heck, as well. Heck lost the 3rd Congressional District race.
The feedback here was mild, in part, because Heck is more of your traditional politician.
But one supporter caught my attention. He left a phone message saying my column really, really, really rubbed him the wrong way.
“I feel like I want to stick my boot up your %^$,” he explained.
Now he didn’t leave his name or his phone. Maybe even more important, he didn’t leave his shoe size. (OK, that was my one shot at humor.)
o o o
Finally, I should note that Boger is a Republican and Heck is a Democrat. Why is that important?
If a newspaper is doing its job right, we will hold both Republicans and Democrats accountable for what they do and say. And when we do that, it allows both Republicans and Democrats to agree on something: They don’t much like us.
This “divide” between politicians and newspapers has been there forever. And it goes on in every town with a decent newspaper.
That isn’t to suggest there aren’t times when we deserve to get beat up by them. We goof up. I goof up.
But it is to suggest that politicians often find us annoying.
I know just from my column, I get two very different reactions, depending on whom you talk to:
• From politicians and other connected types, I sometimes get the comment that I don’t know what I’m talking about. That I’m just adding to the civil discourse.
• When I’m in the grocery store or at the farmers market or in a coffee shop? I get folks that like the edgy feel of my column. “Keep it up; love what you’re doing!”
Essentially, this country was set up to have the government and newspapers in an adversarial role.
So we’re OK with public officials beating us up. Frankly, if they begin saying nice things about us? It’s time to get concerned.
Lou Brancaccio is The Columbian’s editor. Reach him at 360-735-4505 or lou.brancaccio@columbian.com.
