From: stever@crosstalk.tv.tek.com (Steven E. Rice  P.E.)
Newsgroups: or.politics
Subject: Re: the election
Summary: It's sunset for Les when Lonsdale rises in conjunction with Mars. . .
Date: 12 Nov 92 18:51:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: tvnews.1992Nov12.185100.27532
Organization: Tektronix TV Products

In an earlier article (<1992Nov9.182807.6064@tvnews.tv.tek.com>), I opined
about Les AuCoin and Bob Packwood that:

>>                                      . . .  They are both skunks, but
>> the smell emanating from Les AuCoin is quite a bit stronger than the
>> smell that hangs around Packwood.

Robert Reed (robert@slipknot.rain.com.UUCP) doesn't agree.  In article
<BxJ1JC.FsE@slipknot.rain.com>, he wrote:

> I highly question that.  I have no great love for Les, having seen him
> opine in the direction of the greatest political opportunity in the past,
> but compared to Les on this point, Bob is the grand master.  And I at
> least agree more with what Les says he's going to do than with what Bob
> is planning.  . . .

Ah, but that's what makes a horse race!!  Isn't it nice that America
still permits differences of opinion?

I went on to say that Les AuCoin is more dangerous than Bob Packwood
because "he appears to be young, personable, and energetic. . ."  Robert
jabbed back:

> And that's why he won, huh?

Les lost because the constellations were in the house of the sunset.
In particular, the year began inauspiciously with Lonsdale rising in 
conjunction with Mars (the Roman god of war. . .).  While Les was
reeling under the assault of Mars, an evil omen appeared in the
constellation HouseBank -- a cluster of rubberoids, which orbited Les
until the end of the campaign.  After Lonsdale fell flaming from the
heavens, more evil bank omens were seen.  The PackwoodBank was full
and the AuCoinBank was empty.  From that point, Les was condemned,
like Prometheus, to have his liver ripped out daily by media vultures.

If Les AuCoin had not faced Harry Lonsdale in the primary, he would
have had more money to hammer away at Bob Packwood in the closing days
of the campaign.  If Les hadn't been so sloppy with his checkbook,
the House Bank scandal wouldn't have been a problem.  If neither of
these events had occurred, Les would have been a shoo-in.  If only
one had happened, he most likely would have won.  But the close
race with Harry Lonsdale and the stain left by the House Bank
scandal were too much even for Les AuCoin's good looks and
ingratiating personality to overcome.

In the previous article I also said that, "I'm no political seer,
but I believe Harry Lonsdale, as questionable as he is, would have
defeated Bob Packwood.  . . ."  Robert again disagreed:

> Like Lonsdale defeated Hatfield two years ago?  I supported Lonsdale
> then and I almost voted for him in the primary, but Lonsdale had never
> shown an ability to win, and I think Packwood would have cut him to
> ribbons, as opposed to the fairly close outcome we had with AuCoin.

I believe Mark Hatfield has (perhaps that should be "had") a reservoir
of good will among Oregonians that Bob Packwood lacks.  Remember, Bob
Packwood got one of the biggest scares of his life some years ago, when
Joe Lutz, a complete unknown, took 43% of the vote in the Republican
primary -- and this against an incumbent!!  Certainly there are a lot
of people who (like myself) didn't vote *for* Bob Packwood -- they
voted *against* Les AuCoin.

It's a bit unfair to say that Harry Lonsdale has "never shown an
ability to win," since his only earlier race was against Mark
Hatfield.  I think he's done amazingly well.  He came within 300
votes of an umpteen-term incumbent in the primary, while being
outspent two or three to one.  For a man who has fought only uphill
battles in his political career, Harry Lonsdale has done amazingly
well.

If Harry Lonsdale had won in the primary, I would have leaned very
strongly toward voting *for* him, since I wouldn't have had to vote
*against* AuCoin.  I think there are many other independents and
independent-minded Republicans who feel the same way.

					Steve Rice

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* Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! *
stever@tv.tv.Tek.com                                   [phone (503) 627-1320]
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