Posted: Thursday, July 17, 2008 12:00 am
BILL WOODWARD
This is an historic year in American politics, and some of that history is being made in Wyoming. Here, Mark Gordon's campaign for Congress is redefining what it means to be a Republican.
Gordon's brochure and Web site might have been written by Charlton Heston. Gordon is described as a strong supporter of the right to bear arms; he "enjoys shooting and hunting" and "Guns are vitally important to protect his livelihood." Gordon supports General Petraeus and the Bush tax cuts. He agonizes over listing the sage grouse, quotes Teddy Roosevelt and calls for reform of the Endangered Species Act. Clearly, this is the portrait of a conservative Republican.
But Gordon has a few credentials that may surprise voters. He is a graduate of Middlebury College, a liberal Vermont school that banned ROTC and was recently the site of demonstrations against military recruitment. Graduates include a Washington Post reporter, three CNN reporters and a Clinton cabinet member. (I know about Middlebury, because I graduated in the early '60s-well before the school's sharp turn to the left.)
Absent from Gordon's brochure is his enthusiastic support for NPR, the network known for its good music and liberal commentary, including the fiercely partisan analysis of Daniel Schorr. (Schorr once criticized America's intelligence community for operating "in secret.")
Gordon does not point out that, in the 1990s, he contributed to the Sierra Club and served on its board. Gordon's Web site does mention his term on the Wyoming Environmental Quality Council (EQC) where, he says, he was "impressed by the good stewardship of the mining industry." His record on the EQC suggests a different point of view. As chairman he forwarded a CBM oversight proposal on water discharge so severe that the DEQ chief is on record as saying "no discharger can meet this requirement." This proposal was eventually rejected by the governor. (Most would support reasonable limits on CBM operations; but this proposal succeeded in angering many people. Ranchers were concerned about being denied the additional water for agricultural use; CBM operators about having production curtailed; citizens about loss of jobs, social and educational services.)
Unmentioned in Gordon's campaign materials is his strong record of support for Democrats. In May, the Casper Star-Tribune criticized Gordon for failing to disclose $6,500 in contributions to the Democratic Party and to candidates John Kerry and Gary Trauner. The CS-T observed, "Some voters may conclude he (Gordon) was trying to hide something." Unmentioned in the editorial was Gordon's acknowledged role in supporting Democrat Dave Freudenthal's bid for governor.
Any one of these issues might, by itself, be dismissed as insignificant. But taken together, they suggest a different political identity than the Republican "core values" Gordon has portrayed in his campaign. Republicans may wish to consider Gordon's stances on these issues and ask if they are consistent with the conservative image he has cultivated. In fact, that image may already have collided with his past. Three examples underscore the conflict:
Gordon's brochure stresses his support for the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. Why, then, did he contribute to John Kerry, a leading anti-gun member of the Senate?
In his answer to the editorial, Gordon claims "no confidence" in the Democratic agenda. A reader might ask, didn't Gordon contribute to the success of that agenda? After all, Gordon helped elect Dave Freudenthal -- who, in turn, endorsed Barack Obama. Obama is the author of the Democratic agenda.
Finally, is Gordon a firearms enthusiast? It's fair to ask this question because, in his campaign, Gordon has made shooting a cornerstone of his identity. Gordon may be a serious shooter; but in 20 years I have never seen him at a 4-H training session or community shooting event. He does not belong to the Buffalo or Sheridan gun clubs.
Mark Gordon is a likeable, articulate rancher who has given generously to his community. He's known for his strong support of environmental and activist organizations and for a generally liberal perspective. His personal profile would turn a Democratic candidate from Connecticut green with envy.
So, voters may wish to ask: where does Mark Gordon really stand? In his rebuttal to the Star-Tribune, he wrote that he saw the Republican Party "stray from its principles." His response was to hit the party "in the pocketbook" by giving to the Democrats. If Gordon wins in
November, will he use that same logic to vote with the Democrats on Capitol Hill? That's one of the many questions Wyoming voters will have to address as they struggle with the political identity of Mark Gordon.
Bill Woodward of Buffalo is retired from the U. S. Air Force. His assignments included tours at the U.S. Air Force Marksmanship School and Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe.