Jim Roth vs Dana Murphy

[sgrizzle]

What do you like/dislike about these two?

[iplaw]

Where will I start here?

Jim is a good name, short and to the point. Roth sounds like broth, but broth without vegetables or meat is just sad.  Also, Roth is going to remind people of their Roth IRAs...not the year for you Jim!

I'm ambivolent about the name Dana, but the name Murphy reminds me of Murphy's Oil Soap which sounds greasy and slippery, just like a politician.  But the name Murphy also reminds me of cheap gas, and that's a good thing.

Is there a third party candidate?

[patric]

Murphy's commercial where she brags about her "leadership" in kneejerk issues gave me the impression she is an opportunist who will continue to spend her time on anything that grabs a headline.
Revealing, or just bad campaign management?

[sgrizzle]

Nope.

I decided I didn't like Jim Roth ever since I saw his commercial. He puts gas from a gas station in a glass, holds it up, and strokes his chin while raising an eyebrow.

A. You're working too hard to look like you're thinking.
B. Are you using your octane-vision to inspect the gas?

[MichaelBates]

From my extra op-ed piece this week:

quote:


It's an unusual election in that the challenger has more on-the-job experience than the incumbent.

Dana Murphy served more than five years as an administrative law judge for the OCC, presiding over more than 5,000 cases, weighing evidence and testimony and making judgments, and acting as a gatekeeper and making recommendations on issues coming before the three commissioners.

Murphy earned her undergraduate degree in geology, and worked as a petroleum geologist in the oil patch for 10 years while putting herself through law school. She left the OCC to run for Corporation Commissioner in 2002, finishing first in the primary but falling short in the runoff. Since then, she's been working as an oil and gas attorney, staying current in the issues that take up most of the OCC's time.

By contrast, incumbent Jim Roth has been in the job for little more than a year, elevated by Gov. Brad Henry to his current post from the Oklahoma County Commission, which has nothing in common with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission beyond its initials. Prior to serving as a county commissioner, Roth was an assistant to the county clerk and a previous county commissioner. He has no expertise in the oil and gas industry.

What Roth does have is a disturbingly cozy relationship with Aubrey McClendon, the CEO and chairman of Chesapeake Energy, one of the companies regulated by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission as the largest producer of natural gas in Oklahoma. The Roth-McClendon connection has been extensively documented by muckraking Oklahoma City journalist Mike McCarville on his website at wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com.

And from my pre-primary endorsement of Murphy:

quote:


Too often, the choice we face at the polling place is between candidates who fall far short of the ideal. We'd hope to be able to vote for someone who is experienced, honorable, wise, courageous, humble, and compassionate.

Usually, we're happy to get just a couple of those characteristics. Usually, we find ourselves with choices like courageous and honorable but inexperienced versus experienced but venal and cowardly.

Once in a while, we get the thrill of voting for someone who embodies all those positive characteristics--matching strong character with the perfect background for the office.

Republicans have that chance this year in the race for Corporation Commissioner.

Dana Murphy is the genuine article.

[tulsa_fan]

I have seen them both speak and I agree Dana Murphy is the by far way to go.  She knows the industry, she knows how it works and she is on both sids of it, explorationist and mineral owner.  I think she will do a great job.  I found at their talk I attended, (speaking to Oil & Gas Industry workers) that Jim knew very little beyond what he had in his prepared talk.  He couldn't answer questions about how the OCC related to our side of the industry.  I wasn't impressed with him at all.

[sgrizzle]

How is it that if you want to vote for someone NOT corrupt and paid off by the big corporations, you have to pick the republican?

http://www.tulsatoday.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1762&Itemid=2

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

How is it that if you want to vote for someone NOT corrupt and paid off by the big corporations, you have to pick the republican?

http://www.tulsatoday.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1762&Itemid=2

Because Democrats were in power too long in Oklahoma and the form of our state and local governments according to the state constitution creates too many directly elected silos of responsibility. Fool the voters, buy enough ad time and you can do whatever you want.

Same reason why so many Republicans got in trouble the last few years at the Federal level.

[RecycleMichael]

I like the Roth campaign videos...

http://roth2008.com/videos

It concerns me that Dana Murphy attacks Roth for having ties to natural gas companies, then it comes out that she was getting a campaign office from an oil company for $50 a month.

The fact that she admitted to forging a relative's name on an oil lease then notarized her own signature tells me that she is sloppy with paperwork. This is not the job for her.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

I like the Roth campaign videos...

http://roth2008.com/videos

It concerns me that Dana Murphy attacks Roth for having ties to natural gas companies, then it comes out that she was getting a campaign office from an oil company for $50 a month.

The fact that she admitted to forging a relative's name on an oil lease then notarized her own signature tells me that she is sloppy with paperwork. This is not the job for her.

$100,000 for a low-level government office isn't a tie, it's an umbilical.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

How is it that if you want to vote for someone NOT corrupt and paid off by the big corporations, you have to pick the republican?

http://www.tulsatoday.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1762&Itemid=2

Wow, she sounds like a ***** on wheels.  I dunno about either of these two being good picks.

One's a "lapdog" for the energy industry and one is in the industry.  Why can't we just put McMahan on the office?  At least we'd know for certain we've got another corrupt OCC member.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

How is it that if you want to vote for someone NOT corrupt and paid off by the big corporations, you have to pick the republican?

http://www.tulsatoday.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1762&Itemid=2

Wow, she sounds like a ***** on wheels.  I dunno about either of these two being good picks.

One's a "lapdog" for the energy industry and one is in the industry.  Why can't we just put McMahan on the office?  At least we'd know for certain we've got another corrupt OCC member.

We know that now.

[MichaelBates]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

I like the Roth campaign videos...

http://roth2008.com/videos

It concerns me that Dana Murphy attacks Roth for having ties to natural gas companies, then it comes out that she was getting a campaign office from an oil company for $50 a month.

The fact that she admitted to forging a relative's name on an oil lease then notarized her own signature tells me that she is sloppy with paperwork. This is not the job for her.

RM, why are you so threatened by an accomplished woman running for office?

[]

[mrburns918]

Another "Oklahoma Values" sighting! But, she has added "conservative". The mystery of what "Oklahoma Values" are gets deeper.

From the Tulsa World link posted earlier:

"They can have someone like him, a mudslinging bureaucratic lapdog or they can have me, someone who shares their conservative Oklahoma values and has the experience and qualifications to do the best job for all Oklahomans at the Corporation Commission."

Mr. Burns
Bob Barr for President

[RecycleMichael]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelBates
RM, why are you so threatened by an accomplished woman running for office?

[]

Great question. It must have something to do with my early years.

I like the Jim Roth commercial of him getting gas. I thought it was clever and focused on him, not his opponent. That is the kind of advertising I wish we had more of.

I actually haven't decided on this race. I have been pretty underwhelmed by the Corporation Commission the last few years. I would normally be for anyone new.

Dana Murphy seems fine, but I do worry when I saw her campaign attacking Roth for having friends in the natural gas business. Face it, Chesapeake Energy is now one of the most successful companies in Oklahoma. They have ties to almost every candidate.

I think the reason I prefer Jim Roth is that he has been open about his involvement while Dana was not in her getting almost free rent from a contributor.

I also read the TulsaToday article and feel almost a moral obligation to disagree with their position.

They both still have a chance to get my vote.