Oklahoma's next Governor

[RecycleMichael]

Great diverse candidates...

Mary Fallin has the name recognition from here two terms in Congress and 12 years as Lt. Governor, but she lost many conservative republicans with a highly publicized affair with her assigned Highway Trooper. Randy Brogdon has the Tea party crowd and the fiscal conservatives, but has made bizarre statements about militia and mandatory bible classes in schools.

Jari Askins has the money to self-fund and has served as Lt. Governor for four years, but has a resume light on accomplishments. Drew Edmondson has been very strong as State Attorney General, but his obsession with the poultry lawsuits has cost him friends.

Something for everybody...

[Townsend]

Great diverse candidates...

Mary Fallin has the name recognition from here two terms in Congress and 12 years as Lt. Governor, but she lost many conservative republicans with a highly publicized affair with her assigned Highway Trooper. Randy Brogdon has the Tea party crowd and the fiscal conservatives, but has made bizarre statements about militia and mandatory bible classes in schools.

Jari Askins has the money to self-fund and has served as Lt. Governor for four years, but has a resume light on accomplishments. Drew Edmondson has been very strong as State Attorney General, but his obsession with the poultry lawsuits has cost him friends.

Something for everybody...

I enjoy a poultry heavy platform.

The little I've cared to learn about Brogdon alarms me.

Askins' tweets are at least fairly informative.

Not sure about Fallin so far.

[Conan71]

I think most people have put Fallin's past behind her where it belongs.  One thing Democrats need to realize: Conservatives will circle the wagon around their candidate, flawed or not (Rep. Sullivan, anyone?), before they will vote for a Democrat.  Her alleged affair is as relevant to her campaign as is AG Edmonson's niece, Sara, participating in a crime spree in which she paralyzed a woman by shooting her being relevant to his campaign. 

I admit to keeping enough distance from the Tea Party goings on that I honestly can't gauge overall support for Brogdon.  At one point, his fund raising was only about 10 to 20% of Fallin's which is usually a fair gauge of how well someone will do in an election.  Brogdon has that bat-smile crazy look that simply scares me.

I don't think Lt. Gov. Askins' resume is really that light.  She's got a wider variety of experiences, at least according to her ads than Edmondson does.  Judge, State Rep, Lt. Governor.  She should have a pretty good idea how all phases of state government works and has been a close observer of what I'd consider a fairly successful 8 year stint by Gov. Henry.

Edmonson has been the AG forever.  What else notable has he done other than the poultry waste lawsuit which has eaten up millions in taxpayer funds and also created misconceptions about the Illinois River which has hurt tourism in the region.  I appreciate his environmental concerns, but at what cost has it come?

I think it will come down to Askins & Fallin.  I could vote for either one of them as I think either will do a good job as possible, given current budget issues, and has the relevant experience of being a Lt. Governor.  If it comes down to Brogdon and Edmonson, I'll vote for Mark Perkins 

[TURobY]

Her alleged affair is as relevant to her campaign as is AG Edmonson's niece, Sara, participating in a crime spree in which she paralyzed a woman by shooting her being relevant to his campaign. 

How so? One involves a direct (alleged) action by the person involved. The other involves an action by someone marginally related.

[nathanm]

How so? One involves a direct (alleged) action by the person involved. The other involves an action by someone marginally related.

If Conan's point was that affairs, in general, shouldn't be an issue in an election, I agree completely with him.

[Ed W]

He has superpowers!

[Conan71]

How so? One involves a direct (alleged) action by the person involved. The other involves an action by someone marginally related.

A 12 year old alleged affair is of no concern nor are past substance abuse issues. Those would concern me if they were active problems as I'd wonder how thy might detract from their duties.

I was drawing a correlation as to how irrelevant certain issues affect my decision to vote for a candidate or not whilst engaging in childish tit for tat with RM.   FWIW, libs tried to make an issue of VP Cheney's daughter being a lesbian. My personal problem with him
was his sociopathic tendencies.

One problem I would have with Edmondson is whether or not he used his influence to get his niece parolled. There was some flap on the radio in OKC a few weeks ago. I don't care how mixed up she was, she shot someone, they were paralyzed and died a few years later.  Miss Edmondson should not have been treated any different on sentencing.
I've not investigated the issue further, but I'm sure it will come up again if it has traction.   

[heironymouspasparagus]

So, going by some of this, Billy Bob's affairs should have no relevance to his Presidency.
How about Newt's secrets?
I agree completely - that stuff just isn't relevant to political office.

Brogdon is proud to be a Bircher.  Bircher's have always associated themselves with racist, bigoted causes - big supporters of the basic KKK tenets and oh, by the way, they are anti-communist.  (Is that still relevant today?  I've been out of touch.)  So, I guess my feeble mind would tend to think that he is at least mentally aligned with at least some of the principals of said KKK.  Could be wrong, but 50 years of history kind of indicates a trend to me.

[Cats Cats Cats]

A 12 year old alleged affair is of no concern nor are past substance abuse issues. Those would concern me if they were active problems as I'd wonder how thy might detract from their duties.

I was drawing a correlation as to how irrelevant certain issues affect my decision to vote for a candidate or not whilst engaging in childish tit for tat with RM.   FWIW, libs tried to make an issue of VP Cheney's daughter being a lesbian. My personal problem with him
was his sociopathic tendencies.

One problem I would have with Edmondson is whether or not he used his influence to get his niece parolled. There was some flap on the radio in OKC a few weeks ago. I don't care how mixed up she was, she shot someone, they were paralyzed and died a few years later.  Miss Edmondson should not have been treated any different on sentencing.
I've not investigated the issue further, but I'm sure it will come up again if it has traction.    

I do have issues with substance abuse problems.  I honestly don't think that we should vote for addicts.  I really don't know why people do.  Maybe the dems could get Marion Barry to run.  There does seem to be some Republican love affair with people with a past of substance abuse.

[MichaelBates]

Bircher's have always associated themselves with racist, bigoted causes - big supporters of the basic KKK tenets and oh, by the way, they are anti-communist.  

I have plenty of problems with the Bircher tendency toward conspiracy theory, but I don't think you can back up your claim that it's ever been a racist organization.

[Townsend]

I have plenty of problems with the Bircher tendency toward conspiracy theory, but I don't think you can back up your claim that it's ever been a racist organization.

That started with the Society's stance against the Civil Rights movement.

"Support your Local Police" campaign against using federal powers to protect the civil rights advocates.

[SXSW]

I predict Fallin vs. Askins and either way Oklahoma will have its first female governor.  I support Askins, she has the most state government experience and is a true moderate which is necessary to balance our far-right legislature.

[Gaspar]

If Conan's point was that affairs, in general, shouldn't be an issue in an election, I agree completely with him.

I have a bit of a problem with that.  When a person engages in an affair they are engaging in deception of the highest order.  They do not value the relationship with their spouse, yet they continue the relationship to capitalize on mutual benefit or weakness.  They are acting at the expense of another person.  This behavior is never mutually exclusive to their personal lives. 

Deception is a skill, and the level of deception necessary to engage in an affair is far higher than the level of deception necessary to break a business or political commitment.

I understand that having an affair is not against the law, which makes it even worse.  In politics the level of commitment to a constituency is very similar.  It's your word and how you transform your word into action.   Your elected officials do not have to live with you, or kiss the children each night.  A person that can engage in that level of close-quarters deception far more capable of political deception, and the flaw makes them vulnerable to disastrous consequences for their constituents.  Why must we keep learning this lesson?

Values really do matter.  If you wish to serve your community, show it first in how your serve your family. 

[Conan71]

I have a bit of a problem with that.  When a person engages in an affair they are engaging in deception of the highest order.  They do not value the relationship with their spouse, yet they continue the relationship to capitalize on mutual benefit or weakness.  They are acting at the expense of another person.  This behavior is never mutually exclusive to their personal lives.  

Deception is a skill, and the level of deception necessary to engage in an affair is far higher than the level of deception necessary to break a business or political commitment.

I understand that having an affair is not against the law, which makes it even worse.  In politics the level of commitment to a constituency is very similar.  It's your word and how you transform your word into action.   Your elected officials do not have to live with you, or kiss the children each night.  A person that can engage in that level of close-quarters deception far more capable of political deception, and the flaw makes them vulnerable to disastrous consequences for their constituents.  Why must we keep learning this lesson?

Values really do matter.  If you wish to serve your community, show it first in how your serve your family.  

Keep in mind, it was an alleged affair.  The trooper she supposedly had the affair with denied it.  In all the articles, there was never a photo or phone recording (that I'm aware of) which proved this happened.  This was an allegation which came out during her divorce from her first husband.  How do we know for certain that Askins, Brogdon, and Edmondson have never cheated on their spouse?

I understand your point and Trogdor makes a decent point as well.  I think you'd be extremely hard-pressed to find any candidate who has never engaged in deception in their entire life.

I agree, there has to be some moral standards to hold our politicians up to, but As a nation based largely on Judeo-Christian traditions (trying carefully not to open a new can of worms) at what point though do we start holding others to a higher standard than God does (or ourselves) when it comes to forgiveness for past transgressions? Being a politician, with few rare exceptions, seems to require a certain level of conditional honestly with your constituency.

[Townsend]

Keep in mind, it was an alleged affair.  The trooper she supposedly had the affair with denied it.  In all the articles, there was never a photo or phone recording (that I'm aware of) which proved this happened.  

Just a sec...I'm searching youtube for the dashcam recordings...