David
Boren
David
Boren, latest in the string of Reform Party candidates, is described
by his backers as the most successful and intelligent political
leader in Oklahoma history. Since we didn't know much about Oklahoman
politicos and their histories, we checked his credentials, instead
of just believing everything his backers said. Like we usually
do. Right.
If
intelligence is defined by graduating at the top of your class
from Yale, being a Rhodes Scholar, getting a post-graduate degree
from Oxford and a law degree from UofO, then Boren is intelligent
indeed. In 1974, Boren became Governor of Oklahoma, the youngest
governor in the country at the time. From 1979 to 1994, he was
a member of the Senate and served on the Senate Finance and Agriculture
Committees and was the longest-serving chairman of the Senate
Select Committee on Intelligence.
His
political career has been based on a platform of reform and he
appears to have a genuine loathing of lobbyists. During his campaigns,
he used the broom as his symbol. Whether he did that to signify
the sweeping away of political dirt or to curry the favor of the
housewife vote is not made clear*.
A fiscal conservative, Boren quit his Democratic seat in the Senate
after one too many conflicts with the Clinton administration over
taxes and other issues. (They were for Ôem; he was against Ôem.)
Taking up his current post as President of the University of Oklahoma,
Boren said he would never run again as a Democrat, but would consider
an independent bid.
If
you think brains and politics shouldnŐt mix, then BorenŐs not
the man for you. But, if an intelligent routing of corruption,
waste and fiscal mismanagement is right up your alley, you might
want to take a long look at what this Okie has to offer.
-
bd
* This
was recently clarified for us by one of our visitors, Chelsea
Cook, who added a personal view of Devid Boren:
"This issue was very clear during
his campaign. He used the broom to "sweep away the old guard politics"
or "a clean sweep with Boren", meaning the 'Old Guard'. It was
a very clever campaign tool and caused a great deal of anxiety
among the old career politicians who had been established and
entrenched for years. There are people in Oklahoma who still hate
Boren for actually attempting to do some progressive programs
in Oklahoma.
Since he left office, Oklahoma has
sunk back into "Less is enough" and very dirty and bitter partisan
fighting. For all else he gets blamed for, Boren did bring some
fresh air to breath through the former political smog."
