This Week in the Mercury
Friday, June 12, 2009
Podcast / Politics Wurster: Pretty Much a Nice Dude
Posted by Rachael the Unpaid News Intern on Fri, Jun 12, 2009 at 3:17 PM
While I haven't followed the recall effort too closely up to now, I was surprised at how reasonable its spokesman sounded on the radio this morning. At least until he started repeating, "a new leader will emerge." That bit was a little creepy.
Jasun Wurster, head of the Recall Sam Adams movement, stated his case during an interview on a PDXSucks podcast this morning. Their all-volunteer recall group has made a strong effort to stay away from negative campaigning: Wurster proclaimed, “That’s not my Portland. My Portland is having the citizens become engaged, care about their city, and make a difference.”
Which is why he jumped into the recall game right away, he said. By being the first to organize a recall campaign, “I was able to create this ethical construct that focuses strictly on Sam Adams’ civic transgressions against us with his lies, and cover ups, and abuse of power.”
A successful politician needs the public’s trust and political capital, according to Wurster, who majored in Political Science at PSU. Sam Adams has neither, since he lied to the public, Wurster says. Taking his first, and pretty much only, stab of the interview, Wurster announced, “What Sam Adams is relying on to stay in office is political apathy and fear. Those are the only things going for him.”
And to prove he’s not homophobic, Wurster offered to make out with radio show host Robert Wagner. To prove he’s not a totally nice guy, Wagner tried to get him to swear on the radio: “Could you say one expletive? Any one. It doesn’t matter which one.”
“Oh boy. Oh shit, man. I don’t fucking know,” Wurster responded.
Listen to it here.
-Rachael Marcus
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There are quite a few of us in PDX's gay community who knew this was bound to happen with Adams. Not because of homophobia in the city rather due to Adams' private reputation. A lot of the gay community has rallied around Adams ONLY BECAUSE he is gay without knowing the man. This would be like the black community rallying around Louis Farrakhan running for political office without taking his history into account. I plan on signing the recall petition as does my partner. Adams is a disgrace to the city of Portland, and he is a disgrace to the gay community.
I think the first words in Matt Davis' article on the kick-off of Wurster's campaign describe it so succinctly as to render further discussion (or coverage) unnecessary. "What a bloody circus."
http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/Blogto…
Wurster is going dooooooowwwwwwnnnnnnn as we Portlanders become more like Europeans and less like over-sensitive "my feelings matter" Americans.
Unfortunately, this is the only public input regarding ideas like giving millions to Merritt Paulson that Sam Adams will listen to. No right wing candidate is going to win an election to replace Adams.
Thanks, blairmastbaum. I'm sure we should all be proud to follow Europe's lead, especially after this lovely election they just had.
"a new leader will emerge" - lol
While I can't speak for Jasun (proud enough that I got him to swear), I can say that he has a pretty deep political education and has a tendency to use terms that make him sound more like a professor than maybe the rest of us might be used to.
Having said that, I can assure everyone that I felt no disturbance in The Force, nor did I witness any glowing red eyes, when Jasun used that phrase in the studio.
Yes, when I read it now it seems a little strange - when I was watching him say it, well, I didn't really think anything of it.
Blah, blah, blah. Hi, I am Robert Wagner and I use every comment section in the universe to promote my lame ass blog. You can count on me to change my opinion to whatever is popular at the moment. I have yet to say anything halfway intelligent unless I stole it from some other half wit.
Hey Throw out the hebephile, I'm voting against Sam as well (after voting FOR him in both elections), as I'm pretty disillusioned with his lies, cover-up and trashing of another gay potential candidate. I'm curious about your reference to his private reputation. Can you elaborate on that?
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