Read a Pacific Northwest, liberal perspective on world, national, and local politics. From majestic Redmond, Washington - the Northwest Progressive Institute Advocate.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Peter Goldmark launches new television ads

Recently, I was fortunate enough to take part in the filming of an ad for Peter Goldmark at Green Lake. It was a pleasant morning, and I got to meet supporters of his from all over, some of whom had journeyed in early by ferry. The park was beautifully lit with morning sun, and we did it in a few takes. We were provided with coffee and pastries. It was a fun experience.


I've been waiting for word on the ad - and have now received word from the Goldmark campaign that several ads are being made.

Peter Goldmark is the Democratic nominee for Commissioner of Public Lands, and is a rancher from Okanogan. He has managed his family's wheat and cattle ranch for more than thirty five years. He wants to protect Washington's five million acres of forest, shoreline, grazing lands, and aquatic resources.

Here's some background from the Goldmark campaign, which distributed a press release this morning announcing their ad buy:
The advertising, running on cable channels throughout Washington, focus on two of the issues highlighted by Goldmark throughout the campaign: DNR's [The Department of Natural Resources] failure to enforce rules that could have limited the devastating landslides that impacted Lewis County last December, and a well publicized land deal where 320 acres of state forest were traded to a longtime developer ally of Sutherland in exchange for a parking lot in Des Moines.

The common link, says Goldmark, is that both ads highlight how Republican Sutherland rewards large contributors to his campaigns and a political action committee that operates on his behalf.

"Follow the money, and you can see where Doug Sutherland's priorities lie," said Goldmark. "He turned the other way while his largest corporate contributor clear cut miles of steep slopes-in Lewis County and elsewhere - and when wealthy developers come looking for sweetheart land deals, he is willing to bypass public input to assure a good deal for his friends."
Watch the ads on YouTube:
Ending backroom land deals - now there's a platform we can get behind.


The campaign says that each spot has its own unique twist:
The ads, while similar in theme, differ in style. One ad features stark images of the clear cut hillsides with Washington residents describing the scene. The ad ends with Goldmark surrounded by people describing his philosophy for land management.

The second ad was shot in the actual drug store parking lot now owned by the people of Washington. In a humorous take on a serious subject, volunteers are posed as traditional users of the land: a logger, a family of hikers, and a father and son fly fishing-clearly out of place in a parking lot.
So why shoot in that parking lot?
"We wanted to show the ridiculousness of Sutherland's actions," said Goldmark. "The Lands Commissioner first and foremost must be a steward of the public trust, and that means protecting lands for use now-and into the future. It's not a Commissioner of Public Parking Lots."
The contest for Lands Commissioner is emerging as one of the closest races of the 2008 election cycle. Goldmark is within striking distance of Sutherland - if some polls are to be believed, he's even slightly ahead. Unfortunately, Sutherland's longtime buddies are coming to his aid:
Goldmark has outraised his opponent in direct funds, but in keeping with the themes of the advertising, the timber industry and other interests have placed nearly $600,000 into a political action committee for the benefit of Sutherland's campaign.

Weyerhaeuser, the company allowed to clearcut the Lewis County lands, put another $100,000 into the fund just last month.
We'll be keeping a close eye on this race in the days and weeks ahead.

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