Knowles steps outside the party line to deliver an independent message

Frontiersman editorial board

We've grown accustomed to campaigning politicians focusing on their safest positions -- especially those positions that resonate best with their constituents. Republican candidates are pro-life, pro-gun ownership, pro-business, pro-family values (whatever that is) and anti-tax. Democratic candidates are pro-choice, pro-gun control, pro-labor, pro-inclusion (whatever that is) and pro-tax.

These days, any candidate who wants to get past first base is also a staunch patriot, an anti-terrorist, is pro-education and really fond of dogs, cats and children. Every Alaska candidate is in favor of gun ownership, has caught at least one king salmon and can tell you the exact time, date and location of his or her first moose kill. Alaska candidates want to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to exploration, and they also want to protect fishing, hunting, hiking, recreational vehicle rights, clean air and water, better schools and your permanent fund check.

Most of those positions can be identified in party platforms, but most of them are also pretty innocuous. Does anyone really believe gun ownership in Alaska is in jeopardy? Raise your hand if you're in favor of pollution and bad schools.

The discerning voter has to look for the occasional bold statement to get a real sense of political candidates. We sometimes have to wait a long time for those statements. Whether you support him or not, you have to admit, Tony Knowles doesn't keep you waiting long for the bold statement. In a brief conversation with the former governor, you're likely to learn that he's passionate about the needs and support of veterans, and that he strongly supports our current troops. That doesn't mean he's a strong supporter of the president's policies in Iraq. Knowles said he believes we failed to apply important lessons learned in Vietnam to our operations in Iraq, and that without a clear exit strategy, the country has gotten itself into a tough spot.

Knowles is the candidate who has no problem saying he's pro-choice, pro-gun and pro-business. When he talks about pro-business, though, he talks about incentives that encourage businesses to keep jobs in the United States, and he talks passionately about protecting the labor force, which he believes strengthens the position of U.S. businesses.

Knowles runs on the Democratic ticket, but he talks a lot about independents, and that's how he identifies himself, more often than not. It's likely why he's enjoyed so much success in Alaska politics, and why he'll be a tough candidate in November.