Repetition doesn't make lies true

Oct. 31, 2006

By Tony Knowles

Laundered money! Bribes under the table! Secret bank accounts! Indicted congressmen! Ray Metcalfe's recent column in the Frontiersman (Oct. 20) reads like the synopsis for George Clooney's next conspiracy thriller.

Actually, I enjoy Clooney's movies, but Metcalfe's diatribe comes across as little more than a desperate and bitter partisan attack as a gubernatorial election campaign nears its end. His unsubstantiated claims are patently false and will never be true regardless of how long and loudly he repeats them.

I believe this is a critically important election for Alaska. With so many important issues facing our state - most of all the decades-long dream of getting our vast reserves of natural gas to market - Alaska needs leadership that is ready to hit the ground running.

I've answered the call of public service since I enlisted in the U.S. Army, served in the 82nd Airborne and the Vietnam War, and after moving to Alaska worked my way up in local government to serve as mayor of Anchorage. I later was honored to accept the public's vote to serve as governor of Alaska.

I'm proud of my service as governor during which the state of Alaska continued to grow even in the face of serious challenges. We stopped the decline in North Slope oil production by opening new fields such as Northstar and Alpine, and convinced the federal government to open NPR-A.

More than 30,000 new jobs were created, some by arm-twisting the industry to assemble oilfield modules in Alaska rather than outside. Others came as mining production and investment topped a billion dollars for the first time in our state's history. We revved up our economic engines - our international airports - and established Anchorage as the busiest air cargo hub in the nation.

Even facing drastically low oil prices of just $9 a barrel, we passed balanced budgets by making tough decisions to cut certain programs while increasing spending on core functions of government such as education and children's health care.

And yes, we looked at options for a long-term fiscal plan. In that process, it was I who insisted the public have the final say on any option that affected their Permanent Fund Dividend.

I drove a hard bargain to resolve the BP ARCO merger, rejected BP's initial offer, and was the first to talk about divestiture. At the end of an extensive public process, I hammered out a charter agreement that provided millions of dollars for our university system and mandated environmental protections including corrosion inspections.

I'm glad that Ray Metcalfe has provided the opportunity for me to talk about my service as governor and vision for Alaska's future. People who want to learn more are invited to contact my campaign headquarters or log onto my Web site at www.tonyknowles.com.

I am disappointed that this vitriolic and unsubstantiated attack comes from Ray Metcalfe. Though in the past he has campaigned for reform and ethics, this attack seems a throwback to the old &#8220politics as usual:” the predictable result when one's candidate starts trailing in the polls.

But I remain optimistic for Alaska. I'm reminded of another governor, Bill Egan, who answered a similar call and sought another term as governor in order to help build the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. Egan was a great Alaskan whose shoes I never could fill, but I'm honored to follow in his footsteps.

With the support of the people of Alaska, I know we can build a gas line on Alaska's terms and meet the other challenges that lie ahead.

The 2006 gubernatorial campaign is now in its final weeks. I respectfully ask Alaskans for their consideration, and given the crucial issues now before us, suggest they cast their ballot for the candidate with experience; the candidate who is ready to lead.

Former two-term Gov. Tony Knowles is the Democrat candidate for governor.