The Murkowski show opens to weak reviews

Frontiersman Editorial Board

Much has been written since Gov. Frank Murkowski spent a half hour on Channel 13 answering questions about his budget plan. Murkowski has taken a beating in the pages of the Anchorage Daily News, and he hasn't done much to heal his relationship with some of the local broadcast media, either.

The flap is mostly over the fact that Murkowski -- or more to the point, the state -- paid for the time. It cost taxpayers $4,700 of their own money so the governor could explain his position on a budget proposal that many voters don't seem to like. Of course, the irony about the price tag is only too clear. The budget is all about tightening belts and raising much-needed revenue. Many programs are to be cut. Apparently, the community outreach or public relations portion of the budget is safe, though. Many people found themselves asking, "Why is he spending money to tell us we need to save money? Couldn't he have done that for free?"

A spokesman for the governor said the answer to that question is, "no." He said the administration approached two television stations and asked that they donate the time, but neither would come through. It's pretty clear, though, that no self-respecting news source would give free time or space without a degree of control. The litmus test for news is largely based upon objectivity and balance. That means the governor can't ask the questions and provide the answers, too. That's not news; it's public relations. It's an advertisement, and that always comes with a price tag.

The disturbing thing about the program, for the few people who watched it, was that Murkowski had obviously rehearsed his responses. He was like a batter calling for his own pitches, and he was getting one hanging curve after another. Perhaps even more disturbing, though, is the fact that he failed to hit any of them out of the park. The questions had dull edges, and the answers were simply EP versions of the same answers he's given all along. The frustration has not been with Murkowski's assertions that tough decisions have to be made and that sacrifices will be in order. The frustration has been with the way the governor seems to have changed his message since the campaign and with who is being asked to sacrifice.

Lastly, one has to wonder what the administration was even hoping to accomplish. The governor has made his proposal, and it's up to the Legislature to either approve it, reject it or repair it. His efforts should be spent convincing them that he's right. The rest of us are just along for the ride, now. We don't get to weigh it until the next election. Murkowski can't already be worried about that … can he?