Rumble in the Student Union

Apparently being trashed regularly by Jim Hastings on WATA as a socialist threat to the United State Constitution finally had its consequences. Mayor Loretta Clawson came out swinging last night at Citizens for Change (CFC) as a bunch of rich guys who want to take Boone backward for the sake of lining their own pockets.

It was the ASU candidate forum, and issue Numero Uno was CFC, its negative and highly divisive campaign, and the slate of candidates it has endorsed ... some of whom evidently wanted to distance themselves from the Hastings-Templeton Gang, but that proved relatively difficult since the CFC political signs are up all over town with the names of their four candidates plainly printed.

Tim Wilson, the CFC candidate for mayor, had the hardest time admitting to CFC backing. At first he acted like he didn't know nuttin' about no PAC. I haven't received any FORMAL piece of paper saying I've been endorsed, he averred, as though the CFC yard signs aren't made of paper. He found the gumption finally to say that the CFC "isn't a pack of wolves. They're quality citizens." Uh-huh.

Stephen Phillips, another CFC candidate for Town Council, said he was "unofficially" endorsed (whatever that means), but admitted, "The CFC is running an independent campaign that's a little negative for my taste." "Negative"? Dempsey Wilcox seemed satisfied with that tone, because -- hey! -- the CFC is motivated by justifiable anger.

ASU student Ethan Dodson, bless his heart, was the only CFC candidate to actually stand up and be proud of the endorsement. He said he wouldn't reject that endorsement even with the hindsight that has now developed.

The ridiculous rumor that the mean ole progressives on Town Council, who are now the targets of CFC anger, rejected that Mecca of Mercantilism, a Target store, was finally put to rest by none other than Dempsey Wilcox who said that although representatives for Target had looked into locating in Boone, it was the lack of water outside town limits that scared them off, and that the request NEVER came before Town Council. But it was STILL somehow Town Council's fault, you know, because of the water.

Evidently I have the power to make it stop raining, Mayor Clawson remarked.