Published: October 11, 2008 03:56 pm            

Public eye - Oct. 12, 2008

Money mystery solved

When a state audit turned up $10,800 in impermissible city utility spending on an Indianapolis outfit called PPR, Inc., even city controller Jim Brannon was at a loss as to where the money went.

As it turns out, PPR was a now-defunct public relations firm run out of the same Indianapolis office as Stakeholder Inc., one of two firms former Mayor Matt McKillip tapped to start the KGOV channel.

One of the memorable moments from the early days of KGOV was a video in which McKillip was seen answering pre-arranged questions on governance, posed by a Stakeholder employee.

Allan Sutherlin, a Stakeholder employee who worked closely with McKillip, said the $10,800 went toward KGOV expenses, and PR training for former McKillip “press secretary” Jennifer Heck. Although Sutherlin used the term, Heck was never officially given that title and never acted as a spokeswoman for the administration.

Sutherlin said former city controller Phil Williams suggested billing PPR for the work. That decision, coincidentally, came around the same time the city council was beginning to question the money spent with Stakeholder.

Thanks

Twice during the debate for the District 30 seat in the Indiana House, Republican Jason Miller thanked incumbent Democrat for running a clean campaign that focused on the issues.

Miller did add to his thanks the words “so far.”

Unlike the 2004 and 2006 campaigns for the seat between Herrell and John Smith, there appears to be little money being spent by either campaign and the race is not the focal point of the local political parties as in years past.

We heard that line before

Democrat Bob Snow, seeking the District 38 seat in the Indiana House, included in his closing statement during the debate with Republican Jacque Clements the question: “Are you better off than four years ago?”

Former President Ronald Reagan is generally acknowledged for first using a similar phrase during a debate in 1980 with then President Jimmy Carter.

Democrat Barack Obama also used the line last week in his race to win the White House against Republican John McCain adding, “Are you better off today than four weeks ago?” referring to the current fiscal crisis.

Soul searching

During the Snow/Clements debate, the two candidates were asked their worst fault and what they were doing to correct it.

Clements first said cooking and then continued that she wasn’t able to say no when asked to serve and at times overloads herself. She admitted those commitments kept her from being at home with her husband, who Clements said was understanding.

Snow’s response was simple and to the point, use of bad language.

Maverick!

A new national study among 314 self-reported Democrats, Republicans and Independents revealed that after viewing a Tina Fey impersonation of Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live,” Palin’s favorability ratings dropped slightly among all parties.

The study was conducted Oct. 8 by HCD Research and the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, and showed Palin’s favorability dropped among all responders from 47 percent to 43 percent after watching Fey’s skit.

It was notable, however, that among Republicans participating, Palin’s favorability barely wavered after watching Fey’s impersonation. For the eight people who haven’t yet seen the impersonation, Fey plays Palin as a likeable, fun-loving ditz.

No word from HCD yet on how Jason Sudeikis’ Joe Biden impersonation (“[Scranton, Pa.] is a hell-hole!”) went over with voters.

        

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