Reactions vary to OU political forum
Scott Carter
Transcript Staff Writer

While University of Oklahoma President David Boren's political forum drew huge crowds and nationwide media attention Monday, reaction to the event was varied and divided.

And though Boren's call for greater unity in American politics and more accountability for those seeking office was popular with the audience, some officials questioned the forum's timing and the past actions by many of the lawmakers who participated.

"Sure, I was pleased by what I saw," said state Rep. Wallace Collins, a Norman Democrat. "But all this call for bipartisanship rings a little hollow with me. Now that the GOP is behind they want everyone to come together and sing 'Kumbaya.'"

Collins said he was frustrated because "a majority of the panel" were Republicans.

"You might as well call a spade a spade," he said. "Most of the speakers were Republican. None of them have spoken out on important issues. None of them spoke against their own party when they were passing legislation like ethanol. They took the idea with an open hand and heart."

And though Collins said he supports the call for a better working relationship among all political parties, and the need to develop a unified national policy for many of the country's issues, he said many of those on stage have failed to live up to their rhetoric.

"Take energy," he said. "Yes, the country needs a long-term energy policy. But it wasn't developed by those people on the stage."

Those leaders, he said, have failed to take action many times on many important issues.

"I didn't hear any of them speaking about issues like ethanol, which I believe is a diversion. They were in power for almost a decade. Why did they let us get eight more years down the road? Why now?"

Collins also questioned the group's "lack of action" on issues such as the Iraq war, or campaign mud slinging.

"None of them had the nerve to speak up and talk about the Bush administration," he said. "I didn't hear any of them talking about the war. And where was that bipartisanship four years ago, eight years ago? Look at what the Swiftboat veterans did. Did anyone on this panel say that was terrible?"

Others felt differently.

Dr. Robin Myers, pastor of Oklahoma City's Mayflower Congregational UCC Church, said the event represented "a great day" for Oklahoma.

"It's a great day for OU and a coup for president Boren," Myers said. "Instead of the rest of the country looking at Oklahoma and thinking that all that comes out of here is strange, extremist views, they see this forum."

Myers, a professor of rhetoric in the philosophy department at Oklahoma City University and sometimes political pundit, said the event could cause a major shift in the state -- and the country's -- political landscape.

"We're just on the cusp of change," he said. "Our young people are now realizing they've been sold a bill of goods. I hope this becomes the model for other universities to follow."

Events like this, Myers said, give him hope.

"Every once in a while good ideas bubble up and, finally, we get the leaders to pay attention. It's the saving grace of democracy -- that people still have the power. Once the tone is set, those messages get listened to all the way down to the local level. And today has made me proud, proud to be from Oklahoma."

M. Scott Carter 366-3545 scarter@normantranscript.com