Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Clearing air of dirty politics

Ruthe Deskin

Thursday, July 13, 2000 | 9:07 a.m.

Ruthe Deskin is assistant to the publisher. Her column appears Thursdays. Reach her at deskin@lasvegassun.com.

Putting a stop to "dirty politicking" is like saying "whoa" to a cue ball.

In all my years on this good earth, I have yet to see an election year minus some spurious campaign tactics. It goes with the territory, and frankly, I do not believe things will ever change.

As long as voters keep well informed, the harm done by those who stoop to questionable practices in campaigning is negligible. In fact, beating on an opponent with half-lies and innuendoes can often come back to haunt. A recent flier, mailed out by County Commissioner Mary Kincaid's opponent, is the first salvo in what could become a "down and dirty" campaign.

The inference in the flier is that Kincaid is against building a children's hospital and turns a deaf ear to the welfare of children. What a farce. Show me anyone who loves children more than Mary Kincaid. She has raised children of her own -- eight at last count -- and Mary and her late husband, David, have been honored for their work in nurturing, feeding and housing dozens of kids who needed something special in their lives.

Kincaid's vote was most certainly not a vote against children, as the flier would have one believe, but a vote of sound judgment asking that a county task force assess the need as well as cost of a children's hospital. Let the record be clear.

In spite of all the hype, I find "Survivor" to be somewhat dull. I'll take Regis Philbin and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." Pitting one's own knowledge against the ordinary, nice people who are trying to win the big one is fun. This is a show that could be the answer to all of those who decry too much sex and violence on TV. Unless, of course, you find Regis' wardrobe sexy.

One of the joys of writing a column is in the reaction of readers. It's rewarding when a reader agrees, but it is also stimulating to be taken to task occasionally.

A recent column deploring the desensitization of American citizens brought some interesting responses. Most agreed that we need to strengthen our family units and raise our moral standards.

Suzanne Childers takes a slightly different approach as she lays the blame for the desensitization on the media. She writes: "School prayer and family values do nothing but sugarcoat a problem that needs to be dealt with face to face -- the media has to take responsibility for their content." She is absolutely correct, but will it happen? Don't bet on it, except for a few voices crying in the wilderness.

Ira David Steinberg recommends reading the book "Machiavelli on Modern Leadership," which covers the "inevitable rot of nations if the people themselves become corrupted." Steinberg edits Las Vegas Notebook, a weekly commentary on movers and shakers, some of which is hilarious.

Then there is James B. Prather, who gave me the equivalent of 20 lashes for leaving the name of "the most important leader in the United States" off my list of undesirable role models. I presume he meant President Clinton.

Prather vows that because of my "slanted journalism" he will never read this column again.

Come on, Jim. No second chances?