Wednesday, July 26, 2006 | 7:31 a.m.
In the ever-perverse (but rarely pornographic) world of politics, the sincerest form of flattery is not imitation but abuse.
But when state Treasurer Brian Krolicki began to flay Barbara Lee Woollen in a new TV ad, I don't believe she was flattered. In fact, the heretofore unknown Woollen, the lieutenant governor aspirant who has peppered the airwaves with a frequency only fellow deep pockets hopeful and sheriff's candidate Jerry Airola could appreciate, has responded with outrage, recriminations and, of course, the two other sincere proofs of political flattery: A lawsuit and a news conference.
This is the time of year - a few days before early voting begins - that tries political reporters' souls - yes, we have them. Candidates are always outraged about one thing or the other, they fill the air with the L-word (any form of the verb, to lie) and desperately, often pathetically, vie for the media's notice.
On Tuesday, Woollen accused Krolicki of defaming her because of his new ad about her movie equipment company leasing equipment to adult films and then called a news conference with Richard Ziser, the local arbiter of moral values who heads Nevada Concerned Citizens.
Woolen sat stoically, almost Stepford-like, as Ziser explained why he was standing by his endorsement of Woollen despite the "information plucked out of the air" by Krolicki in the television commercial.
(Turns out the real reason, it seems, is that Krolicki snubbed the group and did not fill out the questionnaire. Then after he lost the endorsement, the treasurer whose picture should appear in Webster's next to the word "obsequious," called Ziser to suck up.) Woolen then took over after Ziser had sprinkled the waters of absolution on her and exuded outrage - she almost seemed to be acting for an upcoming TV spot of her own.
The woman who has deflected attention away from the real issues that might confront a lieutenant governor (if there are any), and focused on illegal immigration, accused Krolicki of deflecting the campaign "away from him and away from the issues."
Woollen also wondered if Krolicki told his "three adorable little girls" that he was proud of producing the spot. Oh, the horror!
Fact is, though, that even though Woollen called the attack malicious and replete with lies (there's the L-word, on cue), there do not appear to be any falsehoods. Cinelease did indeed lease equipment to adult films and what was most remarkable is that Woollen did not seem to get the disconnect between her campaign of being a hands-on businesswoman and then playing Pontius Pilate about who she rented her equipment to.
So, I innocently asked, she could be renting equipment to a snuff film and wouldn't know it? I suppose so, she retorted.
This is not just unbelievable; it is a fantasy, and I'm not talking about the kind in some of the films her company has rented equipment to for production.
If Woollen, who apparently finds pornography as abhorrent as Ziser does, could not figure out what "Dead Sexy" might be about, or what kind of scenes might be in Playboy's "Women: Stories of Passion," what are we to conclude?
It's simple. She wants credit for all the films with marquee companies - and much of the company's work is with quality, even Oscar-winning films - but she also wants to pretend she had no idea Hef was using her lights? Please.
There is something karmic about this, too.
Woollen has quite cleverly, albeit cynically, used illegal immigration as her central issue because it is paramount in much of the GOP electorate's mind to elevate her campaign for an office that has nothing to do with that issue. It is demagoguery and designed to pander to the party's base.
And now she is near apoplexy because Krolicki has quite cleverly, albeit cynically, used her company's association with adult films to create the impression she is a porn seller. It's demagoguery and, yes, it panders to the GOP faithful.
I hate to say this in this context, but it is tit for tat.
Woollen is right on one point: Krolicki never would have unleashed this assault if he didn't feel threatened by her candidacy. And because of her huge ad buy and exploitation of the illegal immigration issue, she is a real factor.
Never the strongest reed in the political water, Krolicki bent Tuesday and took his own position on illegal immigration. He's for securing the borders, too, if you are interested.
Even in politics, once in awhile, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
archive
