Indy Star: Helmke and Paddock comment on Jill Long Thompson

The Indy Star's Bill Rushart profiled Jill Long Thompson, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, in today's edition.  He quotes former Mayor W. Paul Helmke and Headwaters Park Director Geoff Paddock extensively.

Helmke said Long Thompson's biggest strength may be her ability to connect with voters.

During a recent interview, Long Thompson didn't hesitate to brag that she washes her own car, that the blazer she was wearing cost only $29.95 on sale and that she had hemmed its sleeves.

Serving as governor, Helmke said, will require more of Long Thompson than convincing voters she's like them.

"Jill can be a fighter, but being an executive is different," he said. "She listens to people, but whether she knows how to run something like state government, I think, is the big question."

Mr. Helmke also said:

"She knows how to play hardball, which I think sometimes surprises people."

"She has this non-threatening image, but she really knows how to throw a punch, too."

Geoff Paddock talked of her service as Congresswoman. Ms. Long Thompson served from 1989 to 1994.

"Her parents are salt-of-the-earth, hard-working, honest and devout people from the word go," said Geoff Paddock, a Fort Wayne park administrator who worked as Long Thompson's district director when she was in Congress. "That's where she got her work ethic, honesty and integrity."

Mr. Helmke compared Ms. Long Thompson to one recent Fort Wayne visitor:

"She sort of came through with this Rebecca from Sunnybrook Farm image. It was sort of an early version of (vice presidential nominee) Sarah Palin, in effect," said Helmke, now president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. "I think it really helped her connect with folks."

Photo credit: Fort Wayne Observed | Mitch Harper

Comments

[Kristina Frazier-Henry]

Comparing Jill to Sarah - yeah - I don't think so.

I'm critical of both however, all they have in common is that they're female and that they both have worked to break the glass ceiling of the male-dominated political world.

Their approaches and demeaners are completely different. Jill doesn't do that awww shucks I'm just a farm girl. She never has. While she has talked about her rural lifestyle, she has maintained a high level of (business-like) professionalism while campaigning.

You might be able to make a closer comparison between Mitch and Sarah. But still, Mitch comes across more sincere than Sarah.

[Roger McNeill]

I don't know Ms. Frazier-Henry's age, but I can remember when Jill Long got elected to our Congressional seat playing the awwww-shucks-I'm-just-a-farm-girl card. It was very effective for her, at least for a while.

This is not to condemn Jill for using it or anything; when you run for office you should play all the truthful cards you can. In fact, thinking about it sort of makes me long for the good old days when the truth seemed to matter to voters.