Inside Opinion

If you have questions about how the Daily News makes editorial decisions, this blog has the answers. Editorial page editor Matt Zencey and writers Frank Gerjevic and Rosemary Shinohara will discuss what they're working on, answer questions and ask your perspective on issues facing Alaska.


Contributors

Matt Zencey

Matt Zencey joined the Daily News as an editorial writer in 1985 and was named editorial page editor in May 2007. He has won several. "Best editorial writing" awards from the Alaska Press Club and was a Nieman Fellow in Journalism at Harvard University. He lives on the west side of Anchorage, where he enjoys the best weather in town and easy access to the Coastal Trail. E-mail Matt at mzencey@adn.com

Frank Gerjevic

Frank Gerjevic has worked at the Daily News since 1978, where he's been sports editor, copy editor, reporter and columnist. He's been an editorial writer since 1998. He began his newspaper career with the Anchorage Times in 1975. E-mail Frank at fgerjevic@adn.com

Rosemary Shinohara

Rosemary Shinohara is an editorial writer who has lived most of her life in Alaska. She has spent most of her career as a reporter or editor at the Daily News. She covered construction of the Alaska oil pipeline, the Legislature, schools and urban affairs. She has also been an editor for NPR's All Things Considered, and has written for the Associated Press. E-mail Rosemary at rshinohara.com

Archive

"I dare ADN to publish this." - 5/13/2008 8:42 am

Looking to save on gas and ride the bus? - 5/12/2008 9:35 am

Joe Contraire's latest, coming soon - 5/9/2008 2:41 pm

Sarcasm? Hah! A non-fan writes in.... - 5/9/2008 11:48 am

Who's accountable for ADN editorials? - 5/7/2008 11:14 am

Talk radio: Dittoheads vs liberals - 5/7/2008 11:01 am

More info and commentary on John McCain's health care 'plan' - 5/1/2008 6:29 pm

Join the dialogue on race and diversity - 4/30/2008 4:44 pm

How can our community as a whole combat prejudice and discrimination? - 4/30/2008 4:42 pm

What can an individual do about prejudice? - 4/30/2008 4:39 pm

Prejudice here - getting better or worse? - 4/30/2008 4:37 pm

Prejudice and discrimination: How are we doing in Anchorage? - 4/30/2008 4:36 pm

Not-so elevated discourse - 4/28/2008 4:20 pm

Elevated discourse - 4/28/2008 10:44 am

Yin and Yang - 4/25/2008 6:00 pm

UAA vs UAF - 4/24/2008 3:59 pm

Arctic Power demands retraction re Liddy - 4/23/2008 6:04 pm

Airport expansion vs. Kincaid trails - 4/23/2008 10:20 am

About the First Amendment - 4/23/2008 9:52 am

Irwin rips Exxon, partners on Point Thomson - 4/22/2008 5:25 pm

Tesche heads into the sunset - 4/22/2008 4:52 pm

Good words from Leonard Pitts - 4/22/2008 3:25 pm

full archive »

Begich: Why the U.S. Senate, not the House

Posted by Matt Zencey, editorial page editor

Posted: February 29, 2008 - 10:02 am

Mayor Begich came to the editorial board Thursday. As he was leaving, I asked him why he is considering a run against Sen. Ted Stevens, when Congressman Don Young would be much easier for him to beat.

Begich replied: Yes, Young would be easier to beat. However, there are three other good candidates in the race already. Besides, a candidate who wins a congressional seat has to turn around immediately and start raising money for the re-election contest in two years. That’s too much of a distraction from doing real work in Congress and too much strain on family time. Alaska has just one seat among 435 in the House and it would take him a long time to work his way up to a position of influence to benefit Alaska.

The Senate, he said, is a better fit on many counts. The 6 year term allows more time to focus on work instead of fundraising, and more time for family life. A freshman senator can have a lot more influence for Alaska than a freshman congressman. He thinks he could work well with Lisa Murkowski and that Alaska would benefit from having a U.S. senator from each party.

-- Matt Zencey


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  1     March 1, 2008 - 11:36am | rfn

A decision that's easy to support

because if the boy mayor became the boy senator the nation would still be relatively safe.

Well, safer than he he were in the House of Representatives. Because that's where tax legislation must originate. Greatly diminishes the probability of Americans having to pay a national property tax one day.

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