Brad Ellsworth is challenging John Hostettler for the IN-08 congressional seat, long known as the "Bloody 8th" because of the razor thin victory margins and venomous campaign tactics of the past. This year is shaping up to be no different, as Mr. Ellsworth is already up against dirty politics, just days after he announced his candidacy. And amazingly enough, it's all over a college student having a drink!
Brad Ellsworth's daughter Andrea, a college sophomore, had posted pictures of herself on Facebook and Webshots. It just so happened that one of these pictures showed the 19 year old drinking an alcoholic beverage.
I realize some of you are going to need a minute or two to get over the unescapable shock of an underaged college student drinking, but continue along when you've recovered.
Things begin to get more sinister when you find out just how it came to be we're even discussing this subject. Joshua Claybourn, former Indiana University law student, posted these pictures of Andrea on his political blog, which was then picked up by the Evansville media, and continues to grow as a story.
Big deal right? It happens, a blog posted something and it got pickedup by the media. Think again. Joshua Claybourn turns out to be a registered Republican who worked on John Hostettler's campaign six years ago. He claims he has no connection to Mr. Hostettler now. Funny though that the story was picked up because Mr. Claybourn himself alerted the Evansville Courier & Press to the existance of the photos and the "interesting comments" which followed them.
In fairness, I should report Mr. Claybourn's side of the story. He claims "as an irregular contributor to the opinion pages, I frequently share columns, information and pieces with the newspaper's staff.". And to his credit, he also stated "no election, particularly not one of the few competitive House races in the entire United States, should be decided by such a story."
Good for him. A college girl drinking before she turns 21 has got to be the absolute most non newsworthy story I can possibly think of. Next thing you know, we'll find out college kids are experimenting with sex and drugs! After that, what is left, besides finding out the sky is generally blue and the sun rises and falls on a daily basis?
The point of this entry is simply to get the word out about this pathetic story, because this is one of those things which tends to never leak outside of your particular local cocoon, but has the potential to tilt a race just far enough to be the difference maker...and we can ill afford two more years of service from Mr. Hostettler.
I would urge anyone else from Indiana (or perhaps even those who aren't) to help out by letting the pertinent newspapers (which would be the already mentioned Evansville publication, Indiana University's Indiana Daily Student, and perhaps Bloomington's Herald Times) know just how much of a non-issue this really is, and that you feel their coverage to this race would be better suited to focus on John Hostettler's consistent record of being far outside of the mainstream. Lets make THAT be the story that the locals are talking about on election day, not a college girl getting tipsy!
Indiana Daily Student article
Joshua Claybourn's blog