Voter forum examines role of economy in presidential election

Thursday, October 9, 2008 11:54 PM PDT In 1992, then-Gov. Bill Clinton presciently said, “It’s the economy, stupid,” before sailing to a surprisingly easy victory over incumbent Republican President George H.W. Bush. That’s an iconic phrase from that election, and it’s one that holds true again this election, a Lower Columbia College economics instructor told a crowd of about 70 Thursday afternoon at the Rose Center. “It’s not entirely about the economy... but it certainly is significant,” instructor Jim Franz said at the third of the college’s nine Community Conversations lectures. Thursday’s lecture, “Food, Gas & Mortgages: The Role of the Economy in the 2008 Campaign,” was especially pertinent in this time of a banking crisis, tanking stocks and higher unemployment. Polls have shown the economy is heavily on the minds of... [read full story]