Rivals rally to Carter’s defense

PORTLAND – Jonathan Carter never knew he had so many friends until “Steve from Belfast” called.

Carter, the Green Independent Party’s candidate for governor, was at Maine Public Radio’s Portland facility Friday for the latest round of live debates. The Lexington Township resident was fielding routine questions about tax policy, education and state spending with his opponents, John Baldacci, a Bangor Democrat; Peter Cianchette, a South Portland Republican; and John Michael, an independent from Auburn; when the call from “Steve” came in.

“Let’s operate under the assumption that you don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting elected,” Steve told Carter and the station’s thousands of listeners. “I see your campaign as essentially being an ego-driven thing where you’re using the taxpayers’ money to espouse your own particular agenda without any real hope of representing the people. You get on these shows and talk about getting elected when anyone with any sense at all can see that you have no chance of getting elected.”

Sounding as if he were caught off-guard by the question, Carter told the caller that the nearly $1 million he had received under the Maine Clean Election Act as the state’s first publicly funded gubernatorial candidate reflected the sentiments of the voters. In 1996, the law was passed in a referendum vote that Carter said was inspired by voter desire to keep special interest money out of Maine politics.

“I think my ideas are valid and, actually, we’re going to win this race and surprise you,” Carter said.

After the show, Carter said there was no question in his mind that “Steve” was an obvious Baldacci supporter who had called to embarrass him. But Baldacci, who was participating in the show by phone from Machias where he attended the funeral of the late Rep. Martha Bagley, actually came to Carter’s defense during the program as did Cianchette and Michael.

“The caller is a little harsh in terms of Jonathan Carter,” Baldacci said, adding that he too had supported the Maine Clean Election Act. “I wouldn’t disparage any candidate because I’m sure they believe strongly in the reasons that they’re running. I’m sure it would be great [as far as the caller was concerned] if nobody would run, but that’s not what democracy is all about.”

Cianchette, who has made no secret of his opposition to publicly funded campaigns, told the caller he had spent a lot of time with Carter in the last several months and that he had no doubts about the Green Independent’s desire to become Maine’s next governor.

“I’ve seen his passion, I know what he believes in,” Cianchette said of Carter. “Yes, we might disagree on many of the issues, but I know that he’s in it for everything that he believes in truly.”

Michael, who also shared Carter’s suspicions about the political motivations behind “Steve’s call” made a reference to an earlier moment in the campaign when the Maine Democratic Party unsuccessfully challenged Carter’s right to receive public funding.

“Some of the Baldacci people, in their arrogance, would like to suggest that other voices don’t even have a right to be heard,” Michael said. “People complain about not having enough choices, but the choices are clear. And my last choice would be Mr. Baldacci, by the way.”