News Report on Mayor Bud Clark in Portland (Oregon)

He looks more like a storefront Santa Claus than mayor of the fourth largest city on the West Coast. Bud Clark: "Woop Woop for Bud Clark, friendly Bud Clark for Mayor" You won't find a more unlikely politician. At age 53 this ex-Marine, now a successful businessman, had never held elective office before. Not unless you count a 1949 term as assistant class treasurer at Portland's Lincoln High. In fact, so uninvolved was he in politics it only took a little encouragement to get this lifelong Republican to change parties. Just three days before the primary. [Bud Clark] I went to the north to the southeast women's meeting, I'd gone to the Republican Womens' over there too. But I went to SE Republican, er, SE Democratic Women's Forum and spoke before them and talked to them and then I went to the east side women's. Those women started to give me so much support that I just decided I was going to sign up to being a Democrat. [Host] Before the mayor's race Bud Clark was best known as owner of the Goose Hollow Inn, and as a chronic volunteer for everything from neighborhood associations to something

called the Venereal Disease Action Council. He also became something of a local celebrity after posing for this popular poster for the arts. [Bud Clark] And I was walking down the street when it was rainy one morning I had a pair of short pants and I had on a poncho that I wore and it looked like I didn't have any clothes on to most people, they were all looking... [Host] Few took him seriously when he announced he was challenging the incumbent mayor Frank Ivancie, a twenty seven year political veteran thought to be unbeatable. Even Clark's close friends had their doubts. [Friend] I was willing to work and do my best but to be very honest with you I didn't think he'd win." Friend: "I said when he called me. I don't think you may be able to make it. And I've got some other things to do." [Host] Clark wound up mortgaging his own home to finance the campaign and with the help of lumberman Bob McCracken secured an initial $45,000 in loans. [Host] Why did you decide to run.

[Bud Clark] Because nobody had taken up the challenge. No professional politician had taken up the challenge of running for the office of mayor of the city of Portland. And I didn't think that the person in the office was doing the right kind of job. I thought he'd lost touch with the public and he was not representing the city the way I thought I would be represented." [Reporter] They are predicting Bud Clark, the next mayor of Portland, over incumbent Frank Ivancie. Quite an upset in the mayor's race the polls show them very close... [Host] Election night May '84. Clark's strategy had been to get enough votes to force a runoff in November. Instead he wound up with a solid victory even Clark couldn't hide his surprise. [Bud Clark] And there the scores are now. 50 percent, 45. Oh that's wonderful isn't it. That's wonderful. Yeah that's amazing. No, I haven't seen [Fades out] [Host] The upset caught local reporters so off guard they were reduced to asking the tough questions after the race was all over. [Reporter] OK some people may wonder Bud Clark, a Mayor what's his political experience? How can he run a city the size of the city of Portland?

[Host] Mayor Ivancie had been so sure of an easy victory. He didn't even campaign against Clark. Meanwhile the challenger was busy turning inexperience into a charming asset. [Bud Clark] I've always wanted to speak in front of the City Club. [Host] Clark ran an old-fashioned shoe leather and press-the-flesh campaign. The secret weapon? Legions of volunteers, many of them faithful patrons of Clark's tavern for years, and a largely unpaid staff. [Commenter] The other secret weapon of course was the arrogance of Frank Ivancie, who assumed automatically that he was going to inherit the job of mayor again. The endless bickering at City Hall didn't help Ivancie's image as abrasive and remote. City Councilor: "I will not respect the chair because you know I can like a mayor now clean it up." City Councilor: "I believe that the council could overrule you Mr. Mayor. [City Councilor] Well we will overrule him because you only get respect, Frank, when you act like a Mayor. [Host] But with the polls close primary week Ivancie's see forces panicked, launching a personal attack on radio and with handouts against Clark a self-proclaimed agnostic. [Frank Ivancie] We don't want to see our city turned over to someone who considers that it might be fun to be Mayor.

Someone without credit, someone without a belief in God. [Host] The ad voiced by Portland businessman Jerry Pratt backfired. In a campaign that had no debates, no issues but the personal styles of the two men, Bud Clark won with 54 percent of the vote and he did it without help from the city's powerful or their money. He even did it without making a single campaign promise other than to listen. [Bud Clark] That's a good idea Mr. Tramp. [Host] By all accounts, then, Bud Clark is probably one of the most likeable people to ever win election in Portland, but the city he will lead is no Shangri-La. The City of Roses is now one of the 10 places in the country you are most likely to be raped, robbed, or murdered. The mayor elect admits he did not have to address hard issues like crime and unemployment in a campaign that centered on likeable people to ever win election in Portland. But the city he will lead is no Shangri-La. The City of Roses is now one of

the 10 places in the country you are most likely to be raped, robbed or murdered. The mayor elect admits he did not have to address hard issues like crime and unemployment in a campaign that's centered on personalities. But he says that does not mean there is no plan for dealing with them. [Reporter] Youth unemployment [Bud Clark] That's the biggest problem going for us, that's in my estimation. [Reporter] What can you do about it. [Bud Clark] Um, there's a variety of things we can do. First of all when we can focus and say this is a major problem and get the whole community focused on it." [Host] He calls it government from the ground up, and getting people together to talk about problems is about as specific as Clark will get before he officially becomes mayor in January. But there are some indications of his priorities. [Bud Clark] When you see a police car coming up the street you don't feel like they're on your side. There should be a greater alliance, a greater communication between the police and the citizens of the city because they're a service to the city. They shouldn't be in, like the occupying army.

[Host] Clark says he was caught out on foot patrol around the city and he wants to increase police morale, but not necessarily through bigger budgets. [Reporter] Again do they need more money, do we need more policeman? [Bud Clark] I think they get too much money. [Reporter] Do you? [Bud Clark] I said that and didn't I? [Reporter] You did. [Bud Clark] Yeah, well, I think government spends too much money generally. [Host] In fact, under that happy-go-lucky image say his supporters lies a tough businessman who will keep a tight [distorted] on the city and he wants to increase police morale, but not necessarily through bigger budgets. Again do they need more money? Do we need more policeman? [Clark] I think they got too much money. [Host] Do you? [Clark] I said that didn't I? [Host] You did. [Clark] Yeah, well I think government spends too much money generally. [Host] In fact under that happy-go-lucky image, say his supporters, lays a tough businessman rein on city finances. [Friend] I think he's probably a fiscal conservative. I mean if you want to attach a label to it [Friend] First of all he is a small businessman who came from nothing, to operation where he Grosses close on a million dollars a year. He has the tightest pencil

I've ever seen in my life." One of the few things he has said he's willing to spend money on is a major convention. Bud Clark: "And the citizens of the city because they're a service to the city. They shouldn't be like the occupying army. Clarke says he wants cops out on foot patrol around the city and he wants to increase police morale but not necessarily through bigger budgets. Again do they need more money? Do we need more policemen? [Clark] I think they get too much money. [Host] Do you? [Clark] I said that didn't I? [Host] You did. [Clark] Yeah. Well I think government spends too much money generally. [Host] In fact under that happy go lucky image, say his supporters, lays a tough businessman who will keep a tight rein on city finances. [Man] I think he's probably a fiscal conservative. I mean if you want to attach a label to it. [Another man] First of all, he is a small businessman who came from nothing to operation where he grosses close on to a million dollars a year. He has the tightest pencil I've ever seen in my life." [Host] One of the few things he has said he's willing to spend money on is a major convention facility for Portland. He's at least entertaining a recent City Club suggestion the city

legalize prostitution and zone it. But his biggest priority is economic development and selling his city to the rest of the country. But I think that's the mayor's job is to be one of the salesman of the city and I think that's why the previous administration wasn't doing Portland's been undersold they don't realize what a wonderful place we have here in most the United States. [Announcer] would you welcome. Bud Clark. [Host] The chance to sell his city is why Clark says he's accepted the attention of the national media who so far seem more attracted by his antics than his message. Speaker Change: "You must exhibit a combination of political and administrative skills and if he's not up to the task he may have exposed himself and the city through a host of new problems." [Host] Critics grumble the national focus on the mayor's eccentricities makes him and his city look foolish. [Reporter] Mayor, you've got to run a city I mean.. [Bud Clark] Well I've taken a course in public administration from Portland State College" Speaker Change: "You're taking that course now?" [Bud Clark] You're darn right.

What's, I don't see anything wrong with that [Fades out] [New Reporter] But do you ever feel like it gets in the way of your message? Do, uh, people tend to not take you seriously? [Bud Clark] I think no, I think they take me very seriously on many things. And I think the message is that you can act with great individuality and you're still tolerated. I mean so many people think, without asking they think of the world as being very straight laced you're supposed to be exactly this way otherwise you're a deviant of some kind. Well we're all deviants of some kind." [Reporter] I don't know about the rest of the nation--Oregon loves the Mavericks. They love Wayne Morse who is a maverick. They love a Bud Clark who is a maverick. We've always loved Mavericks, we love Richard Neuberger. Tom McCall this place breeds Mavericks. [Host] Do you think his lack of experience with public administration will hurt him at city hall? [Friend] No again, you're still dealing with people. He has a way with people. Those people are the same people that loosen up after work and go have a beer in his tavern. [Friend] I don't think he's going to get pushed around. I uh, uh, he's uh, he's

his own man. I think he knows where his strengths lie. [Host] No one is suggesting it will be easy. Least of all the man Clark defeated. [Frank Ivancie] I hope the new mayor does its homework, studies hard, works hard in this transition because we have a great momentum going here and we can't afford to gamble with it. Let's do some praying. [Host] The mayor elect knows the job won't be easy. That's why he took his first college class in public administration to prepare for the job. But after all he reminds you he did ace that class. [Bud Clark] Like I said before, I didn't need the job. But I thought the job needed doing.