Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
One politician really likes the media
Friday, June 02, 2006 | No comments posted.
BEND (AP) - Derek Stevens learned quickly that running for office means increased scrutiny.
Stevens, 42, on Wednesday was the first to pick up a petition to run for the Bend City Council in this November's election. By Thursday, his candidacy hit its first bump in the road when The Bulletin newspaper reported that he described a television reporter who interviewed him as a “little hottie” in an online chat room posting and placed her picture on the site.
Stevens acknowledged that he posted comments on the Gorillamask Forum under the name Deadhead Derek. It was in November that Stevens posted the picture of the reporter, who had interviewed him at his office.
Under the posting was Stevens' tagline “Vote Derek Stevens for Bend City Council 2006.”
The post sparked comments by other users, some suggesting that Stevens “shoulda knocked her out and had your way with her” and that the reporter “would look nice knocked out and curled up in the trunk of my car.”
After those postings, Stevens commented favorably about the reporter's body and said he found the picture on the station's Web site.
When one user suggested that Stevens hire the reporter as a bookkeeper, he wrote back that he “would be stuck behind my desk all day ... I wouldn't get any work done.”
Stevens said he can't control what others write after he posts on the forum and sometimes he doesn't even read their comments. Stevens said he didn't mean to embarrass the reporter.
Stevens has posted under Deadhead Derek for more than a year on Gorillamask, which has thousands of users from around the world. Stevens' online profile showed that he has made more than 9,000 posts.
Stevens said he would rather residents focus on the issues confronting Bend than the postings he described as mindless fluff.
“But if that is not the case, then I have made my bed and will lie in it,” he said.
Several city council members and the Human Dignity Coalition declined to comment on the postings, but Councilwoman Chris Telfer told The Bulletin that she sees Stevens in a new light.
“Whether I am a female or not, I find it to be fairly offensive in nature,” said Telfer, who is running for re-election, but not against Stevens. “I can't imagine anybody wanting to represent the citizens of Bend who could have public comments like that.”
Stevens, 42, on Wednesday was the first to pick up a petition to run for the Bend City Council in this November's election. By Thursday, his candidacy hit its first bump in the road when The Bulletin newspaper reported that he described a television reporter who interviewed him as a “little hottie” in an online chat room posting and placed her picture on the site.
Stevens acknowledged that he posted comments on the Gorillamask Forum under the name Deadhead Derek. It was in November that Stevens posted the picture of the reporter, who had interviewed him at his office.
Under the posting was Stevens' tagline “Vote Derek Stevens for Bend City Council 2006.”
The post sparked comments by other users, some suggesting that Stevens “shoulda knocked her out and had your way with her” and that the reporter “would look nice knocked out and curled up in the trunk of my car.”
After those postings, Stevens commented favorably about the reporter's body and said he found the picture on the station's Web site.
When one user suggested that Stevens hire the reporter as a bookkeeper, he wrote back that he “would be stuck behind my desk all day ... I wouldn't get any work done.”
Stevens said he can't control what others write after he posts on the forum and sometimes he doesn't even read their comments. Stevens said he didn't mean to embarrass the reporter.
Stevens has posted under Deadhead Derek for more than a year on Gorillamask, which has thousands of users from around the world. Stevens' online profile showed that he has made more than 9,000 posts.
Stevens said he would rather residents focus on the issues confronting Bend than the postings he described as mindless fluff.
“But if that is not the case, then I have made my bed and will lie in it,” he said.
Several city council members and the Human Dignity Coalition declined to comment on the postings, but Councilwoman Chris Telfer told The Bulletin that she sees Stevens in a new light.
“Whether I am a female or not, I find it to be fairly offensive in nature,” said Telfer, who is running for re-election, but not against Stevens. “I can't imagine anybody wanting to represent the citizens of Bend who could have public comments like that.”
The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Not already registered?
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines