Gulf oil spill shadows gubernatorial debate

Six candidates for governor, including the guy who currently holds the job, stumped Wednesday at an Alaska State Chamber of Commerce candidates' forum, where oil and gas -- and the Gulf of Mexico spill -- were on everyone's minds.

Republican Bill Walker, a lawyer who is running on the platform that Alaska needs to build a gas line immediately, banged Gov. Sean Parnell and his policies both during and after the forum. Walker said the Gulf spill puts offshore drilling in even more limbo than it was in before, which makes it even more important to build a gas line right away.

"When you have a governor who's a former oil industry lobbyist, you end up with a governor who has not slid around completely to our side of the table," Walker said.

Ralph Samuels, a vice president at cruise line Holland America, is also a Republican contender for the state's top spot. He said since offshore drilling is going to be slowed down by what happened in the Gulf, we should certainly be taking steps towards drilling onshore in places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

"No matter what you think of (the Gulf spill), it set us back," Samuels said.

Standing outside the Denai'na Center meeting room where the forum was held, the current governor weighed in on what the oil spill blackening the Gulf of Mexico means for future offshore drilling in Alaska waters.

"Does it give us pause? Absolutely," Parnell said. "We need to learn from this. Still, our economy and our people need these jobs, and our country needs the energy."

Asked whether the governor of Alaska has a responsibility, especially given the Gulf spill and the safer energy North Slope gas represents, to push the idea of an Alaska gas line nationwide, Parnell said "I don't believe in politicizing a tragedy."

Inside the room, about 120 professional types -- folks like state Sen. John Coghill and U.S. Arctic Research Commission Chairman Mead Treadwell -- chowed down on seared halibut and roasted strip loin while they listened to the six candidates recite their stump speeches in two minute bursts. The time limit was strictly enforced by master of ceremonies Steve MacDonald, news director for KTUU Channel 2. If candidates went over, he said, "we have a Philadelphia police officer with a Taser who will take care of you."

State Sen. Hollis French, a contender for the Democratic nomination, said he was the only one of the candidates to have actually worked at an oil company (a point Parnell contested). Interviewed before the forum, French said onshore development in ANWR is what he wants, partly because cleanup would be easier in case of a spill.

"It's much easier to shovel up oil off the ground than it is to skim it out of the water," French said.

Poe, another Democrat, brought up his idea to build a gas pipeline from the North Slope to Fairbanks in order to get construction started.

"I'd like to be your governor for two terms, and I'd like to do a killer job," Poe said. "And then I promise that you'll never hear from me again."

Berkowitz joked with the crowd, saying "I hope you choose me -- and I hope I'm the second choice of all you Republicans out there."

Sheldon Fisher, a former telecommunications executive who is gunning for Don Young's U.S. House seat in the Republican primary, sat on the sidelines taking notes.

"I don't think anybody stole the show," he said. "It was pretty even-keeled."

Contact Joshua Saul at jsaul(at)alaskadispatch.com.