Harsh words from Scott Proctor in this week's Montana Green Party Weekly Bulletin about Bob Kelleher's plans to run as a Green Party candidate for governor:

"I'm frankly tired of seeing people like Kelleher, who have shown no interest in the party since it received ballot status, waltz right into the general election with no opposition. If people are willing to donate a little money so that I can pay my entry fee, I will put my name in the ring if nobody else will. For those who say that a Green Primary will make us look bad because we're costing the state money, I would say that it looks like we'll be having one in 2004 anyway, because there will be a range of different choices in the presidential race.

"As the Green Party candidate for Governor, I would try to promote actual Green Party ideas, and push things like "Living Wage" and "Instant Runoff Voting" rather than ideas such as changing the Montana Legislature to a "One House Parliament" or other such ideas that will result in our party being marginalized by the media for the rest of its existence."

Proctor, a Billings computer technician, ran for the Legislature in the last election. Paul Stephens, who edits the Bulletin, was a bit kinder to Kelleher but said the Green Party needs multiple candidates in the primary. He suggested going after such names as Ken Toole, a state senator and Montana Human Rights Network director; Tom Power, a University of Montana economist (you can read his take on the Healthy Forest Initiative in the Nov. 20 Outpost); Steve Kelly, who ran against Denny Rehberg as a Democrat for the U.S. House seat; and Jim Jenson of the Montana Environmental Information Center.

"The important thing," he said, "is to break with the past image we've somehow accumulated as being the 'junior league of the Democrats.' In my opinion, the Democrats as a party is doomed, and as long as we stay tied to it, they will drag us under, as well. We can provide a lifeboat for those survivors who sincerely wish to join us."