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| J. Curtis Fruit, who retired in 2004 after 24 years as clerk of Circuit Court, refused to vote this year. (The Virginian-Pilot file photo) |
By Marc Davis
The Virginian-Pilot
VIRGINIA BEACH
Former politico J. Curtis Fruit did something Tuesday he had never done before: He refused to vote. It was his tiny protest against nasty political campaigns.
Fruit, now 66, was active in local Republican politics for decades. He retired in 2004 after 24 years as clerk of Circuit Court.
But in a letter to The Virginian-Pilot published the day before the election, and in an interview Thursday , Fruit said he is appalled by the recent spate of local political ads.
“I have seen so much garbage in print and on the TV from other candidates running that the only way I can think to show my disgust is to stay at home on Election Day,” Fruit wrote. “I used to be a politician. I never resorted to the dishonest attacks being used
nowadays. Frankly, I am ashamed at the outright lies and distortions being used by both political parties.”
Fruit started in politics in the mid-1970s. At the time, he was a mid-level court clerk.
His first campaigns were as a worker for a pair of Democrats – friends running for state delegate and commonwealth’s attorney.
Later, Fruit entered politics himself. When the top clerk retired in 1979, Fruit ran for the office as a Republican. He was one of four candidates.
Fruit’s campaign featured a series of goofy 10-second TV ads, playing off his unusual name. They all began with a woman ringing a doorbell, wearing a sash that said “Fruit for Clerk.”
In one, a man answered the door and said, “Fruit! That’s a funny name!” In another, a woman off-camera yelled, “Who’s at the door?” and the man who answered the door replied, “Just someone selling fruit!”
There was also a punny radio ad with the tagline: “Fruit knows the job. Plumb knows it.”
Fruit knew the ads had worked when voters greeted him at the polls on Election Day saying, “Fruit! That’s a funny name!” He won the election with 55 percent of the vote.
Fruit said he never ran negative campaigns, in part because he never really had opposition after the first election, but also because it wasn’t in his nature.
This year, he said, the relentless barrage of political attack ads disgusted him. He was equally critical of Democrats and Republicans.
Ads accusing former cop Bobby Mathieson of giving crooks get-out-of-jail-free cards? “I don’t believe it,” Fruit said.
Ads accusing former Norfolk Naval Station skipper Joe Bouchard of wanting to sell ports to foreigners with ties to terrorism? “I don’t believe it,” Fruit repeated.
Ads focusing on Del. John Welch’s bankruptcy? “It was fair game, but it was way overplayed,” Fruit said.
Fruit’s suggestion: Candidates should “have the guts” to reject deceptive attack ads paid for by state and national political advisers.
In some ways, it was easy for Fruit not to vote Tuesday. None of the candidates on his ballot had opposition. But he said he would have boycotted anyway, even if he had lived in a contested district.
“I’ve never not voted before,” Fruit said. “This is just one man’s opinion. I really just wanted to make a statement: Enough! Enough!”
Marc Davis, (757) 222-5131,
marc.davis@pilotonline.com
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By not voting
all he is doing is cutting off his nose to spite his face, and because the campaings were negative is a lame excuse. Since he usually votes Republican, I'm glad he didn't vote, but for pete sakes stop the Republican whining. Fruit's opinion isn't worth reporting. I mean really, who cares what he thinks, and all he has done is join the ranks of the apathetic complainers. Good job Fruit!
I don't know which makes me madder ...
Negative campaigns or people who whine "I don't vote because of negative campaigns." Guess what knuckleheads ... you are a big part of the problem. You're too lazy to do your duty as citizens, so you will leap on any excuse to keep your fat butt in a lounge chair. There's plenty of information available to you but you won't find it with a TV remote. Fruit was making a statement - even if it was a rather obvious one - and he has a long history of civic involvement. He's earned the right to protest. What have you done?
Positive campaign and bigger voter turn out
I would venture to guess that if politicians stopped with the negative campaigns as Mr Fruit shows they do, then more people would make a effort to get out and cast their vote. Negative campaigning is a turn off that keeps low turn outs coming. With the mud slinging it just becomes a contest of the lesser of evils.
"Negative campaigning is bad for Virginia."
I believe that all candidates, whether Republican or Democratic, should emphasize the ways that they can help us, not emphasize how their opponents can hurt us. Most people are drawn to optimism, not pessimism or cynicism. Take for instance, the race between Trisha Stall and Ralph Northam (if I remember correctly). He accused her of being callous toward public education and wanting to cut funding for it. No politician in his/her right mind would take such a strong stand against education. It is political suicide. Trisha was probably against the stranglehold that our government has on the education system. "I am a Concerned Voter, and I approved this message."
And I thought New Jersey was bad
I live in the Philadelphia area and in October, I have to turn off the regular TV because the ads are too repulsive, especially in New Jersey. They have a ugly looking picture of their opponent and say that just because he voted for a tax increase or something else, that he is bad for the region.
When I was a student at ODU, I went through three campaigns. Even though I am a Republican, they had the negative ads. But they didn't pan out because they were the most juvenile.
The only way one can succeed is if they give a vision of what they have for Virginia. Look at what happened to those who took the negative approach. Are they going to Richmond?
Fools get campaigns for fools
James D. hit the nail on the head. Negative campaigns are used because they work. Most voters aren't smart enough for the tough job our form of government gives them. They choose a side, then believe everything they are told. I was laughing and crying as I watched the ridiculous charges and counter-charges being launched in almost every campaign. The newspaper did a decent (not great) job of covering local campaigns, but it probably didn't matter. When people read or see something they don't want to believe, they dismiss it as brainwashing by the "mainstream media." It's so easy to be stupid. You ignore those you disagree with and focus on those who think like you. You chose Fox or CNN and assume only your side knows the truth.
I voted, but it didn't count
Curt Fruit was my next door neighbor when I first moved to Virgini Beach. He was, and always has been, a thoughtful, astute guy. If he didn't vote, he was probably motivated by solid reasoning and thought about his actions. I felt the same way, as I wrote a letter to the VP about the same issues and it was published. I wrote in my name as a protest against the ads. There were two other write-ins in my district. What has to be done to get it in the thick skulls of both parties that the electorate is not just a bunch of belive-anything type of people? Let us know what you are going to do. Appeal to us by being positive. Treat us like we have a brain. Curt, I am sympathetic to your actions, even though it goes against my grain,
Negative ads........
Sadly, it's a fact that negative political ads work and just about anything can get spun in a negative way. For instance "Mother Teresa condemns suicide bombers" could be spun to sound like "In a recent speech, Mother Teresa actually condemned people who were victims of suicide bombings. Mother Teresa is bad for Virginia!"