PSU Magazine Spring 1987

But with election campaigns starting earlier each year, their business continues to expand. In fact, they are already doing work for clients for 1988. Hibbitts has had some impressive wins but the governor's race was one of the most exciting. "It was the first time big league politics hit this state," he says. "Over $5 million was spent. The print and electronic media covered the races on a daily basis. It was a biggie - undefeated Paulus against undefeated Goldschmidt. It was a long, drawn-out race and that worked to our advantage." "Paulus was ahead in the beginning and Goldschmidt was never clearly ahead until the end," Hibbits says. "The last 60 days were' the determining factor in that race, and that's not always the case. It was close. Only a four point spread out of a million votes. That's close." But, says Hibbitts, there have been other races "where the advice I gave was just as good and we lost. I don't like to lose ... But you have good seasons and bad seasons. "Media consultants and strategists like to think we make a difference , and our strategies are important," he says. "But there are also lots of factors that operate outside of our control. " "I don't like to lose . .. But you have good seasons and bad seasons. " Hibbitts says the current political climate in Oregon is a case in point. "The voters are not happy with where we are but they're not sure how to get us out of it. One way is to make changes ... . That was a factor in the last election. In the governor's race , Goldschmidt ran as an 01.itsider. Paulus was seen as an insider. "The Democrats won the governor– ship but took a beating in the legisla– ture. The Republicans used the same theme that Goldschmidt was using and won more seats," he says. Hibbitts predicts the same attitudes will be a factor in 1988 and 1990 races. "To the extent that the economy improves - or people perceive it as getting better - incumbents will benefit. If it's not seen as improving, incumbents will be in trouble. " "See? That's how it's done!" said Tim Hibbitts after furiously .filling a few pages of lined paper with handwritten notes. Hibbitts thinks efforts to change the tax structure or keep schools open will continue to run into the same kind of frustration. "Eighty percent say they want a change in the tax system .. . but there's no agreement on what kind of change. " As for the legislature's "safety net" proposal for schools, he sees it as "one tough sell - not impossible, but difficu It. " P olitical people who have worked with Hibbitts describe him as "obsessive," "completely involved ." He brings that same inten– sity to backpacking. "Tim's idea of a relaxing afternoon is to hike 15 miles up the Columbia Gorge, and then hike back," says Tucker. "He and (Portland City Commissioner) Earl Blumenauer used to run up mountains with a 100-pound pack on their backs - just for the fun of it. " Hibbitts has hiked the Grand Canyon and all over New Zealand. He's hiked every trail and climbed every mountain in Oregon and Washington. He was looking forward to another backpacking break after the 1986 campaigns but close to Thanksgiving he was struck down by Guillain-Barre syndrome, a disease that attacks the central nervous system, causing loss of sensation and progressive paralysis of the muscles. He spent five frightening days in the hospital and two months at home PSU MAGAZINE PAGE 12 hardly able to get out of bed. "I had some paralysis in my toes, real muscle weakness in both legs and in my arms and fingers . But I was lucky," he says. "I had an extremely mild case." Hibbitts continues to improve, walking and swimming to build up his strength . Back at work part-time, he's also "trying to slow down, trying to practice not getting stressed out with the smaller things." Hibbitts describes himself as 'just a j typical Oregonian with a pickup truck !:.l who enjoys outdoor activities ... I've g been living with the same woman (Kiki ci Adamovics, a graphic designer) for < eight years. We just purchased a house ~ near Forest Park so I can engage in ~ hiking more regularly. And if I could G fi gure out a way to make a living out of backpacking, I certainly would." Ohio-born Hibbitts came to Portland as a teenager and graduated from John Adams High School - "that radical high school" - in the first graduating class, 1971. Charles R. White, of PSU 's political science department, recalls Hibbitts as a freshman in the first class he taught at PSU. "He always stood out," says White. "He is very bright, someone with a very inventive, imaginative mind . "Tim has one of the best memories fo1· voting statistics and trends that I've ~ver se~n ," he ~ontinues. "His strength 1s political polling but his work goes beyond that. He weaves political knowledge and polling information together very well. " "If I have any strength," says Hibbitts , " I think it's that I understand that you've got to approach each race differently. You can draw from past experiences but the Row of events will never be the same in any two races. "I also have a good-size ego," he says. "You have to in this business because you're in the position of saying 'do this' or 'do that. ' That's a fairly risky thing to do. "You have to have a lot of self– confidence but at the same time, you can't take yourself too seriously. There are a lot more important things going on in the cosmos than what I do here. " fi!.! Joan C. Johnson is a free-lance writer and a 1978 graduate of Portland State.