October 4, 2007 - Keila Szpaller, Missoulian

For folks who have ever wanted to see Missoula City Council candidates do the chicken dance, the Elks Lodge was the place to be Wednesday night.

Seven of 12 candidates showed up to boogie, perform skits and answer a few questions about issues facing city government at an event designed to pique the interest of younger voters in a city election.

Some members of the crowd deemed the show a social success but light on substance. Meteorologist Mark Heyka emceed the Candidates Gone Wild forum, telling tales of a younger Heyka helping to butcher chickens. The controversy over having chickens in town was the event's theme. As the crowd bantered, candidates jointly drew chicken sketches to illustrate they could work together if elected.

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  October 4, 2007 - Emily Darrell, NewWest.Net/Missoula

After paying my cover and receiving my complimentary heart-shaped confetti, I walk into a dimly lit room. There’s an afro-wigged DJ spinning groovy trance tunes and the mirror over the bar reflects a sea of pink bunny ears. Wait, is that Hugh Hefner over there?

No, it’s Ed Childers, Missoula city council member, Ward 6. It’s Wednesday night and I’m at the Elk’s Lodge for Candidates Gone Wild, an event put on by Forward Montana, a group aimed on “recruiting and training young Montanans to lead in the 21st century.” In an effort to make politics more palatable, and to get folks fired up about the pending city council elections, they’ve lured us here with promise of a full bar, some good music and a comedy troupe.

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  October 4, 2007 - Lauren Russell, Montana Kaimin

Fifteen pairs of pink bunny ears and one set of Mickey Mouse ears dotted the moderately-sized but lively crowd at Forward Montana’s “Candidates Gone Wild” event at Missoula’s Elks Lodge Wednesday night.

Approximately 100 people attended the event co-sponsored by NewWest.net, the Missoula Independent and KBGA-FM, that Lanette Diaz of Forward Montana described as “not your mama’s candidate forum.”

The forum featured a gameshow style debate, a talent show and the improv of the Virginia City Brewery Follies.

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  September 20, 2007 - Keila Szpaller, Missoulian

Western Montanans have got critters on the mind. First it was urban chickens in Missoula, then it was fire-starting squirrels near Seeley Lake.

Now, a progressive political organization is capitalizing on the animal craze with pink bunnies. Devoted to young Montanans, Forward Montana is using fuzzy rabbit ears and pink T-shirts to encourage Missoulians to re-register to vote in the upcoming city election.

“Re-register to vote - or feel my wrath,” says a decidedly wrathless-looking rabbit with hearts for eyes from www.pinkbunnies.org.

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September 20, 2007 - Mike Gerrity, Montana Kaimin

Overgrown pink bunnies have overrun the University of Montana, and they’re not out for carrots or your children – they want your vote.

Forward Montana is behind the new Pink Bunny public service campaign designed to raise awareness for voter registration in time for the upcoming elections in November.

Some bewildered students find themselves asking, “Why pink bunnies?”

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