Schellinger looks back

The Democratic primary race between presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and winner Barack Obama attracted so much attention
that the Indiana governorâ??s race got short shrift â?? and the governorâ??s race still isnâ??t getting the respect it deserves.

Thatâ??s how Jim Schellinger views the landscape two months after losing to Jill Long Thompson in the May primary and several
days after announcing he had returned to CSO Architects as chairman and CEO.

In his 15 months away from the Indianapolis architectural firm, Schellinger says he learned just how hard it is to get
attention. A typical example was a Democratic fundraiser in LaPorte County where speaker after speaker stood to extol Obama,
and then he finally took the podium as people began looking for bathrooms and attention spans waned.

The media also seemed more interested in the presidential primary than the governorâ??s race, he says.

Schellinger says the lack of attention isnâ??t necessary harmful. But he sees opportunities squandered.

â??There needs to be more debate,â?? he says. â??Weâ??re missing opportunity for collaboration and debate.â??

What do you think? Did the presidential primary drown out Schellinger? Or was part of the problem that he didnâ??t have a
compelling message?