Stretching truth, or campaigning?

On the campaign trail for the 8th Congressional District's Republican nomination, Long Grove's Steve Greenberg says only injury kept him from playing in the National Hockey League.

His playing statistics, however, show his scoring put him 10th on his minor league hockey team in one full season.

In the 10th Congressional District's Democratic primary campaign, candidate Dan Seals of Wilmette has touted his position as an adjunct professor at Northwestern University.

But he doesn't start that job until April.

Are these guys stretching the truth? Or are they outright lying?

Political experts say candidates should consider what they say in public or claim in advertising to be part of an application they are submitting to their future employers -- the voters. That means they should be factual and accurate.

Kent Redfield, a political science professor at the University of Illinois' Springfield campus, said flagrant misstatements or resume-puffing can be costly to candidates at the ballot box. He said voters are more likely to look in that direction than toward candidates' positions on the issues.

"They understand about people telling the truth," Redfield said of voters. "If it turns out you fudged on some things, that becomes the issue."

Another problem with "stretching," Redfield said, is it can prompt opponents to look for other shaky claims and, if found, pounce on them for political gain.

Redfield and John Jackson, a political scientist and visiting professor at Southern Illinois University's Paul Simon Institute, evaluated the candidates' rhetoric and weighed in on how it could affect voters, who head to the polls Tuesday.

Greenberg on ice

Greenberg, 36, states in his campaign literature he was a center for the Hampton Roads Admirals, a minor league hockey team, and that "only physical injury prevented Steve from playing in the National Hockey League."

Statistically, Greenberg didn't exactly knock 'em dead in the East Coast Hockey League in the 1989-90 regular season, when his 34 total points put him 10th in scoring on the Admirals, at that time an affiliate of the NHL's Washington Capitals. He had two goals and five assists for seven total points in an injury-shortened 1990-91 campaign.

Greenberg said it's not a stretch to say the injury, which he declined to publicly disclose, kept him from the NHL. He said the Edmonton Oilers showed genuine interest in his services for the 1991-92 season.

"My role was as a checking forward," Greenberg said. "I never told them I was Wayne Gretzky."

Redfield and Jackson agreed Greenberg's reference to his NHL potential could be perceived as questionable. They also were baffled about why Greenberg is touting his minor-league hockey prowess in a congressional race in the first place.

"Does it add much to say, 'I could have been a contender?' I don't know?" Redfield said.

Morris enlightens

One of Greenberg's opponents, Kirk Morris of Gurnee, claimed in a Daily Herald editorial board interview he "enlightened" Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani about the concept of installing high-tech virtual fencing on the United States-Mexico border.

Morris, 50, later retreated from the characterization of his Giuliani encounter at a private Lake Forest fundraising event in September. Morris also apologized and said inexperience led him to claim he had a "face-to-face" talk with Giuliani for up to 1½ hours.

Redfield agreed Morris probably got carried away about Giuliani in his first stab at elected office, but it's something voters should consider.

Jackson said Morris helped himself by apologizing.

Kenneth Arnold, 51, of Gurnee is the third GOP candidate in the 8th District's primary.

Professor Seals

Seals, running against 42-year-old Jay Footlik of Buffalo Grove in the 10th Congressional District, at one time said he was an adjunct professor at Northwestern University.

But Seals doesn't begin his position as a part-time School of Continuing Studies lecturer until April, a Northwestern spokesman said. Shrugging it off as a miscue, Seals has started calling himself a lecturer in public forums, though as of Tuesday afternoon, his Web site still listed him as an adjunct professor.

"What it might show is I don't know what the proper terms are," said Seals, 36. "The idea that I'm trying to mislead or be deceitful is baseless."

Jackson said the difference between a lecturer and visiting professor isn't great, but Seals should have known better considering this is his second run for Congress. He added Seals should have been clearer about when his employment began at Northwestern.

Liars?

So, when can the word "lie" be attached to a candidate's resume? Both professors said it would be appropriate in the case of Jehan Gordon, running in the Democratic primary for a state representative seat in a district that includes Peoria. She claimed to be a University of Illinois graduate in campaign literature.

It turns out Gordon is just shy of the required hours for a degree.

Jackson said while all politicians exaggerate, they must be careful not to cross a line in campaign materials, interviews or at public events.

"It's a job application," Jackson said. "And you're not supposed to lie on your job application about what your credentials are."