Oregon Elephant

Michael Reagan , writing an article for Human Events concerning John McCain's defeat, wrote this: This was not a referendum on Ronald Reagan. As a matter of fact, my dad might well have voted for Barack Obama just based on what he was seeing his party doing. Wow...

Bobby Jindal was interviewed on Hannity & Colmes tonight...wow, he's impressive. It makes me wonder if things might have been different with him as the nominee...

I'll have a longer post later tonight, but here are some quick thoughts: Barack Obama : Congrats to the new President. I hope he governs from the center - I guess we'll see. At any rate, we can all be even more proud today of our country. Obama's first primary victory was in Iowa, which is mostly white. Last night, he won Virginia, which was the cradle of the old confederacy. It's an amazing thought. John McCain : Maybe one of the best concession speeches I've ever heard. It was gracious, warm, and truly heartfelt. And anyone could see that John McCain's deep love for America is no act. He is a true hero, a true patriot, and will be a great asset in the Senate. California's gay marriage ban : Fascinating that the state that voted for Obama by double-digits also voted to ban gay marriage. It shows that the country truly is center-right. I was very happy to see this pass, especially after the vicious anti-Mormon ads the other side ran the day bef

Merkley - He seemed somewhat uncomfortable, like he was gathering his courage for a schoolyard fight in which he wasn't the biggest kid. I think he was trying hard to show he belonged on a big stage. He recited his lines fine, but I'm just not sure he won over any undecided voters. His rhetoric was very populist, left-leaning. It will appeal to his base, but I'm not sure independents will be convinced. His statement at the end that "we don't run negative ads, we run issue ads" was just silly. It doesn't impress when the audience is laughing at you. Grade: C+ Smith - He seemed comfortable and ready to go at it. He seemed ready for the questions about negative campaigning, and put Merkley on the defensive with his offer to bilaterally stop the negative ads. He fell into pettiness at times, and seemed a little prickly in his confrontations with Merkley. But all in all, he seemed the more moderate, which will appeal to independents, who are the real

Merkley - It was fine, but nothing unusual. Smith - says he was rated 50 out of 100 senators in ideology - says he is "the center of the senate". Two phrases he has used multiple times "you can believe his rhetoric, or you can believe his record." and "i have always been there for rural oregon." Smith's close was a little stronger, but neither statement was terrible or terrific.

Questioner mentioned Gordon Smith's offer to stop negative ads on both sides. Merkley - "I don't have negative ads, I have ISSUE ads." Audience laughed - I don't think Merkley was trying to be funny. Bad moment for Merkley.

Question on global warming.... Merkley - Basic stock liberal stump speech. Was fine. Smith - When salmon fisherman have problems, I've been there to help them. Talks about the farmers he's helped. I'm for natural resources, but people count too. Smith's answer was a little better.

What can we do to not become even more of a debtor nation? Smith - Gives the stock moderate position, strengthen the dollar, some public assistance Merkley - talks about bush/smith giveaways. Infrastructure, Green energy, Obama tax cut. I think Merkley's answer was a little better...

say three positive things about your opponent? Smith said three things personal, but not voting things.... Merkley said he voted with Bush 90% of the time, so he was with Oregon 10% of the time. That seems a little like a strange thing to say...does that mean every Bush position is wrong, and every non-Bush position is right? And Merkley is showing himself as a bipartisan....?

Doesn't want to punish business...relates it to jobs. Smart move. Merkley also talking about jobs, and how Smith's policies are resulting in lost jobs. They both know this is a hot button. "Cheney energy plan"....this is the second time Cheney has been mentioned. Ah, Cheney again! Now three mentions. Smith - Obama also voted for the bill. Merkley supports windfall taxes. Merkley doesn't address the fact that Obama also supported the bill.

Smith is pushing lower taxes...will be interesting to see how this plays. With the economy in the toilet, are people still sensitive to the tax story? Merkley says Smith is running up the debt Wow, they're talking directly to/at each other about government size/taxes. This is good stuff. Wish the presidential debate was like this!

I think Smith looks good, and seems more "senatorial"....Merkley is playing the populist class warfare game with both barrels.

Smith: Been to Iraq many times. Had many questions. Met with families who had lost loved ones. Offered ammendment with Democrats to end war and bring troops home. We won the war - Iraq must win the peace. Merkley: Our sons and daughters are the wrong ones to be there - we don't speak the language or understand the culture. I support Obama's plan to leave in 16 months, refocus on central front, Afghantistan.

Merkley: We need a senator from Oregon immersed in energy. Current energy policy was built by Cheney to enrich oil companies. Need energy policy that tackles global warming. Smith: There isn't a senator in DC that has introduced more renewable energy legislation. Merkley's record on hydroelectric is terrible, and i will defend hydroelectric. A draw...nothing too exciting in these answers.

Gordon Smith was just asked about Sarah Palin...he said she was Governor of California. Smith says he supports McCain because he doesn't need on-the-job training. Says McCain is a reformer. Says the country needs someone who can work with the other side. Merkley refers to Smith's mistake...he didn't do a good job of avoiding sounding petty. Merkley: I'm a proud community organizer.

Merkley: Foreclosure is because of predatory lenders....wow, he's really going after mortgage companies. Are all lenders crooks? I don't think so. Smith: I reach across the aisle. Worked with John Kerry to pass a law allowing people to stay in their homes. Central to the american dream is having a house. Good exchange for Smith.

Says he has always followed the law...says DEQ has said repeatedly they are within the law. Merkley - talking about Iraq...what does this have to do with the question? Merkley's performance so far has been ragged. Wow, this is really personal...these guys really don't like each other. Words like "coward", "hypocrite" said right to each other's faces.

wow...the times are tight...one minute to respond, 45 seconds for rebuttal...hope they ate their wheaties... Question 1 - negative ads merkley responds to question about negative ads...kind of a weasely answer wow, smith brings up his wife's feelings...that's a pretty tough statement. smith offers to bring down his ads. merkley plays the rove card smith calls merkley ads defamatory, etc. this is getting pretty personal and snipy, right of the bat... Question 2 - Bailout bill Smith - talks about doing something vs doing nothing....seems to be a strong answer Merkley - talks about smith raising taxes, and also cutting taxes for the rich. This seems like a tricky and strange argument. I don't think it works. Smith - you have a choice to believe what he's said, or what he's done. Smith says he is a rural oregonian, and knows what they need. Says merkley has taxed, snubbed rural oregon. This is a very strong argument. Smith looks strong tonight. Smith - we need to s

I don't drink...but let's think of some debate-drinking-game-phrases anyway....such as: "Bush" "economy" "middle class" "illegal aliens" "furniture" Any others? Those are the ones I can think of. Ok...turning on KGW...

Sen. Gordon Smith and Jeff Merkley will be debating on thursday night at 7. It will be broadcast locally here in Portland at 7pm, and I'll be liveblogging it (my first debate liveblog!). Be sure to check in for updates.

So, McCain is hitting hard on the Ayers connection. I really, really think pounding the Ayers stuff is just counterproductive. The people I talk to, who aren't ideological and aren't really that political, they care about one issue right now - the economy. What McCain needs to do is come up with a solid, game-changing proposal to deal with it. A plan with specifics, and that he can persuasively explain and defend. If he can't do that, all the mentions in the world about Ayers and Dohrn and Wright aren't going to get him anywhere. The proof is in the pudding - they first mentioned Ayers Saturday, and Rasmussen tracking (Sat-Mon) has McCain down 9 and Gallup tracking has him down 8.

Vaughn Ververs, CBS News Rich Lowry, New York Post Jonah Goldberg, National Review Bob Shrum, Huffington Post David Brooks, New York Times Howard Fineman, Newsweek Fred Barnes, Weekly Standard

Well, Sarah done good, and I'm sure the Obama people are happy with how Biden did as well. Ultimately, it probably didn't change many minds. Bottom Line: I think Palin did fine, she is probably back to the “do no damage” status of most VP picks when it comes to independents. But I wouldn’t guess it’s any better than that . By the way, I think that’s where Biden is too. Ultimately, Palin will neither win nor lose the election for McCain. He’s going to do that entirely on his own.

This editorial in the Washington Post today is a great, well-balanced view of McCain's history on government regulation. The bottom line - he's generally anti-government regulation, but has always been an advocate of common sense regulation of the financial markets, and has a much clearer record on this than Obama does. Here's an interesting snippet: Mr. McCain was an early voice calling for the resignation of Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Harvey Pitt, charging that he "seems to prefer industry self-policing to necessary lawmaking. Government's demands for corporate accountability are only credible if government executives are held accountable as well." In 2006, he pushed for stronger regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- while Mr. Obama was notably silent. "If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financi

I admit, being a McCain supporter, I certainly have my issues with Obama (such as the fact that he's woefully unqualified to be President), but the criticism of him for being a community organizer seems a little silly. Community organizing, according to Wikipedia , is: Community organizing is a process by which people living in proximity to each other, are brought together to act in their common self-interest. Community organizers act as area-wide coordinators of programs for different agencies in an attempt to meet community needs for various services. Community organizers work actively, as do other types of social workers , in community councils of social agencies and in community-action groups. The Wikipedia article goes on to talk about the history of community organizing, and how it goes back to well before the days of Saul Alinsky . It also shows that community organizing principles were used in the building of many grassroots groups, such as the Christian Coalition . No

He is a right-leaning centrist. He doesn't just follow the party line, but he is more conservative than not. He's not a demagogue or idealogue. He's a good family man. He's pro-life, but not rabidly so (just like me). He's willing to work on solutions to problems, not just make speeches criticizing the other side. Recently he worked with Senator Jack Reed on a bill to lengthen unemployment benefits, for example. He's a commonsense leader, in the TR mold. That's why I'm supporting him. Click on the image above to go to his campaign website.

Christopher Cox, SEC Chairman, responded to McCain's call earlier today for him to be fired: "While I have great respect for Sen. McCain, we have sometimes disagreed, and this is one such occasion. The SEC has made plain that we have zero tolerance for naked short selling. In this market crisis, the men and women of the SEC have responded valiantly as they always do -- with the utmost dedication and professionalism. Addressing the extraordinary challenges facing our markets, the independent and bipartisan SEC has taken the following decisive actions." My take: It seems to me that Cox is treating McCain like a senile old uncle...with the appearance of deference and respect, but with a knowing wink.

Wow...McCain is talking tough today. McCain said today that SEC Commissioner Christopher Cox, a former Republican Congressman who spent 17 years in the House, should be fired: "The Chairman of the SEC serves at the appointment of the President and has betrayed the public's trust," McCain said, reading deliberately from set remarks at a rally in Cedar Rapids. "If I were President today, I would fire him."

In a sweeping statement reminicent of some of the things Barack Obama has said, Senator McCain said today at a townhall meeting: "We're going to reform how Wall Street does business and put an end to the greed that has driven our markets into chaos." My take: Whoa. Put an end to greed? While he's at it, why doesn't he end pride, envy and covetousness? I know he probably didn't mean what he said...but still...not the best use of the language I've ever seen.

You can read here about a massive pay raise for the Governor, judges and legislators being proposed by a state commission. Wow...and this, in the middle of economic crisis in the U.S. Jeff Kropf has an interesting idea...merit pay for public officials. I'm not against the idea...but how would you measure it? It would seem to me that any system of evaluation for politicians would inevitably become partisan (liberals might see cutting taxes as bad, if public services were reduced...conservatives might see passing a gun control law as bad, etc.). Anyway...it's an interesting idea...and certainly worth examining.

So in the last few days: FNMA (Fannie Mae) and FHLMC (Freddie Mac) were essentially taken over by the federal government. They process about 50% of all the mortgages taken out in the United States ($5.3 trillion). What used to be these companies will now be a Federal Agency under the Treasury Department. Stockholders in these companies essentially lost their entire investment. AIG, the largest insurance company in the United States, with 20 million customers worldwide, has reached an agreement with the Federal Government where AIG will have access to $85 billion worth of credit, to be paid back at 11%+ (a VERY high rate). The Federal Government will own 80% of AIG. A Question What the heck happened to letting the market sort things out? This seems like a HUGE government takeover of business. So far, I've heard almost no objections from conservatives to this massive government involvement. An Answer The truth is, the feds simply had to act. As bad as it is to gobble up these

The Oregonian is reporting that unemployment in Oregon has hit 6.5 percent. That's slightly higher than the national figure of 6.1% being reported. Just a tangible, Oregon-related number to show the impact of the mess we're in... Here is a graph from the Oregonian article linked above that shows the employment trend in Oregon:

Yes, it's true...try to keep this straight...the Oregon Education Association (the teacher's union), had it's own employees go on strike, for better health-care coverage (among other things). I have to admit...it just seems to give the term "poetic justice" a whole new meaning. Here's the story in the Oregonian...

Well, the big interview is over...in some ways I am less concerned about Palin...but mostly I feel the way I did before. Some highlights: Positive She got through it without any major gaffes. To be honest, this was the main goal. Although she wasn't stellar, she showed her ability to think on her feet when given an unexpected question. Sometimes it wasn't pretty, but it wasn't a bloodbath. She was able to pivot the question on "task from God" to pride in her son nicely. It didn't hurt that attention has been paid to how Charlie Gibson twisted her words. Negative She seemed nervous and tentative. She didn't seem nearly as confident as when giving a speech -- and, let's be honest, did not seem as "Presidential" as Obama. The foreign policy answers seemed rehearsed and wooden. I didn't at all get the feeling the words were coming from her. Even if you're being coached, you need to find a way to translate the information into words that a

Amanda Carpenter reports on research some are doing on Joe Biden's grandson, and whether he was conceived "out of wedlock", as they say. My two cents: I think this is getting completely out of control. We as conservatives have absolutely no moral authority complaining about the intrusive coverage of Sarah Palin's family if we do the same thing to Joe Biden. I thought it was wrong when they did it to Governor Palin, and it's wrong to do it to Senator Biden. One of the things that causes me to be a conservative is that I really do believe there is a moral code you should govern yourself by. And to dig into Joe Biden's grandson's state of birth (he was born in 1993, so he's 15 now) is just wrong.

When it comes to the selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate, I'm with David Frum ...I think it's an irresponsible choice that could (will?) come back to haunt McCain. Of course, there are scurrilous charges that have no merit. Of course, there is media bias. But here are some details that are coming out that are issue-based, and much more troubling to me: She favored many earmarks as Mayor that John McCain specifically criticized (reformer? or opportunist?) She favored the "Bridge to Nowhere" before she opposed it She said in an address to her church that the Natural Gas Pipeline was a "task from God" and that people should "pray for it" (yes, it's the Huffington Post...but they have video) My take: I think it's clear she was a rash choice. I'm not at all comfortable with her as VP. I would strongly have preferred someone like Romney, Pawlenty, Cantor, even Mike Huckabee to her. I think (and I get no plea

guess it's a rumor as good as any!

Some have accused Barack Obama of advocating a government program in relation to tire inflation. Here's the truth: He was asked by someone in a question-and-answer "what can we do as citizens" about energy costs. So he talked about inflating your tire properly as one thing a citizen can do. His reasonable response has been completely distorted. By the way, I'm a McCain supporter. I just like the idea of the truth being told. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

Well, it sounds like Jeff Merkley put his foot in his mouth when asked a question about Georgia recently, according to the Oregonian . Here's the gist, from the article: Merkley, in a tough election battle with Republican Sen. Gordon Smith, seemed confused during a campaign stop in The Dalles Saturday morning when a citizen asked for his opinion on what was going on in Georgia. Merkley at first thought he was being asked about the U.S. state of Georgia. Then, finally realizing he was being asked about the Russian invasion, he took a pass on the question. "I'll have to find out the details. I have been on the road the last three days," Merkley said in the video, which was shot by a Republican tracker and posted on the Internet Tuesday by Politico, a Washington, D.C.-based politics web site. My take: Wow. Where do we start? I'd guess that, to put it mildly, I expect a major-party candidate for United States Senate to read the front page of a newspaper every day

John McCain plans to unveil his technology plan today on his website . Here is a preview I found from the Wall Street Journal. One particular tidbit I noticed (ok, yes, because as a computer geek I stand to benefit) is a proposed 10% tax credit for research and development employees, as an incentive for employers to hire Americans. The goal of the plan is not some esoteric feel-good mush, but to create "good, high-paying, innovation-oriented 21st-century jobs" according to McCain spokesman Taylor Griffin. Bravo...McCain should push this plan...information workers are a backbone of today's economy. Many of them tend Democratic, but are very much persuadable.

Oregon Catalyst is reporting on a survery recently published by FreedomWorks Oregon that has many interesting tidbits, but one stuck out for me: 70% are unwilling to permanently pay $6 or more per gallon for gasoline to protect the environment Does this mean Oregonians don't care about protecting the environment? Hardly. What it does mean is that they refuse to swallow the false choice presented to them by environmental extremists that the price of environmental responsibility is $6 gasoline. They believe in the ingenuity of Americans. They believe you can be environmentally-aware and have all the energy you need at an affordable price. They also understand that for many Americans (the low income ones liberals claim to care about), $6 gas is simply not a sustainable condition. For more information on the survey, go to www.LightsOnOregon.com .

Always eager to educate as well as persuade, Oregon Elephant has dug up the following interesting facts about Georgia: The highest point in Georgia is Mount Shkhara (5,201 m). It is known that people inhabited Georgia from very early times. Skulls of early man have been found in the country dating back 1.7 million years. People have lived in Tbilisi since the fourth millennium BC. The name of the present-day capital, Tbilisi, is derived from the Georgian word for warm. In Greek and Roman times the western part of Georgia was called Kolkheti (Colchis); the eastern part of the country was known as Iberia. Ancient myth says that the King of Colchis (Aeetes) possessed a Golden Fleece. The story of Jason and the Argonauts is about the quest for the fleece. Early Georgian merchants sailed as far as the Indian Ocean to trade their goods and bring back spices. The Silk Road, the trade route between Europe and China , ran through Phazisi. St Nino of Cappadoccia, a relative of St George, conv

Rich Lowry of National Review posts a kind of contrarian position to all the folks saying the Russia is getting just what they want from Georgia. Here's an excerpt: “I just talked to a friend who is very plugged into this and is as shrewd and informed an observer on the European scene as you can find. He thinks it’s going badly for the Russians and is not 1968 redux as they had hoped. The presidents of the Baltic states and Poland have flown to Tbilisi, providing a moral backstop for the Georgian government. And now the Bush administration is stepping up, with Bush’s stern words today, with humanitarian aid going to Georgia that the Russians can’t possibly oppose, and with Sec. Rice headed to Tbilisi. All this is serving to frustrate the ultimate Russian war aim of toppling Saakashvili, who is addressing enthusiastic crowds on the streets and taking the Russians to the Hague. He thinks the fact that it hasn’t turned out the way the Russians expected accounts for the constant bac

Hugh Hewitt today wrote about Secretary of State Rice's comments on the Georgia affair: This is not 1968 and the invasion of Czechoslovakia where Russia can threaten its neighbors, occupy a capitol, overthrow a government and get away with it. Things have changed. My take : I agree with Hugh... Rice's statement is the right one. I also agree with Frank Gaffney when he said on the show today that Russia wouldn't have done this unless they thought all they would get from Washington is idle words. I think kicking them out of the G8 is the right step, and it should be done now.

This from a recent McCain address: There are serious issues at stake in this election, and serious differences between the candidates. And we will argue about them, as we should. But it should remain an argument among friends; each of us struggling to hear our conscience, and heed its demands; each of us, despite our differences, united in our great cause, and respectful of the goodness in each other. That is how most Americans treat each other. And it is how they want the people they elect to office to treat each other. My take: I couldn't agree more. In talking to my wife (who isn't a political junkie, but does care about the issues), it becomes apparent that the less "immersed" someone is in politics, the lower their tolerance for negative campaigning and partisanship just for the sake of getting a dig in at the other side. Hopefully the recent flamethrowing (from both sides) will take John McCain's good words to heart, and have more respectful, substantive d

This was emailed in to her show (it's a paraphrase, but fairly close I think): Us going to the Olympics to participate in the celebration is kind of like going over to your next-door neighbors for a barbeque and taking the revelry in, knowing he has his children tied up in the basement... Kind of crude, but not wholly inaccurate...the spectacle will be interesting to watch, to be sure. And while we're at it... isn't it interesting the timing of Russia's incursion into Georgia when the world is focused on the Olympics? Hmmmm

It strikes me that it looks more and more like it is going to be Pawlenty for VP. Here's why: McCain's ad touting his ability to work with Democrats, and their praise of him (distancing himself from hard-line conservatives) Pawlenty's comments about "Sam's Club Republicans"...seems to me to be an appeal to Reagan Democrats McCain likes him...a lot. So, if it is Pawlenty, what do you all think? I'm kind of lukewarm...don't hate him, but could be better.

Gordon Smith was recently attacked by Jeff Merkley as playing election year politics by voting for the Lieberman-Warner Global Warming Bill. Merkley, in effect said "I agree with you, but I don't think you mean it": "This was the right vote," Merkley said, "but Oregon needs a senator who will fight global warming in Washington D.C. just like I've done in Oregon, not becasue it is an election year but because I believe in it." Smith responded by citing the many environment and energy-related bills he has supported, including higher mileage standards, tax breaks for alternative energy and funding for Portland light rail. "The science on climate change has evolved dramatically in five years," Smith spokeswoman Lindsay Gilbride said. "Sen. Smith is proud to be part of the bipartisan coalition fighting for a cleaner environment and secure energy sources." The Elephant Take: I examined Gordon Smith's environmental record at the

Kari Chisolm at Blue Oregon has a funny post about Gordon Smith and how the graphic design of his sites eerily match the colors for the U of Oregon...apparently he's targeting the Eugene crowd? Not likely, but whimsically entertaining nonetheless...

The Oregonian has an article about some of the problems Mike Erickson is having getting the love from many in the Oregon GOP. Here is a snippet: Even though Erickson won, some in the party thought he was too damaged to defeat his Democratic opponent, state Sen. Kurt Schrader of Canby. "Mike Erickson had serious credibility problems two years ago and has even greater credibility problems today," said Dan Lavey, a Portland GOP consultant. "I don't believe he is electable, particularly against an attractive, experienced opponent." This can't be good for Erickson...stay tuned.

It strikes me, as I read of some supporters of Hillary Clinton spread their discontent with the outcome, I am reminded of the words of women's rights pioneer Susan B. Anthony . She published a periodical called Revolution to fight for women's right to vote. The motto of the paper was " The true republic — men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less." Is it just me, or do these people seem to be asking for super-rights? The fact is that Hillary Clinton had ample chance to make her case. Democrats all over the country heard her many, many times. Many supported her, and I applaud them. But when all is said and done, Barack Obama will have the most delegates, and will have the nomination. The plain, simple truth is that Senator Clinton made some huge mistakes (such as ignoring early caucuses) and Obama siezed his opportunities. I really believe sexism had nothing to do with it, any more than it had to do with the fact that Senator

Romney endorses McCain ... It would seem, especially with all the comments from McCain about traveling the country with Romney, that our man Mitt will have a prominent role in the fall. It's interesting, earlier, with the acrimony between them and the chumminess between McCain and Huckabee, most people thought Huck would fill this role. But Mitt has the support of the right, and he knows how to raise campaign cash, so Mitt is McCain's guy. It's possible, but unlikely Mitt would be a VP pick. However, I could easily see Mitt running the RNC. There's nothing to improve a political relationship like mutual need...

Here is a link to some shots McCain and Obama took at each other in what is looking more and more like the matchup in the fall. Funny line from Keith Olbermann tonight...he said all candidates should set a rule to speak BEFORE Obama rather than afterward. No kidding! Whether someone is for Obama or against him, you have to admit - this guy is good.

From Jim Geraghty at National Review ... In Maryland, McCain 57 percent, Huckabee 31 percent. In Virginia, the second wave of data shows an extremely close race, less than a percentage point between McCain and Huckabee. But I warn you, at this point, or even a little later a week ago, the data was saying McCain and Romney were tied in Arizona, and McCain won comfortably.No word on the Democrats yet, and no word on D.C....

Politico.com has a pretty interesting article about the 5th district election. It seems there is a difference of opinion as to how viable Mike Erickson is as a candidate. One name floating to the top as a challenger is Kevin mannix... Because he remains an active political presence in the state, Mannix would be the presumed primary front-runner if he ran. “Kevin Mannix’s name recognition is immense,” said political analyst Jim Moore, a professor of political science at Pacific University. “If Kevin Mannix steps in, there’s no way Erickson’s the front-runner. If [Mannix] doesn’t get in, Erickson will be among those who have a shot at it. He may have spent a lot of money, but it didn’t get him very far.” Some of this trepidation might be due to the fact that while Erickson hasn't had a problem loaning his campaign money, he hasn't been raising alot of it himself...last quarter he only raised $73,000 according to the article, well below other candidates. Not everyone is expressing

Has anyone noticed Mike Erickson's website doesn't really say much at all about where he is actually at on the issues? As a center-right Republican, I'd love to look at what he thinks so I can support him, but there isn't really any information on where he stands concerning the issues of the day. It strikes me as a little strange that he's accepting online donations and asking for volunteers, but not saying anything about where he is on the issues.

Here are some random thoughts on today... Democrats Saw Obama's speech...wow. I don't agree with much of what he says, but you have to admire his ability to work a room. He reminds me of a young Muhammad Ali...so graceful, so smooth, so quick, that you forget how powerful his shots are. We have our work cut out for us...I think he's going to be the nominee, and he's going to be tough to beat. Clinton isn't out of it...but she's really behind the 8-ball. There's tremendous momentum for Obama, and if it goes to the convention there will be tremendous push for Obama to be the nominee. Republicans Not a good night for Republicans. McCain shows real weakness, yet he's inevitably going to be the nominee. So at this point the nomination process has shown there are three candidates, and three factions that have yet to come together: Romney with the economic conservatives, McCain with the national security conservatives, and Huckabee with the social conser

This blurb in the Oregonian by Jeff Mapes quotes an aide to Ron Wyden as indicating they'd love Steve Novick to run for Darlene Hooley's 5th District Congressional seat. Here's what he has to say about it: My favorite comes from Josh Kardon, chief of staff to Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. He talked up the idea of U.S. Senate candidate Steve Novick moving over to the 5th CD race. "This is probably the only race where their bench comes close to ours," said Kardon. "The only potential candidate we could run with high name recognition across the district is Steve Novick and I have no idea if he has any interest." The article goes on to say Novick has no stated interest in giving up his Senate run. Of course, things can change. He could use the money he's already raised. He's also the highest-profile person the Democrats could get at this late notice. Right now, it sounds like Vance Day is supporting Mike Erickson on the GOP side, even though there are s

This little piece of analysis from CNN is pretty interesting, something I hadn't thought of... As for the race to succeed him: Mitt Romney is out - but the candidate who may gain the most from his exit isn't Mike Huckabee (the beneficiary of a sudden endorsement from a James Dobson) or even John McCain (whose path to the Republican nomination now seems secure). That distinction actually goes to Barack Obama, who no longer has to compete with McCain for independents in suddenly-competitive primary states like Virginia, Texas and Ohio, where independent voters are eligible to vote in upcoming Democratic contests.

As you can see, I have a new quote on my sidebar...by James Madison, on the importance of immigration. It's important to recognize the issue of immigration for what it is, and to expose the false choice liberals raise...they would have citizens believe the choice is between immigration (them) and no immigration (us). It has never been about that. Conservatives recognize that immigration is more than tolerated. It is welcomed . It is recognized as essential to a vibrant nation, and in fact is a significant factor in the success of America. The illegal immigration issue has always been about immigration control, not immigration prevention .

Mitt Romney has suspended his campaign... He ran a good and honorable race, made some mistakes, and no doubt learned alot. I don't think it is entirely coincidental that on the Republican side, it seems to often happen that a candidate has to go through the process of losing before they can win (Nixon, Reagan, Bush I, now McCain). Here is the text of the speech. A snippet: If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror. This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose. My family, my friends and our supporters... many of you right here in this room... have given a great deal to get me where I have a shot at becoming President. If this were only about me, I would go on. But I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, I fee

WOW. Big deal...this could be a pickup for Republicans. Here is a link to the article on Politico, with some interesting tidbits on Mike Erickson's fundraising. Here is coverage on Oregon Catalyst... And here is what the "other side" (BlueOregon.com) has to say about it. The Elephant's take: Wow, here is opportunity walking up and knocking on our doors. Anyone with any thoughts on if anyone else is going to run besides Erickson? It sounds like he hasn't raised much money...

Well, as a Romney supporter I'm in mourning. I'll vote for McCain, but I'll have a hard time working for him. It's just hard to get excited about knocking on doors and working the phones for someone you feel despises the ideological core of your party. I'm hoping I'm wrong. I really do hope he is elected, because I agree with Hugh Hewitt about his "seven good reasons" to support McCain. Where he needs to go from here: A little humility would be a good thing. It's been a bitter campaign, and a little healing is necessary. If he dances on graves, Romney supporters will desert him, and he'll lose in the fall. Who he picks as VP will matter. Good would be someone younger, with domestic experience, and someone who looks like they could be a President. He needs to find a way to address the bad feelings people have towards him. The truth is, he's done some things to inflame the anger. He needs to own up to that and accept responsibility.

Mark Levin at National Review relayed this email that is going around from McCain supporters...not exactly conciliatory...are we surprised? Strap on your chinstrap... To all: Wow this is great to see. Political muscle is built by one person talking to one person and so on. Now it seems we have jumped to dozens of people talking to dozens more. I urge you all to do as I have done and simply contact the stations that carry the likes of Hannity, Limbaugh, Coulter et al and let them know that you are tuning them out and turning them off. If enough of us do it, they'll get the message. I have no problem with someone supporting a different candidate. Steve Maloney supported Rudy when I was already strongly pro-McCain. But just like Rudy and McCain, we kept our discourse respectful and civil and see where we are now; working together for the betterment of our party and our country. I believe that ultimately the frenzied hate-speech coming from the far-right towards John McCain will backf

I went to the Washington County Republican Party Meetup last night, and it was really worth my while. Jeff Kropf , former state legislator and host of a morning talk show weekdays from 6am - 9am on 1360AM, spoke to us. He is director of the Oregon chapter of Americans for Prosperity , and he talked about the programs and activities they have planned. Here is how they describe themselves: Americans for Prosperity (AFP) and Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFP Foundation) are committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process. AFP is an organization of grassroots leaders who engage citizens in the name of limited government and free markets on the local, state and federal levels. The grassroots members of AFP advocate for public policies that champion the principles of entrepreneurship and fiscal and regulatory restraint. Pretty cool indeed...I think I'll join. You should check it out. And call Jeff's

Wow. Honestly, I've never seen the level of vitriol for anyone not named Clinton. I think the problem is that conservatives don't just see McCain as not an authentic conservative. Many see Giuliani that way, but they don't detest him like they do McCain. McCain's big sin is that he has a hatred for conservatives, for talk radio, for blogs...in short for many of the activists that have helped build the party and help it be successful. Since McCain has so gleefully kneed talk radio and blogs in the groin, they are more than happy to return the favor. Yes, it's personal. And it's not likely to ever get better. Here are some snippets...Michael Reagan writing that "John McCain Hates Me" ...(and he's right): As I watched McCain and Governor Romney go at it during the debate at the Reagan Library I was struck by the huge gap that separates McCain -- whose contempt for his fellow humans is patently obvious -- and my dad, Ronald Reagan, who had nothing but

Last night, John McCain bragged about getting the endorsement of the Arizona Republic. Not surprising, considering it's publisher is a longtime McCain political patron. Darrow "Duke" Tully, publisher of the Arizona Republic, was one of the original supporters and financiers of McCains political ambitions way back in 1981. In fact, he introduced McCain to his wife. The two have been joined at the hip ever since. So, when McCain brags about getting the "endorsement" of the paper, just realize it's about as significant as getting your spouse's endorsement.

Here is a snip from this morning's show (video is here ): JOE SCARBOROUGH: Let me tell you what a conservative is not: A conservative is not a man that calls tax cuts that George Bush passed that revived the economy "tax cuts for the rich." That is not a conservative. A conservative is not a man who is one of two Republicans standing alone in Washington, DC voting against those tax cuts that every other Republican supported in Washington, DC. That is not a conservative. A conservative is not a man that teams up with Teddy Kennedy to produce a bill that is nothing short of amnesty that would allow 12 million illegal immigrants to attain legal status the day after John McCain's bill and Ted Kennedy's bill becomes law. That is not a conservative. A conservative is not somebody that goes on Tim Russert's show a couple of weeks ago and says if that amnesty bill that would allow 12 million illegal immigrants to become citizens [legal residents] the next day, he does

Yes, yes, I know they hate each other's guts. But this is politics . It's not unheard of for two people who aren't best friends to form alliances. And think of it: No one is stronger on the economy than Romney. He speaks with knowledge and experience...and he's actually done it in the real world, met payroll, created jobs. He would be a great asset to the ticket on the economy. And the economy is sure to be a hot topic. Conversely, no one is stronger on the war in Iraq than McCain. His foresight on the surge when no one was supporting it gives him tremendous leverage. And his personal narrative makes him a very, very powerful opponent. Romney is strong with the conservative base - if McCain picked Romney as a running mate, it just might help him heal some wounds with the very important conservative activists he would need to win in November. McCain has tremendous crossover appeal - more than any candidate in either party. Romney would need some of those Democrat

From a press release by the Romney folks: Sen. McCain Recently Insisted He Wouldn't Need An Economically-Savvy Running Mate: Sen. McCain Now Says That Because Of His Experience On The Senate Commerce Committee, He Wouldn't Need A Vice President With Economic Experience. "Noting that he also later ran the Senate Commerce Committee, Mr. McCain said in the interview that he would feel no need to select a vice president with expertise in economic policy to balance his own foreign-policy experience." (David Leonhardt, "Fiscal Mantra For McCain: Less Is More," The New York Times, www.nytimes.com,1/26/08) Yet Just Months Ago, Sen. McCain Said He Would Need A Running Mate "Well-Grounded In Economics": In November 2007, Sen. McCain Said He Would Choose A Vice-President Who Understands Economics Because He Doesn't. "On at least one occasion, McCain has raised the matter himself. On Nov. 10, while traveling through New Hampshire on his Straight Talk

This is a hilarious article from "The Onion"...and, as with all satire, has a sprinkle of truth...here is a snippet: Although some have pointed out that it is unconstitutional for Clinton to run for a third term in office, he has silenced most critics by urging voters "not to worry about the Constitution for now" and assuring them he will address those legal issues immediately after regaining control of the White House. "All I am asking of the American people is four more years," Clinton said at a fundraiser Tuesday where tens of thousands of South Carolinians gathered to stare in gape-jawed wonderment at the former president. "Well, maybe eight. Actually, you know what, definitely eight. Eight more years."

Ed Morrissey, of the well-read Captain's Quarters conservative blog, has just endorsed Romney . It's definitely worth a read, as he is a well-respected center-right blogger and had previously said he wasn't going to endorse.

Hugh Hewitt talks about Bill Bennett's chastisement of John McCain for his "below the belt" (Bennett's words) attack on Romney. McCain seems desperate...does he know something? Stay tuned...

Well, it would seem (just from my gut feeling) that Romney is winning the Thompson-o-rama...here is a post by Jonathan Martin at Politico about the latest 'get'. Romney's numbers have been rising on the RealClearPolitics poll average ...I'm guessing Thompson getting out is definitely helping him. We'll see if it's enough on tuesday. And now for something completely different... Today is primary day in SC for the Dems. Time to see what the impact of the hate-fest will be as we go down the road. Interesting that at the beginning of the debate process we were talking about how friendly the Democrats were and how divisive the Republicans were. It would seem they are both returning to form, Republicans coming together and Democrats eating their own for no good reason.

It's important to remember as we read all the "Mormons got Romney the win in Nevada" robo-analysis that Romney is winning by so much, he would be winning even without any Mormon vote at all. It's a huge, huge win for Romney, no candidate on either side has won a state this decisively. Also...this bodes well for Romney. If he truly gets virtually all the Mormon vote, what about states with large Mormon populations like California, Arizona, Idaho and Colorado (of course he'll also win Utah). All of a sudden, Romney looks very, very good.

News so far: MSNBC and Fox News have both projected Romney as the winner of the Nevada Caucuses...so it's already a fairly good day for Romney, which could get very good if Huckabee beats McCain in SC and Romney is a strong third. Look at the trend for Huckabee in the South Carolina polls: ARG Poll ARG 1-15/1-16: McCain 33, Huckabee 23 ARG 1-17/1-18: Huckabee 33, MCain 26 Net change - McCain -7, Huckabee +10 Reuters/Zogby Poll Zogby 1-16/1-17: McCain 29, Huckabee 22 Zogby 1-17/1-18: McCain 27, Huckabee 26 Net change - McCain -2, Huckabee +4

I've been taking a look at Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism , so I got interested in how the most notable Fascists defined their movement. I ran across this statement by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini concerning fascism...it's pretty enlightening in showing that fascism's most significant doctrine is taking power away from the individual and empowering the state: The foundation of Fascism is the conception of the State, its character, its duty, and its aim. Fascism conceives of the State as an absolute, in comparison with which all individuals or groups are relative, only to be conceived of in their relation to the State. The conception of the Liberal State is not that of a directing force, guiding the play and development, both material and spiritual, of a collective body, but merely a force limited to the function of recording results: on the other hand, the Fascist State is itself conscious and has itself a will and a personality -- thus it may be called the "

George Will wrote a devastating and brilliant indictment of McCain and the damage he has done to the conservative message on Townhall.com. The great thing about Will is that his analysis is absent the flamethrowing of so many "analysts", but instead relies on fact and always-intelligent analysis. Even when I disagree with him, I love reading his writing. Here are a few of my favorite snippets from the article: Because McCain is a "maverick" -- the media encomium reserved for Republicans who reject important Republican principles -- he would be a conciliatory president. He has indeed worked with Ted Kennedy on immigration reform, with Russ Feingold on restricting political speech (McCain-Feingold) and with Kennedy and John Edwards -- a trial lawyer drawn to an enlargement of opportunities for litigation -- on the "patients' bill of rights." McCain is, however, an unlikely conciliator because he is quick to denigrate the motives, and hence the characters

Last election, Larry Galizio ran unopposed for re-election to Oregon House District 35 (Tigard-Tualatin). I'd love to run, but haven't been registered to vote here long enough. I'd be very enthusiastic about supporting a Republican candidate...but first we need to FIND one. Anyone know of someone who'd be good to recruit?

One area many people point to when they favor John McCain is his supposed electability. The thought goes that since most head-to-head polls currently have him doing well against either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, he would be the Republican candidate most likely to win in November. Balderdash! Remember Michael Dukakis? He had a 17-point lead over Bush 41 at one point. All it got him was his head handed to him when it came time to exercise the only vote that counts. There are other examples too, of course. The point is, that that head-to-head polls at this early juncture mean nothing . Let's look at some of McCain's shortcomings that could be fatal in November: His age - he's in his 70s, which in and of itself is of course fine, but he's starting to look ragged in some of his appearances, and his speaking, never exactly Reaganesque, is getting worse. Now imagine him with 10 more months of hard campaigning. His personality. Many find his feistiness endearing, but over

...have you noticed the similarities (I know they're not identical) between the candidacies of John McCain and George H.W. Bush? Both men: were decorated military veterans had lost nomination fights in the past had extensiive foreign policy resumes criticized for being less interested in domestic politics criticized for being a moderate, not being conservative enough. True enough...McCain and George HW...seperated at birth.

I know some people are dismissing Romney's win in Michigan as simply a favorite-son triumph, or saying it is just more of Mitt pandering to some group . I see it differently. What I saw when I watched Romney speak to Michiganders was the real Mitt, a practical problem-solver who knows how to surround himself with smart, capable people and is a master at crafting solutions. i was living in Salt Lake City during the Winter Olympics, so i saw it first-hand. Lest anyone forget, the olympic games were on the brink of disaster, deeply in debt and scandal-ridden. Some wondered if Salt Lake City would even be able to go through with it. He turned it into the most successful winter olympics in history, and a sparkling presentation of our country to the world at a time when it was critical to show off to the world the stuff that America was made of. The "show" that is the olympics was breathtaking, with Olympians bringing into the arena the american flag that had flown on 9/11 . Fo