In the O Zone (Jack Bog's Blog)

There it was on the O editorial page yesterday -- the Old Boy Network's dream slate of officeholders. Big goofy pictures and all. Makes you wonder if Neil Goldschmidt himself wasn't sending this one in from Dundee in a "rare, emotional" fax.

Kulongoski vs. Saxton -- a West Hills dream come true. You want more trams, scams, OLCC shenanigans, out-of-control Lottery, SAIF corruption, OHSU manure, Port of Porkland, Matt Hennessees, Bernie Giustos, and Don Mazziottis? Either Ted or Ron will bring you all that and more.

Burdick and Saltzman -- straight out of Homer Williams's back pocket. Sure to satisfy the linchpin-heads, as it were.

And there are the new kids, Wheeler and Cogen. They've got that Arlington Club musk on them, too.

Oh, and in case you missed it, they're all "for the children."

I have well-meaning, smart friends who are voting for some of these candidates, but I just can't.

Then over in the sort-of-news magazine, the O's quasi-objective City Hall reporter column pretty much decides for us that "clean money" is not in trouble, just needs tweaking. Nobody's really complaining much, except some nut cases on blogs, so really, she guesses, it's here to stay.

Sure. Unless and until it's ever voted on, when it will be beaten down like a sales tax in John Day.

That's The O -- one odd perspective after another. Like their lead in the big front-page story:

Oregon Supreme Court Justice R. William Riggs announced Wednesday that he will resign before the end of the year, a move that probably will end its all-male lineup.

Huh? No mention of the fact that we may very well have a woman justice less than three weeks from now.

Unlike the venomous bloggers, however, the O does have those Pulitzers.

Comments (6)

I'm really having trouble decoding all the messages that are coming in on the new Supreme Court vacancy. Is Justice Riggs trying to tell us, "You don't have to vote for Virginia Linder because Ted will put a woman on if she doesn't win"? That sure seems to be what The O is telling us. Curious.

Posted by Jack Bog | April 28, 2006 3:37 AM

The truly strange thing is that the front of Ginny Linder's website proclaims her to be an "unconventional candidate."

Do whut?

Look at her resume and tell me if there is anything more predictable than her becoming an appellate judge.

Don't get me wrong, she's a good judge on the Ct App and would probably be a fine Supreme, but "unconventional"?

Gene Hallman's from Pendleton. Now THAT'S unconventional.

Posted by matt | April 28, 2006 9:19 AM

Why does Virginia Linder have an image of the US Constitution behind her if she's running for state justice? I guess it's just marketing.

Posted by no one in particular | April 28, 2006 9:20 AM

Uh, state supreme courts can decide issues of federal constitutional law.

Posted by raging red | April 28, 2006 10:08 AM

Mostly what I feel about the O zone is sadness. Bates and Attig deserved the Pulitzer; some of their writing is exquisite. And the state mental hospital is a legitimate target of their focus; I would like to see that focus extended to Arlington Club set abuses and the general editorial focus away from the misleading.

It is hard to talk to people over there; many seem to see critical thinking as "mean-sprititedness". And snide commentary is unforgivable. Unless it is theirs'. They get into the concept of "body of work"; it reminds me of Tracy Kidder's Pulitzer winning work: "Mountains Beyond Mountains" about the work of Dr. Paul Farmer who, although he wrote books, saw the body of his work as the people whose lifes he influenced for the better." Kidder admitted this made him uncomfortable. Would like to see this kind of candor from our local journalists.

Posted by Cynthia | April 28, 2006 9:10 PM

You might take another look at Jeff Cogen. You might like what you find.

Unlike a lot of politicians, he's actually started and successfully operated a small local business - the Portland Pretzel Company. (He sold it and the next guy crashed and burned it.)

When he was board chair of Hands on Portland, he was a major force behind the merger of HOP with another nonprofit (the Volunteer Center, I think?) that saved both organizations. Nonprofit mergers almost never happen, even when they're needed, because no one gets a big payoff.

And Cogen's work on the city wind energy project will save the city money, stabilize the city's energy bills, and provide jobs in rural Oregon.

(And no, I'm not working for Jeff. Just a fan and a friend. Actually, he turned me down on our proposal to do his website.)

Posted by Kari Chisholm | April 29, 2006 8:39 AM

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Friday, April 28, 2006

In the O Zone

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