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This is kind of silly. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden (right) has "endorsed" his fellow Democrat, Jeff Merkley, for the U.S. Senate, but at the same time he has nothing but nice things to say about Gordon Smith (left), the incumbent Republican whom Merkley is opposing in November:
Smith talks often about the good working relationship he has with Wyden and says it demonstrates how he can be an independent, bipartisan force in the Senate.... Wyden -- who has also benefited politically from his bipartisan friendship with Smith -- told the crowd, "I will not be criticizing (Smith's) service as a senator, or anybody else's."
Gee, Ron, could you spare it? The only way Merkley can even hope to unseat Smith is by attacking him, ruthlessly and constantly. Tie him to Bush, and pound him for his many, many right-wing Republican votes. If you're not going to say anything negative about Smith, why bother uttering token support for your fellow Democrat?
And Wyden actually helps make Smith's case. The two of them have been playing the whole "bipartisan cooperation" game to perfection for the better part of a decade.
There are three kinds of endorsements: slow, fast, and half-fast. This one is clearly in that last category.
I kiddingly refer to Wyden as "(R-Ore.)." The "R" part is becoming ever less funny, and I'm starting to think that we may as well throw in "N.Y." instead of "Ore." for good measure. Why this guy walks on water in these parts becomes more puzzling to me every year.
Comments (14)
Yep. Just like Nancy Pelosi. One party rule as far as the most powerful lobbyists, corporate interests, and robber barons in D.C. are concerned. Just keep the masses distracted with all this Republican versus Democrat stuff. They will more easily fall for a big lie than a small one, just like Hitler said they would.
No wonder Clinton could face impeachment over a BJ and both sides would rail about it in the media, but violate the Bill of Rights repeatedly like Bush has, keep shipping American jobs to China, election fraud, and quadruple the national debt and where is the opposition party to all that? Dead silent. ...Telling Dems that what they really should care about is tiny increases in minimum wage that just keep the poverty stats in check so nobody will notice the reward-the-super-rich policies they are supporting.
Wyden and Wuss start with a W...like in Wimpy.
Smith was very civil in joining the patriot act., killing social security and Medicare, supporting the illegal wars, Supporting Nafta..yup quite civil.
And what's wrong with bipartisan cooperation?? Isn't that a hallmark of true democracy? The hard-line partisan "my way or the highway" attitide doesn't get much accomplished on capital hill.
The problem is that you're busting the chops of a spineless politicreature.
I happened to have a Wyden sighting today at "Satlys." Ron was glad-handing at the only racially diverse table in sight. Had the Senator sauntered up to our table, I would have repeated this: (In response to Mapes, I wrote)
"Posted by EastBankThom on 05/31/08 at 1:11PM
Wyden weighs in?
"Calling it like I see it, I have to say that wishy-washy Wyden is a light weight. Why won't he and the other "super" delegates finally weigh in on the Presidential race? Let's end this farce of Democrazy and allow Obama to take it to McCain without having to fend of the Clintons' snipe hunt attacks from the Right.
And another word for Wyden. Call your Congressman Wu and get him on board with impeachment. There's nothing I can do with my Rep. (Blumenauer) who seems more committed to Pelosi than the People of the Third District."
They are both rightwing fascists. There's no 'bi' in their bipartisan.
I personally said to their in-person faces -- at their joint appearance Feb. 25, 2003, selling the LIARS WMDs in Oregon City -- "there are no WMDs in Iraq." I said that. Wyden rightwing fascist stared at me like I was poison.
And looked up at the crowd and said "we know there are nerve gas and VX and other WMDs in Iraq." WYDEN LIAR.
Smith ... beneath contempt. Traitor against all Americans. Arrest on sight, for war crimes complicity, and treason.
"And looked up at the crowd and said "we know there are nerve gas and VX and other WMDs in Iraq." WYDEN LIAR."
====
Everybody knows that Sadam Hussein did not use WMD gas when he killed tens of thousands of his own countrymen. The Kurds all died of old age, at exactly the same time, right next a big ditch (that became a mass grave).
easy to see why Ron continues his run in the U.S. Senate - just put a (D) after your name on the ballot and the Valley sheeple all cast their votes for him.
Wyden has grown very comfortable in his role as "liberal alternative to Gordon Smith". If Gordon loses his re-election bid, Wyden fears he might be seen as expendable, too.
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
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La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
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14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
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Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt
Road Work
Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (14)
Yep. Just like Nancy Pelosi. One party rule as far as the most powerful lobbyists, corporate interests, and robber barons in D.C. are concerned. Just keep the masses distracted with all this Republican versus Democrat stuff. They will more easily fall for a big lie than a small one, just like Hitler said they would.
No wonder Clinton could face impeachment over a BJ and both sides would rail about it in the media, but violate the Bill of Rights repeatedly like Bush has, keep shipping American jobs to China, election fraud, and quadruple the national debt and where is the opposition party to all that? Dead silent. ...Telling Dems that what they really should care about is tiny increases in minimum wage that just keep the poverty stats in check so nobody will notice the reward-the-super-rich policies they are supporting.
Posted by Oregon Eyes | June 1, 2008 3:44 PM
Good for Ron. I like Smith as both a man and a Senator. And he's one of the most civil guys in the building.
Good job on the radio this morning, Jack.
Posted by butch | June 1, 2008 3:50 PM
My question is: What does Wyden gain by playing so nice with Gordo? It became stale a long time ago....
Posted by jimbo | June 1, 2008 4:16 PM
I think it was a way to meet Republican chicks.
Posted by Jack Bog | June 1, 2008 4:19 PM
Wyden and Wuss start with a W...like in Wimpy.
Smith was very civil in joining the patriot act., killing social security and Medicare, supporting the illegal wars, Supporting Nafta..yup quite civil.
Posted by KISS | June 1, 2008 5:28 PM
And what's wrong with bipartisan cooperation?? Isn't that a hallmark of true democracy? The hard-line partisan "my way or the highway" attitide doesn't get much accomplished on capital hill.
Posted by Frank | June 1, 2008 6:37 PM
It seems like all these 'accomplishments' now days, be it from the R's or the D's, do more harm than good.
Posted by Joey Link | June 1, 2008 8:23 PM
The $1800 deposit to my checking account this week from Uncle Sam felt like an accomplishment to me :)
Posted by Frank | June 1, 2008 8:39 PM
Jack, you brilliant cynical SOblogger!
The problem is that you're busting the chops of a spineless politicreature.
I happened to have a Wyden sighting today at "Satlys." Ron was glad-handing at the only racially diverse table in sight. Had the Senator sauntered up to our table, I would have repeated this: (In response to Mapes, I wrote)
"Posted by EastBankThom on 05/31/08 at 1:11PM
Wyden weighs in?
"Calling it like I see it, I have to say that wishy-washy Wyden is a light weight. Why won't he and the other "super" delegates finally weigh in on the Presidential race? Let's end this farce of Democrazy and allow Obama to take it to McCain without having to fend of the Clintons' snipe hunt attacks from the Right.
And another word for Wyden. Call your Congressman Wu and get him on board with impeachment. There's nothing I can do with my Rep. (Blumenauer) who seems more committed to Pelosi than the People of the Third District."
Posted by East Bank Thom | June 1, 2008 8:47 PM
They are both rightwing fascists. There's no 'bi' in their bipartisan.
I personally said to their in-person faces -- at their joint appearance Feb. 25, 2003, selling the LIARS WMDs in Oregon City -- "there are no WMDs in Iraq." I said that. Wyden rightwing fascist stared at me like I was poison.
And looked up at the crowd and said "we know there are nerve gas and VX and other WMDs in Iraq." WYDEN LIAR.
Smith ... beneath contempt. Traitor against all Americans. Arrest on sight, for war crimes complicity, and treason.
Posted by Tenskwatawa | June 1, 2008 9:39 PM
Gosh, $1800 buys a soul for fascism. Cheap.
Posted by Tenskwatawa | June 1, 2008 9:40 PM
Hey, what?
.... no LIARS Larson?
... no BDS?
Slipping up Mr Tenskwat.
"And looked up at the crowd and said "we know there are nerve gas and VX and other WMDs in Iraq." WYDEN LIAR."
====
Everybody knows that Sadam Hussein did not use WMD gas when he killed tens of thousands of his own countrymen. The Kurds all died of old age, at exactly the same time, right next a big ditch (that became a mass grave).
Just a coincidence.
Posted by Harry | June 1, 2008 10:36 PM
easy to see why Ron continues his run in the U.S. Senate - just put a (D) after your name on the ballot and the Valley sheeple all cast their votes for him.
Posted by Dave A. | June 2, 2008 9:09 AM
Wyden has grown very comfortable in his role as "liberal alternative to Gordon Smith". If Gordon loses his re-election bid, Wyden fears he might be seen as expendable, too.
Posted by none | June 2, 2008 3:27 PM