Attorney general candidates John Kroger and Greg Macpherson are starting to resemble the Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots we used to play with when I was a kid. In human terms, they're playing a game we used to call "Punch for Punch."

Yesterday, Mac got the endorsement of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, showing he can be as green as Kroger, who's been in "Tough on Polluters" mode for months. Today, Kroger announces that he in fact has no fewer than 23 environmental leaders in his camp.

Moments later, Mac sends out a somewhat breathless e-mail alert showing how smart on crime he can be. He points out that he and his buddies in the regularly scheduled "special" session of the Legislature, now under way, are going to try to stop Kevin Mannix's latest lock-'em-up initiative with a more measured one of their own. But to make sure you don't think Mac too much of a wimp, there's this photo to go along with it:

Whatever happens in this election, history will note that Kroger set the campaign agenda. Meth and pollution were his two main topics from Day 1, while Macpherson started with consumer protection and the whole native Oregonian thing. The latter shtick hit the recycling bin pretty quickly.