Thanks for nothing
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.
| Posted at 1:38 PM | Permalink |
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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