Oh, please. As election time nears he's a moderate Republican at best. The other five years of his term he's in lockstep with the looney right....

Gordon Smith voted against the minimum wage six times, but voted against repealing tax incentives for corporations that outsource jobs.

Gordon Smith supported extremist judicial nominee Leslie Southwick, who has a record of suppressing both women’s rights and gay rights.

Smith voted for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, and supported a similar ballot measure here in Oregon.

15% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America in 2006; 0% for nearly half his time in office.

Gordon Smith voted against reaffirming Roe v. Wade.

Gordon Smith voted to allow violent anti-abortion activists to escape fines by declaring bankruptcy.

Gordon Smith voted twice to ban certain types of abortion and against health exceptions when a mother’s life is in danger.

14% rating from the League of Conservation Voters in 2006; 26% lifetime score.

Gordon Smith voted against limiting greenhouse emissions and better fuel standards.

Gordon Smith received a failing, 40% score from Disabled American Veterans.

In 2002, Gordon Smith ran ads emphasizing his opposition to drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, then voted for it.

Gordon Smith won’t speak honestly about his coordination with Dick Cheney in deciding to divert water from the Klamath River, resulting in 75,000 dead salmon and a crippled coastal economy.

Source: Stopgordonsmith.com"

Pete in Portland

Posted at August 13, 2008 7:58 PM in response to GOP Senator In Tough Race Quits Role On McCain Campaign

Gore and Kerry won quickly because of the huge conglomeration on Super Tuesday and the prevalence of at-large delegates awarded directly to the primary winner as well as key winner-take-all states like California. If we'd used the rules of the last 40 years this time, Clinton would have clinched a long time ago.

Pure fantasy. First, California's primary was proportional. Second, Super Tuesday was early this year than last year (Feb 5 vs March 2), and with more states (23 vs 10) than in 2004.

More importantly, Kerry won the nomination because unlike Clinton, he won nearly every state primary and caucus. He took Iowa by six points and New Hampshire by 12, making him the frontrunner heading into February, with Super Tuesday still a month away (March 2). And in February, Kerry won 7 of 9 primaries and 9 of 9 caucuses. Yet despite that, his delegate lead over Edwards was only 518-440 DUE TO THE PROPORTIONALITY OF THE RULES. Then on Super Tuesday he did something Clinton didn't do: completely dominated, winning 9 of 10 contests.

When "a long time ago" would Clinton have clinched under your fantasy? After Obama beat her in Iowa? After Super Tuesday, when Obama won 847 delegates to Clinton's 834? After he shut her out for the rest of February, with overwhelming victories in Virginia and Wisconsin?

Clinton supporters talk about Obama supporters having drunk the Kool-Aid, but I swear the complete nonsense I see from so many of her backers is just staggering.

Posted at June 1, 2008 8:37 PM in response to The Understandable Anger at the RBC Meeting

As of end of day Tuesday, 22% of distributed ballots had been received at election offices. Trend was running about 4% received per day, with 10-15% expected to come in on Election Day. Total turnout expected to be maybe 60% (for the '04 primary it was in the high 40s). The upshot of this is that by the time the ad goes up -- sometime on Friday? -- well over half of voters will have sealed and sent or delivered their ballots.

2008 Oregon Ballot Returns by Day

Posted at May 15, 2008 1:33 PM in response to Big Pro-Hillary Independent Group Will Spend Up To $500,000 On Ad In Oregon

22% of the distributed ballots had been received at election offices by end of day yesterday (Tuesday).

2008 Oregon Ballot Returns

For comparison:
Oregon Ballot Return History

Posted at May 14, 2008 6:22 PM in response to Big Pro-Hillary Group Looking To Make Ad Buy In Oregon

Uh, "clean coal" and "liquid coal" are not the same thing. In fact, clean goal coal converts coal to a gas. This is what Obama supports.

The Sierra Club has NOT taken a position against the FutureGen proposal promoted by Obama and others (but not funded by the Bush Administration's Energy Department), although it is against earlier-generation coal gasification projects that virtually eliminate emissions of mercury, sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide compared to traditional coal-fired plants, but don't reduce carbon dioxide from the emisions. Obama is trying to push the technology forward and get us past "sort of clean coal" to the real thing. Some skepticism is in order, I agree. But blanket dismissal or labeling of his support for clean coal as a pander is unjust.

Posted at May 13, 2008 1:22 PM in response to Obama Supports "Clean Coal" in W. Virginia

Ballots must be received by 8 pm May 20. According to the Oregon Secretary of State's website, counting begins on "election day." First results will be released at 8 pm, with updates following until all votes have been counted.

By the way, as of end of day Sunday, May 11, 13% of Oregon's 2 million registered voters had returned their ballots. Updates available by clicking here.

Posted at May 13, 2008 12:53 PM in response to Polls Give Obama Big Lead In Oregon

Curiosity question for Oregon voters: Is there still actual old-fashioned pull the lever voting on election day (or fill in the dot or whatever)available as an option or is all voting done via the mail-in method?

100% mail. No polling places.

Posted at May 13, 2008 10:36 AM in response to Polls Give Obama Big Lead In Oregon