The other woman in Jeff Merkley's life
In the second TV spot of the Merkley for Senate campaign, Jeff's wife Mary told us about why fighting for health care is so important.
In this spot, the campaign's fourth, Jeff's daughter Brynne responds to Gordon Smith's recent attack ad targeting her dad.
It's a bit cheesy and adorable, but ya gotta love it.
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May 13, 2008 |
Kari Chisholm | Comments (61 so far)
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Comments
Posted by: BetsyO | May 13, 2008 2:20:33 PM
Glad to see the reversal in tone.
As the actors in Airplane would say, "I take it sweet and cheesy. Like my men."
Posted by: Eric Parker | May 13, 2008 2:30:51 PM
Yucch...even more added sugar for the Milquetoast Merkley Kool Aid...
Posted by: Runtmg | May 13, 2008 2:45:25 PM
Kari,
At what point does your I-speak-for-myself become dangerously close to being an infomercial for Merkley?
I love your site but in between you and Kevin there have been several pro merkley post's today.
Posted by: cm | May 13, 2008 2:51:13 PM
What Runtmg said -- this site has been really trumpeting the Merkley agenda of late. . .
How 'bout some objectivity?
Posted by: Ben | May 13, 2008 2:56:55 PM
Objectivity on a blog? Seriously? Go read a newspaper, man!
There have been plenty of pro-Novick posts from dedicated supporters over the past few weeks. And several in-the-news items on the race.
Posted by: comment | May 13, 2008 2:59:44 PM
"At what point does your I-speak-for-myself become dangerously close to being an infomercial for Merkley?"
Kari, is an editor.
It's disgusting that he's so biased.
Kari's intelligence is bought and sold.
Posted by: Runtmg | May 13, 2008 3:04:41 PM
I am not insulting Kari's intelligence or credibility or even challenging it. I thank him for creating a site that is very informative and I know how hard that can be. But first there was a story with Merkley surging then a story about a new spot that is on the air. I think Ben is closer to the truth of this than I am.
Posted by: chris | May 13, 2008 3:05:17 PM
"Kari, is an editor.
It's disgusting that he's so biased.
Kari's intelligence is bought and sold."
My intelligence is also bought and sold- it's called having a job. Kari's job is media, so he builds websites, etc. He is lucky to be able to put his skills to use in areas that are of interest to him, ie politics, but it is still a job. There's nothing wrong with that.
FYI- I am a Novick supporter.
Posted by: Patch Adam Perryman | May 13, 2008 3:07:34 PM
Switching messages (positive to negative to positive again) in mid-stream seems to be the go-to trend for yet another political season.
Glad to see that some things never change.
Posted by: Pat Ryan | May 13, 2008 3:08:26 PM
This is the one I've been waiting for. A great one to debut in the last week with 24-40% undecided.
Warm Fuzzy and Simple, and the lovely Brynne is way more telegenic than either her dad or the other guy.
************
But I do have to agree that the Evil Kari Chisolm is lower than a snake's vest pocket. How dare he put up Merkley's latest ad for comment?
If he were even a bit interested in fair play, he'd have Charlie Burr up there posting any and everthing deemed important by the Merovingians....er....Novickians.
Oh wait a minute, they already do that......Nevermind.
Posted by: Glen HD28 | May 13, 2008 3:11:02 PM
Kari, for every Blue Oregon post related to any of Mandate Media's clients, please make up an equal number of posts for the opposition. Even if there's nothing new to report.
Fair and balanced.
I'm a webmaster at Washcodems.org, and I get these same gripes from folks that, for example, don't like how we have more Obama than Clinton posts. I advise them to produce material for their candidate/issue of choice and submit it. I even invite them to become 'associate webmasters' (we ned all the help we can get) but so far no takers.
Gripers, please see 'Guest Columns' button at upper right corner above.
Posted by: torridjoe | May 13, 2008 3:21:08 PM
Except there's plenty to report:
*Neville asks Merkley to stop running negative ads
*Merkley spokesman calls Novick supports communists
*Hibbits poll shows Novick ahead
*OpenLeft covers primary tussle
*Fortune magazine features Novick
that's all TODAY. Yet what's on BlueO today?
Posted by: Eric Parker | May 13, 2008 3:22:15 PM
Interesting....here is a thread supposedly about a very cheesy, sugary ad and we are having a fight over Kari's integrity.
BO is just a blog - a 'water cooler' forum in you will - and there have been Novick updates as well as Milquetoast Merkley udates over the past weeks since the first blowup over Kari's integrity.
None of us can win I guess...
I guess thats why they call it the "silly season".
Posted by: chris | May 13, 2008 3:26:27 PM
TJ- could you link us to those stories? I am one interested commie...
If no link, please tell where to find the communist story, sounds like a good one.
Posted by: Jefffrane | May 13, 2008 3:36:35 PM
Chris: http://tinyurl.com/5pr78x
Google is your friend!
"In an article today, Merkley's campaign insulted Novick's supporters, describing them as communists. "Merkley spokesman Matt Canter said Novick's base is from the liberal heart of downtown Portland, which he likened to the 'inner circle of the Kremlin.'" [Politico.com, 5/13/08, emphasis added]"
Posted by: Kari Chisholm | May 13, 2008 3:36:35 PM
I make no apologies for posting anytime I want on any topic I want on the blog that I pay for and manage. Quoting (ironically) Ronald Reagan, "Hey, I paid for this microphone."
We've had plenty of arguments about the in-the-news stuff and that's fine... but when it comes to commentary from me, by me, it's going to be about stuff I find interesting.
I wrote about the Hibbits poll already. The rest of TJ's suggestions are boring. (To me, which is all that matters... to me.)
This isn't a paper of record. We're not obligated to cover everything.
Unless that is, someone has $50,000/year they want to donate -- in which case we'll make BlueOregon a nonprofit and hire a professional editor.
Now, can we get back to arguing about politics instead of blog-management?
Posted by: James X. | May 13, 2008 3:49:05 PM
"This site has [also] been really trumpeting the [Novick] agenda of late." So what's your problem?
In a new spot, John Kitzhaber supports Steve Novick
Novick and Obama: The politics of authenticity
Ad watch: Merkley's negative ad
How Novick "insulted" Gore
Will Novick be hit for proposing to deport all Scotch-Irish back to the old country?
Merkley Ad Goes Negative on Novick
Etc., etc.
Merkley supporters are biased toward Merkley, Novick supporters are biased toward Novick, and both can post on the site's front page, not that any blog needs to allow that kind of thing. You can't just call a blogger biased and expect people to be scandalized.
Also, TJ: I demand you shut down your blog. It's biased! (Just kidding.)
Posted by: karen | May 13, 2008 3:58:03 PM
Sheesh TJ. Everybody knew Matt was just kidding around. It was clearly a joke. Novick has very weak suppport outside of Portland while Merkely appeals to Democrats across the state. Steve can dish it out and it's ok by you. Matt kids around and you try to blow it up. Go get a real quote or maybe we should just run some of your nutty statements. Get a grip man. It's common knowledge you do more harm to Steve's campaign than help his campaign.
Posted by: torridjoe | May 13, 2008 3:59:25 PM
"Also, TJ: I demand you shut down your blog. It's biased! (Just kidding.)"
I've never claimed otherwise. But this blog--at least the stories not bylined--is theoretically supposed to cover newsworthy events in Oregon politics, as far as I've been led to understand.
Kari can do whatever he wants; he just shouldn't represent otherwise.
Posted by: torridjoe | May 13, 2008 4:01:39 PM
"Sheesh TJ. Everybody knew Matt was just kidding around. It was clearly a joke. Novick has very weak suppport outside of Portland while Merkely appeals to Democrats across the state. Steve can dish it out and it's ok by you. Matt kids around and you try to blow it up. Go get a real quote or maybe we should just run some of your nutty statements. Get a grip man. It's common knowledge you do more harm to Steve's campaign than help his campaign."
I've always found that last attack to be curious. Are you saying that Merkley by all rights should be doing WORSE than he is now, were I not writing about the race? Interesting.
I guess along with running Jeff's ads, now I'm being credited with propping up his campaign. And someone tried to say I was irrelevant!
:)
Posted by: James X. | May 13, 2008 4:04:59 PM
TJ, you're using things like a pro-Novick poll not being published the day it's released as evidence of bias, when the last two polls, both pro-Merkley, also were not published the day they were released. You're just playing the refs with special pleading at this point.
Posted by: Kevin | May 13, 2008 4:13:27 PM
What Karen said.
Portland has been known as "Little Beirut" for years. Does that mean anyone using the reference is saying that all Portlanders are Arabs or that Portlanders are Hezbollah terrorists?
Posted by: Kevin | May 13, 2008 4:18:11 PM
As a single parent with two daughters I love this ad because I identify with it. It's a visceral thing less about politics than about appreciating another's familial bonds.
Posted by: darrelplant | May 13, 2008 4:22:11 PM
Portland has been known as "Little Beirut" for years.
Yeah, it's been called that by the Bush family ever since George H. W. Bush ran into protests here in the 1980s. If Merkley wants to associate his campaign with the Reagan-era GOP, the Bushes and the McCarthyites, I say Canter should let the references to how scary and radical Portland is rip.
Posted by: James X. | May 13, 2008 4:24:51 PM
Darrel, that label is rather proudly worn by the successful organizers of protests in this city.
Posted by: 18yearoldwithanopinion | May 13, 2008 4:28:10 PM
If anyone had read the full article they would have seen that Canter was referring to Novick's communist business card from years past. Canter in the article admits that it was a bad joke. Just Torridjoe grasping for air again in his sad attempt to prop up his candidate. Damn I sure miss the days when Carla was there to keep Torridjoe in line.
Posted by: Daniel Spiro | May 13, 2008 4:29:07 PM
"Kari, for every Blue Oregon post related to any of Mandate Media's clients, please make up an equal number of posts for the opposition. Even if there's nothing new to report."
Strawman alert. Strawman alert. The above should read,
"Kari, please feel free to write one misleading post after another in favor of the guy who pays you, and manufacture scandals against his chief opponent whenever possible." [Remember Kimmerly-gate?]
I've tried to ignore the blatant biases of Blue Oregon as well as to give Merkley credit where it's due, despite my intense support for Novick. But it's certainly true that Blue Oregon is going to be responsible for a bit of what I call the Thelma and Louise Effect, if I may make an analogy to the Presidential election.
The exit polls in WV show that a HUGE percentage of Democrats won't be voting Democrat in the fall if their favored candidate doesn't win. I attribute that primarily to Hillary's kitchen-sink approach, in which she appears to be acting like Thelma and (implicitly) urging her supporters to play Louise and drive off the cliff if Obama gets the nomination.
By adopting a bit of a kitchen-sink strategy of their own, voices like Kevin's (and to a lesser extent Kari's), will be creating the same kind of effect in Oregon no matter who wins the Senate primary. It's hard not to get caught up in the acrimony. Gordon Smith must be smiling.
Posted by: Green Peas | May 13, 2008 4:29:34 PM
I'm a little grossed out at your referring to Merkley's daughter as a woman. She's not a woman, she's a girl.
Posted by: Ben | May 13, 2008 4:31:13 PM
Nice ad. I like the goofy, lighter touch and am really impressed with how personable Brynn is. Who would have known! I think Kevin also makes an excellent point.
And, in terms of the other ridiculousness, karen got it just right above. It was a joke when it began, and a joke in the correct context. I love how often we forget the context to play the victim game.
Posted by: Kevin | May 13, 2008 4:31:38 PM
Darrell, you must not have lived in Oregon very long to have suggested that only the Bush family calls Portland "Little Beirut."
I've only read 2nd-hand references to any member of the Bush family making that reference. Whereas I've heard literally hundreds of Oregonians use it in jest. Criminy, a friend of mine just used it, laughing all the while, last Friday night when we were hanging out. I guarantee that he'd find the Kremlin quip even funnier.
Posted by: backbeat | May 13, 2008 4:37:47 PM
LOL
And Hi darrelplant
you know me by another name at esch
Posted by: joel dan walls | May 13, 2008 4:58:42 PM
TJ complains:
Except there's plenty to report:
*Neville asks Merkley to stop running negative ads
*Merkley spokesman calls Novick supports communists
*Hibbits poll shows Novick ahead
*OpenLeft covers primary tussle
*Fortune magazine features Novick
that's all TODAY. Yet what's on BlueO today?
Nothing stopping you from posting links or writing a guest column, TJ.
And as for this absurdity:
"In an article today, Merkley's campaign insulted Novick's supporters, describing them as communists. "Merkley spokesman Matt Canter said Novick's base is from the liberal heart of downtown Portland, which he likened to the 'inner circle of the Kremlin.'" [Politico.com, 5/13/08, emphasis added]"
Some people may not have noticed that this is 2008 and that the "commies" are no longer in control in the Kremlin.
Maybe it's time for someone to start flaming Candy Neville and that 4th candidate (Loera?). The fact that nobody is doing this is clear evidence of bias at the highest levels of Blue Oregon.
Posted by: torridjoe | May 13, 2008 4:59:07 PM
If anyone had read the full article they would have seen that Canter was referring to Novick's communist business card from years past. Canter in the article admits that it was a bad joke. Just Torridjoe grasping for air again in his sad attempt to prop up his candidate. Damn I sure miss the days when Carla was there to keep Torridjoe in line.
Here's the article. Point out where Canter says he's joking.
Furthermore, I find no record of Novick making jokes about being a communist, or about people in Portland being communist, in the article being cited as Canter's "reference." It's a card someone gave him. It doesn't say he USES them or thinks of himself as a communist. It says "Labor-lover," for heaven's sake.
In any case, why would he joke? He's trying to establish that Novick won't beat Smith because he's too liberal. Where is Merkley's base, I'd like to know. It's not Portland??
And what does it say about the attempt to divide urban and rural in Oregon?
I hear Merkley's supporters include a bunch of dykes and fags. It's OK to say that, right? Because I know a lot of gay people in Portland, and they call themselves that all the time. No one should feel insulted; I bet they'll think it's funny!
Posted by: torridjoe | May 13, 2008 5:00:19 PM
"Nothing stopping you from posting links or writing a guest column, TJ."
What on earth does that have to do with Blue Oregon's editorial policy??
Posted by: karen | May 13, 2008 5:12:44 PM
Now you're making a fool out of yourself TJ and that hurts Steve's campaign. Knock it off.
Posted by: Just An Observation | May 13, 2008 5:15:35 PM
Kari writes, "This [Blue Oregon] isn't a paper of record."
I'd just like to point out the fact that Merkley's campaign used (out of context) material from this very site to smear his opponent in a television ad. I believe that this, in fact, makes Blue Oregon, while not a paper, a medium of record.
Anyone else agree?
Posted by: Rulial | May 13, 2008 5:18:19 PM
Kari can do whatever he wants; he just shouldn't represent otherwise.What are you talking about? We've had this conversation about BlueOregon bias dozens of times now (including in the comment thread for almost every pro-Merkeley post), and Kari repeatedly points out that this is a blog and is hence biased. They've never promised to cover everything that happens in Oregon politics or cover anything objectively.
Posted by: Robert G. Gourley | May 13, 2008 5:25:23 PM
I really like this ad. But then I really like Merkley. But I voted for Steve - I truly hope he will be the next "Lion in the Senate" and certainly won't be surprised if he does.
Posted by: notbuyingit | May 13, 2008 5:27:58 PM
Ben says:
"And, in terms of the other ridiculousness, karen got it just right above. It was a joke when it began, and a joke in the correct context. I love how often we forget the context to play the victim game."
Funny to hear Merkley partisans talking about the importance of context...
Posted by: doretta | May 13, 2008 5:28:00 PM
"Nothing stopping you from posting links or writing a guest column, TJ."
What on earth does that have to do with Blue Oregon's editorial policy??
My observation as a person who's been reading BlueOregon pretty much from the beginning?
That *is* BlueOregon's editorial policy.
Posted by: Kevin | May 13, 2008 5:54:27 PM
Maybe it's time for someone to start flaming Candy Neville and that 4th candidate (Loera?). The fact that nobody is doing this is clear evidence of bias at the highest levels of Blue Oregon.
ROFL - that is too funny!! Very well put, Joel.
Posted by: James X. | May 13, 2008 5:55:20 PM
Notbuyingit, if you believe there's irony here, and you still support Novick's latest attack, does that make you an adherent of "two wrongs make a right?"
I believe there is irony here, but I believe a pattern from a candidate cannot be balanced by a single quote from a staffer.
Posted by: Kevin | May 13, 2008 5:56:56 PM
A word about "the Kremlin"...
Kremlin is the Russian word for "fortress" - dating from the mid-15th Century - and refers to any major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. The one in Moscow is the most famous one but there are many others.
As someone upthread noted, Matt Cantor used the word correctly. It was an obscure reference, though.
The backlash from a very few Novick supporters upthread is evidence of their own individual ignorance and should not be unfairly imputed to all Novick supporters with the broad brush.
Posted by: bdunn | May 13, 2008 5:59:36 PM
The ad is great! Its funny, it has Jeff talking, it has a very cute kid, and goes after Gordon Smith (three ads in a row vs. none for Novick if youre keeping score), what more could you want?
Also if youre one of the Novick supporters (TJ) who are trying to get all offended over the Kremlin quip, you are either being extremely disingenuous as everybody jokes about it, or is more disconnected from Oregon politics (where the term is routinely in use) than I thought
Posted by: Chris Lowe | May 13, 2008 6:21:50 PM
Inner circle of the Kremlin, hmm. The whole city? Yup, there's Joe Stalin Potter, and Uncle Ho Saltzman, thank goodness they got rid of that Left Deviationist Sten, and then of course there are the famous BlueOregon political commissars: the feared Beria Chisholm, his minion Brezhnev Allworth, and the slightly reformist Khruschev Burr.
Ha ha, ha. Ok. stupid failed joke. Ok. Press release on red-baiting overreaction. Ok.
Actually it's not red-baiting. What bothers me is that it's liberal baiting.
Merkley supporters around here always go on about what a good progressive he is. I've accepted that. But if he's going to go in for liberal baiting, I'm going to have to rethink it. This isn't McCarthyism, but it is DLC territory.
Neither Novick nor Merkley can win only with Portland (whose liberalism can be overstated in any case). But neither of them can win without Portland either.
And if Merkley's campaign is going triangulate off of me, it's definitely a demotivator. I've been there before. It makes me wonder if the difference is mainly one of style, which I can live with either way, but one of substance. How far does Jeff's anti-liberalism go, or his willingness to play that game without really meaning it?
A joke's a joke, but not all jokes are funny.
Posted by: Larry McD | May 13, 2008 6:32:04 PM
To paraphrase the great Dorothy Parker...
"I fink I may fwow up."
Posted by: Jason Gilchrest | May 13, 2008 6:43:53 PM
Hey Kari - I can't wait to see Merkley SLEAZE by Novick only to be spoiled by Frohnmeyer. In fact, thanks to you and a few others, I will vote for Frohnie if Merkley eeks this through.
I felt the same way about the Hillary-Barack problem, but I think that worked its way out.
Posted by: Runtmg | May 13, 2008 6:44:43 PM
The point is and was, that Novick appeals to a core of ultra-progressive voters. To me being "liberal" is the biggest pansy ass term a person can have. It is all about being pro-worker to me. Merkley is being accused of triangulation that is a joke and actually more offensive than anything that his stupid spokesperson could have said off handed.
Merkley kept his promises to Unions in this state. The father of triangulation, Bill Clinton destroyed the working class in this country with Nafta, Welfare and Telecom acts that did more damage to the American worker than ANYTHING George Bush could have passed.
Here is a newsflash to every reader on this site. You guys are the enemy. No, not to me but to every self proclaimed free trade capitalist dick-wad out there. Maybe some of you proclaim yourselves capitalists proudly, well guess what if there is another real Red scare you guys will be the first one to run for cover.
In context, the rest of the state doesn't have to live in a downtown metropolis the size of Portland. Their concerns are far different than the city. So what may work and is sensible to voters in downtown Portland will have a hard sell in the outlining areas.
We see this every single election and Novick proudly strutting around about his tax policies isn't going to help him in the rural areas.
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Posted by: Kari Chisholm | May 13, 2008 1:43:38 PM
Oh, and full disclosure: My firm built Jeff Merkley's website, but I speak only for myself.