Quick Hits and Deep Thoughts: Ultimate Fighting Edition
Kari Chisholm
It's been a while since I've mused aloud, so let's dig in...
- The deadline for the Punditology Challenge: Veepstakes Edition is 5 p.m. today. Tell us who Obama and McCain will pick for VP and when - and you could be famous. (And yes, if you picked Evan Bayh on Wednesday, you've already lost. Y'all just fell for the Obama head fake. Suckers.)
- Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley campaigned together Wednesday - hammering on Big Oil and their ties to Gordon Smith and George Bush. From the O:
"As long as we're hostage to oil sheiks overseas, we're mortgaging our future," Merkley said, standing with Wyden at the Portland gas station.
He also used the event to continue the main theme of his campaign -- that incumbent Republican Gordon Smith has canceled Wyden's vote on energy issues.
"Indeed the Smith and the Bush energy policy has been a disaster. Eight years of that policy and what did we get? Four dollar gas and $600 billion in profits for the oil companies," he said.
Wyden said he would eagerly embrace Merkley.
"On issue after issue we have seen filibusters in the United States Senate and one of the reasons I wanted to come today is I want you to help send Jeff Merkley to the United States Senate so we can get a new energy policy.
"We've got a lot of tough fights ahead and we're going to have to take on the biggest lobbies, some of the most powerful interests in the country to bring about change," Wyden said.
- Congressional candidate Mike Erickson is under fire for making things up on his resume - and making up endorsements for his campaign. From Politicker:
“In my lifetime I have never seen a candidate brazenly fabricate so many different stories debunked by so many different people,” DPO Chair Meredith Wood Smith said. ...
“In every sector of his life you see Erickson making false claims,” DPO spokesman Marc Siegel said. “He’s not only prolific at making lies, he’s bad at it.”
He may be a sleazeball, but he's a very wealthy sleazeball - who clearly doesn't have any hesitation when it comes to spending his millions. Go help Kurt Schrader. Do it now.
- So Gordon Smith is obsessed with the remodel in the state capitol - which included some new furniture along with the make-the-water-drinkable part of the project. Isaac Laquedem notes the hypocrisy:
One of the similes used to great effect by Jesus of Nazareth was to compare people who complain about others having faults that they themselves share to one who notices and criticizes the mote (speck) in someone else's eye, but is blind to the beam in his own. It seems to me surprising for a Republican senator who has generally supported President Bush's budget proposals -- the most fiscally reckless of the current generation -- to complain about a fellow Solon having the public fisc pay for some good-quality furniture that will outlast everyone now in office -- at least, not unless Senator Smith's criticism of Mr. Merkley included some reference to the fiscal waste of his own party.
- Meanwhile, we haven't talked much about the recent SurveyUSA poll that showed Smith up 49-37.
The first thing I noticed: they've got the electorate pegged at 51% male. I can't think of an election in recent history where male voters outnumbered female voters. In 2004, for example, the Oregon electorate was 55% female. And the same poll showed Obama up in Oregon by only 3%. I don't buy that at all.
James L. at Swing State Project also found it suspect - noting that the poll assumes an electorate with 4% more Ds than Rs; while actual voter registration numbers show a 10% lead. In any case, we always knew it wasn't going to be easy. Keep working, folks.
- Out in Gresham, it seems there's some kind of silly fight going down about the use of police and fire uniforms in campaign literature. But rather than deal with that issue, they've decided to ban wearing a uniform unless you're at work - or on your way there. So, no more parades, no more funerals, no more community picnics, no more career days, etc.
But as long as campaign photographers shoot photos from a distance while the candidate is working (presumably not interfering with work), the campaign literature will still include those sorts of photos. In other words, the political motives behind this (and I don't pretend to understand Gresham city politics) managed to overwhelm logic and common sense. Now they've created a new problem without fixing the old one. Go figure.
- And finally, is this really the kind of person we want in the Legislature?
Personally, I'd rather have Suzanne VanOrman in there. Just saying...
[Full disclosure: My firm has built websites for Jeff Merkley, Kurt Schrader, Greg Matthews, and Ron Wyden but I speak only for myself.]
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Aug 8, '08
[Off-topic section removed. -editor.]
You talk about Bush using fear mongering. Look at you: You attack someone based on their athleticism. The Olympics are starting. Dare an athlete run for office! Oh, wait.. Matt has an Olympic medal, in 2000 for wrestling.
Your a joke Kari -- What a low attack. Talk about politics of personal destruction. Attacking someone based on what they do - Did you know this guy own's a Gym in Gresham, he founded MMA in Oregon and is one of the best athletes of his weight class in the world).
Full Disclosure: I've never met Lindland but think just proved everyone true, that no one respects you.
4:06 a.m.
Aug 8, '08
As I've already pointed out over at the link at The Outlook, this new rule is just ridiculous. Reading the story, it becomes pretty obvious that those pushing the rules are supporters of Piluso and Matthews' opponents. Because they complained, a rule was pushed through by our mayor (who has supported John Lim in the past, I don't know who he is supporting in the county commission race).
This rule change should have gone through the city council and had a public comment time available.
I think it's becoming clearer and clearer that the city council needs to be involved in more decision-making.
6:01 a.m.
Aug 8, '08
Sadly, the last sixteen years of American energy policy have been a disaster. We frittered away the 1990s, a period when we could have become a world leader in renewable energy and higher CAFE standards.
One only hopes the John Dingell's of the world joins the Gordon Smith's in the political graveyard.
Aug 8, '08
Gordon Smith's candidate, John McCain, has been deeply involved in the destruction of American industry and outsourcing of American jobs. His role and that of his campaign manager, Rick Davis, in the loss of 8 thousand DHL jobs in Ohio is now coming to light. The Democratic party needs to hammer McCain on his role in trying to ship Boeing jobs and contracts to Airbus. This ad now running in Ohio is the type of ad that needs to be running in Oregon against McCain and Smith. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_I6GXfDUSM
Aug 8, '08
I've got to disagree with you on the uniform issue, Jenni. Paul Evans ran afoul of the same kind of rules in his state senate campaign. The use of a uniform in a political campaign necessarily implicates the organization sponsoring the uniform as a sponsor of the person. That gives a misleading impression that denigrates the institution. The ad in the article implies through an image that the Gresham Police have a position on a Multnomah County Commissioner race, which they do not. Should John McCain be permitted to campaign in a Navy captain's uniform?
Of course, past accomplishments and service are always fair game. There's nothing wrong with her pointing out that she has held the position of Gresham Police Chief, as it is a legitimate qualification for the position. She just can't imply an endorsement from a non-political governmental organization.
Aug 8, '08
Regarding Survey USA polls, they have been mostly crappy during the primary season. Rasmussen's 7/14 poll showing the race about even is probably closer to the actual measure. Rasmussen, though a Republican polling organization, has had a better record this campaign season.
Aug 8, '08
In Lindland's defense, the man he fought went into that match willingly and knew the potential consequences.
By contrast, Matt Wingard, Republican candidate for State Representative in HD 26, brutally beat a small child with a screwdriver.
9:33 a.m.
Aug 8, '08
I'm interested to see what the respondents to your veep survey said. That will be only slightly less interesting than seeing who he ultimately chooses. I haven't a clue--so much so that I don't remember who I picked. Sebelius, I think, but who knows--
Aug 8, '08
anon said "By contrast, Matt Wingard, Republican candidate for State Representative in HD 26, brutally beat a small child with a screwdriver."
"Brutally beat"?
Is it OK to lie like that?
The thruth is that in a brief moment of frustration he excessively tapped him on the head, once, to get his attention when misbehaving. It left a small mark and in the divorce atmosphere became the issue it never was.
With all the blue critiqing of so called Republican tactics it's more than a little hypocritcal for BlueO to be circualting a "brutally beat" version of Windland's record.
10:09 a.m.
Aug 8, '08
Steve... For the record, that was an anonymous comment above - not by any of the editors or contributors of BlueOregon.
Obviously, the posts and comments here are the views of their authors, and not of anyone else.
Aug 8, '08
Oh thanks,, I get it. This is sort of like DailyKos. It's just a vile thing aimed at a Republican so it stays.
Aug 8, '08
I've never looked closely at a Mixed Martial Arts match before.
I have one reaction to the video: this sport is way beyond the bi-curious stage.
And he's a Republican! Who'd have thunk...
Aug 8, '08
Well, irm5, you're not alone.
Mark Simpson, the British journalist who coined the word "metrosexual", calls MMA "S&M Sporno" (that's the combination of Sport and Porno.)
11:48 a.m.
Aug 8, '08
I've got to disagree with you on the uniform issue, Jenni. Paul Evans ran afoul of the same kind of rules in his state senate campaign. The use of a uniform in a political campaign necessarily implicates the organization sponsoring the uniform as a sponsor of the person. That gives a misleading impression that denigrates the institution.
Actually, having spoken with plenty of voters out here during the primary, I didn't come across a single one who thought that the police department had endorsed Piluso. It's pretty obvious that she's in her uniform because the top talks about what she's done for Gresham while police chief.
Go look at Greg Matthews' web site - does that picture make it appear that the fire dept is endorsing him - or does it represent the job he's done for years?
And I'm sure that McCain will have photos of him in his military clothing - it doesn't have to be the dress uniform (how many times did we see Kerry in military clothing?). As a matter of fact, those images are already on McCain's web site.
This new rule isn't just about a police chief's uniform, but any clothing with the city's name, dept. name, logos, etc. So that could be t-shirts with the police dept. name on them, shirts with the parks dept. logo, or whatever.
But that isn't even the point that I'm trying to make - this goes beyond politics.
The new rule doesn't say you can't use the uniforms in political campaigns. It says that you can't use your uniforms outside of when you're on duty or commuting to/from work.
• That means all those community events where our officers attend while not on duty - can't wear the uniform.
• Those parades that officers are in while not on duty - can't wear the uniform.
• When a police officer in Portland dies and officers attend while not on duty - can't wear the uniform (same if a firefighter dies).
• When a police officer attends a career day at a school while not on duty - can't wear the uniform.
The funny thing is that you can still do this stuff in ads - you just have to go and buy a generic police dept., fire dept., etc. uniform and then you're free to have pics of you dressed as a police officer, fire fighter, etc.
12:02 p.m.
Aug 8, '08
And like I just pointed out at The Outlook site - this now means no images of officers, no video of officers speaking in their uniforms, etc. can be used in the campaign for the police levy.
It's going to be odd having a campaign to hire more police without being able to use video, photos, etc. of our officers. After all, in this instance the city is indeed in favor of this levy.
12:19 p.m.
Aug 8, '08
The funny thing is that you can still do this stuff in ads - you just have to go and buy a generic police dept., fire dept., etc. uniform and then you're free to have pics of you dressed as a police officer, fire fighter, etc.
No, I think you could still have shots of a police officer or a firefighter in campaign material.
It just needs to be shot while the candidate in question is at work. Presumably, they'd have to be actually working - and the photographer would have to shoot from a distance, not interfering... but as long as they're "journalistic" shots and not staged shots, I think you'd be fine.
What a dumb rule.
Aug 8, '08
I have a theory about why Survey USA might be getting bad results in Oregon. If you recall, they were also the pollsters who were wildly off in the Senate Primary this year. The reason why they might be getting such flawed data is because their survey technique excludes everyone in Oregon who signed up for the federal "do-not-call" list. Robo-calls were disallowed, so I assume it also disallows their robo-surveys. Anyone know more about that?
1:52 p.m.
Aug 8, '08
Kari:
According to subsequent news items I've read on this, you can't have any image/video whatsoever of them in their uniform.
If the image was far enough out, you could probably get away with it since you couldn't see the logos and such. However, you run the risk of someone recognizing that from an event where they knew you had on the uniform (such as a photo of you at National Night Out).
I'm going to see if I can get some further clarification on the rule when I head into City Hall to file my paperwork for running for council. It's definitely something people are talking about out here, and I need to get more info than the little bit that's been in the news.
...and now back to my fundraising attempts. Gotta raise $1500 this month so we can do voters pamphlet, print some materials, etc.
Aug 8, '08
Tim:
I don't think surveys are disqualified from the robo-call rules. If they are then Rasmussen is violating the law because I've gotten a survey robo-call from them once or twice this year.
Aug 8, '08
I can't let this go. Couldn't help but notice this passage from the GOP candidate's website bio (see Kari's link above) in the "fighting 52nd".
Note bene: The 2003 champion of this he-man "sport" is named Randy Couture. If Lindland wins, maybe Randy Couture will be a regular fixture in Salem.
Someone tell Perez Hilton: more joy from this race is yet to come.
Aug 8, '08
But being 99 percent honest is no longer enough.
Aug 8, '08
The Oregon law forbidding political robo-calls was new to this campaign (it took effect on Jan 1st, 2008), and in fact almost every state-wide campaign made this mistake at one point this year. Again I don't know if the new law applies to SurveyUSA, but I find it unlikely that the same pollster would twice be wrong for the same race in the same state, and it happens to be a pollster that uses a different technique than most other polls.
Aug 9, '08
Jenni and Kari - I'm with you about it being overbroad, but considering that the uniforms they're using are those of the most respected institutions in our society, it's not unreasonable to prohibit them from using them in political ads.
Let me put it another way - if there's no implication of endorsement, why do they have a problem with the rule? It shouldn't make a difference either way, right? Wrong, it makes a tremendous difference, ESPECIALLY when it comes to the military.
The reason we've gone as long as we have without a military coup in this country is that the military MUST be subordinate to civilian authority and apolitical. We can't allow the public to perceive that we take political positions or will be more reluctant to follow orders from one candidate or another. The credibility of these institutions rests upon this impartiality. It's not just a job - it is a commitment secured by an oath and a sacred trust. We empower these organizations with authority not available to regular citizens. In return, they should remain impartial in political affairs.
Again, service in these organizations is a completely legitimate qualification for public office that any candidate can and should trumpet. However, the use of the uniform in campaign ads gives an appearance of endorsement that is dangerous.
Aug 9, '08
Matt "The Shoplifter" Lindland only made the Olympic team because he sued. Talk about a need for tort reform...
1:57 p.m.
Aug 9, '08
Kari, your comment just goes to show how this site will put up anything about Republicans and makes no effort whatever to understand them. Republicans only object to taxes. Since the renovations to the state house came from a state budget required to be balanced, the money came from taxes & fees.
Gordon's spending on the other hand is based on borrowing, which Rs believe is good, because the big financial interests backing them make money off of the transactions.
Steve, all kinds of troll crap lies and wild exaggerations about Democrats individually and collectively, and "liberals" generically, get left up on BlueOregon. No hypocrisy, just light moderation. And are you honestly going to try to tell me that pro-Republican / conservative blogs are any different? After all, it's a Free Republic, isn't it?
2:08 p.m.
Aug 9, '08
Also, Kari, don't know if it it's bases on the same poll, but Swing State Project is now listing Oregon as "barely Democratic" for presidential electoral votes at present.
Aug 9, '08
Let's be fair to Matt "The Law" Lindland. The guy he stepped into the ring with (Fedor Emelianenko) is probably the baddest man on the planet. If you were choosing someone to root for in that fight based on political ideology, you might have a tough time. Fedor is a well known supporter of President Putin.
It is also unfair to characterize Mixed Martial Arts as a conservative, or red-state sport. The only athlete from the sport who has held elected office is Mirko "Cro-Cop" Filipovic, who served the Croatian Parliment as a member of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia.
Let's not hold Matt Lindland's profession against him. He's a collegiate All-American, an Olympic Champion and is one of the founding fathers of the fastest growing sports in the country. We should be encouraging people from all walks of life who want to serve their communities to run for office. Just because his resume doesn't read like that of most legislative candidates does not mean that his candidacy should be dismissed.
If I lived HD 52, I would be voting for Suzanne VanOrman because her values more closely align with mine. Yet I appreciate what Lindland has done to promote and grow a sport I find to be extremely entertaining.
Aug 9, '08
ProgressiveMMAFan: MMA a red state sport? Heavens, no. I mean, Matt's colleague, RANDY COUTURE, wouldn't be caught dead in a red jacket, much less a red state.
10:19 a.m.
Aug 10, '08
Every time you mention Lindland's name, God kills a kitty.
<h2>Why give him the press?</h2>