Quick Hits: surfing the rapids of politics
Kari Chisholm
Well, here's a bunch of political knick-knacks for your Friday afternoon:
- Former first lady Laura Bush is hanging around Southern Oregon this weekend, having done some white-water river rafting and headed for Crater Lake - according to the AP.
- Governor Kulongoski has decided to sign the fusion-lite bill, boosting ballot access for minor parties and nonaffiliated candidates. From the O's Jeff Mapes:
The governor has decided to sign the bill despite the opposition of officials from his own Democratic Party, who think it gives minor parties too much sway. Anna Richter Taylor, the governor's spokeswoman, said Kulongoski was primarily interested in repealing the 2005 law, which he had signed with reservations at the time because he was concerned it was too onerous on non-affiliated candidates. ...
While Democratic Party officials had encouraged Kulongoski not to sign the bill because of the fusion voting provision, the governor's deputy chief of staff - Tim Nesbitt, the former Oregon AFL-CIO president - had been a strong supporter of fusion voting. Nesbitt had helped form the Working Families Party, which was created largely with fusion voting in mind. Founders said they hoped the new party would help push Democratic voters toward more liberal stands on issues such as health care and the minimum wage.
- Mapes also reports that Jon Isaacs will be leaving Senator Jeff Merkley's staff to take a well-deserved break from politics.
- In a bit of a retort to the WW's Good, Bad, & Awful (awful!) issue, in which lobbyists rate legislators, the Portland Mercury has released its ranking of lobbyists - as rated by legislative insiders.
Kristin Leonard got top marks - and a label of "progressive activist all-star". Controversial lobbyists Paul Romain (beer distributors, etc.) and Mark Nelson (tobacco, etc.) got high marks for effectiveness and low marks for integrity and the public interest.
While their coverage only discussed a half-dozen standouts (good and bad), there's an Excel spreadsheet with the full rankings - downloadable here.
- And finally, it looks like an Oregonian is headed for a top post at the AFL-CIO. Elizabeth Shuler, U of O alum and former Oregon IBEW organizer, will be running (so far unopposed) for the post of Secretary-Treasurer at the AFL-CIO. At 39, she'd be the AFL-CIO's highest-ranking woman ever. Learn more about Shuler on her campaign site.
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3:28 p.m.
Jul 10, '09
Kudos to Kristen! As a fellow lobbyist, I can add that she's a pleasure to work with and someone to learn from.
3:38 p.m.
Jul 10, '09
And congrats to you too, Evan. Tied for #1 for public interest - and tied for #10 overall.
Jul 10, '09
JL Wilson is highly underrated in that survey.
5:11 p.m.
Jul 10, '09
Sure thing, JL, err, "Cafe Today"
Jul 10, '09
As an R staffer that beat Andrea on a big issue this session ... I've gotta say that I wasn't impressed.
What is telling ... 35 returned surveys is the total universe of this. Are you kidding me!?!?! Even after Matt walked around the building begging for returns. 35 ... no really ... 35 people is all that cared about the Mercury blog. haha
Jul 10, '09
I have always liked Jon Isaacs. I met him years ago.
PS. ABC
(Anybody But Clem)
Jul 13, '09
Thanks for your useful info, I think it’s a good topic.
Jul 15, '09
Kari -- I don't think Jon Isaacs is leaving Merkley's office "to take a well-deserved break from politics." That's just b.s.
The timing is way too suspicious. Sounds like a little vacation in August before he directs Brian Clem's campaign for governor.
Are you shooting straight here? Or holding out on us?
You know the players way too well -- you did the website for Isaacs and the Merkley campaign, and you're doing the website for Brian Clem. And you know Clem and Isaacs are connected. I find it hard to believe with your experience and your connections that you don't know what's up...
Maybe more digging, less surfing?
If you're able to be an impartial and uncompromised moderator here while getting paychecks from Clem, so be it. But I think you owe the readership of blueoregon the straight shit when you know it.
Like, what do Clem and Isaacs know about Kitzhaber that we don't? Clem said he wouldn't run if Kitzhaber does. But Kitzhaber hasn't gone public with his decision yet.
So, why would Isaacs leave Merkley's office for Clem before Kitzhaber tells us what he's going to do? Sounds like Kitzhaber is out. Any insights, Kari?
7:07 a.m.
Jul 15, '09
Well, clarke, I don't have any answers for you. I don't know what Jon Isaacs is going to do next. We're good friends; I'm sure we'll chat about it.
But you shouldn't assume grand conspiracies when the reality is much more mundane. Jon worked harder than I've ever seen anyone work for 18 straight months on the Merkley campaign, through the post-election transition, and then set up the Merkley stateside operation. During that time he also had a baby and appendicitis. It's been over two years since he had more than three whole days off in a row.
The dude just needs a break. When he's ready to tell anonymous blog commenters what he's going to do next, I'm sure he'll tell you. He knows that we'd love to have him blogging back here at BlueOregon again.
But other than that, you're going to have to wait and see along with everyone else.
7:08 a.m.
Jul 15, '09
p.s. I wrote "to take a well-deserved break from politics" for two reasons. One, because he does deserve a break. And two, because Mapes made it sound like Jon's dying of some horrible disease, which isn't true.
Jul 15, '09
Sounds a little thin. You might call Clem, your employer, and Isaacs, your good friend, and get a straight answer from each, then let blueoregon know by the end of the day. This is the place to share news 'round the water cooler with progressive Oregonians, after all.
<h2>Failing that, one has to wonder if there's a conflict of interest between your role providing news at blueoregon and your paid role providing a website for Brian Clem.</h2>