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Posts published in “Day: October 15, 2006”

Endorsement Sunday: OR

October 15, 2006

The premier endorsement - the Oregonian's - in the premier race in the state - the governor - is out.

PORTLAND OREGONIAN/Governor Not a big surprise here, recent news coverage notwithstanding. The Oregonian is a Portland establishment organization, and Republican Ron Saxton is a Portland establishment person. The paper hasn't gotten along well with Democratic incumbent Ted Kulongoski for a long time. (It endorsed him four years ago, when he was running against an even more non-Portland type, Kevin Mannix.) The paper's point was almost dispassionately stated. It characterized Kulongoski's term as partly successful and partly not. And it noted concerns about Saxton, and cited a series of problems that Oregon has - most of which any governor has only a limited amount to do with - before concluding, "It is a leap of faith to endorse a former school board chairman over a sitting governor. If all was well, we would recommend that voters re-elect Kulongoski. But the times demand a fresh look at Oregon's problems and Saxton brings an open, independent mind to the task. We recommend that voters select him as their next governor." (more…)

Endorsement Sunday: WA

October 15, 2006

Nearing the finals on newspaper endorsements, a spate of opinion pieces of note hit today's papers around the state. An overview follows.

SEATTLE TIMES/8th House Probably not much of a surprise that the Seattle Times went with Republican incumbent Dave Reichert for re-election on the eastside. (Setting up for a Cantwell endorsement?)

What was interesting was the force behind it. While extolling Reichert's "conscience-driven independent streak" (more than once), the edit took after Democratic challenger Darcy Burner in equally strong terms: "She missed either primary or general election votes in four years, starting in 2000. Burner shifts the blame again, arguing the only voting record that matters is Reichert's. Right, his matters. But voting is a fundamental obligation of every citizen. It matters that she, as an adult, didn't take it seriously. Still more disappointingly, Burner has run a mean-spirited campaign that would make Republican spinmeister Karl Rove proud. In The Seattle Times/KUOW-FM congressional debate last week, she accused Reichert of 'lying.' She called him 'unprincipled' and 'politically crass.'" Both characterizations seem a little overstrong for two candidates who don't exactly wear day-glo colors. (more…)

What not to say

October 15, 2006

For a good chunk of this year, one of the legislative races Idaho Democrats have most touted is that of Ryndy Williams, running in a Meridian district against Republican Senator Gerry Sweet.

No Democrat has won a legislative seat in that area ever, but the line went like this: Sweet has some unusually strong negatives (some on policy - conservative social issues - and some on missing a bunch of legislative meetings). Williams is running an unusually strong campaign. To our cautions that this is simply a tough district, we were told: Don't let this one slide off your radar.

So. the first sentence of the Idaho Statesman report about this race today begins with this: "Democrat Ryndy Williams said she doesn't expect to get elected on November 7. . . ."

If (and we'll assume here the report is accurate) she doesn't think so, why should anyone else? And if the race is a foregone loser, why should anyone pay attention?