There's a reason he's known as "Hardly Matters". 'Bout time he woke up and smelled the coffee.

I met Hardy and Mary Ann Myers in 1996 when I was working on my first job, managing a state senate race against Ferrioli in Eastern OR (Kevin Campbell lost by just 4%)and Hardy was running for AG.) We had a connection because we grew up in neighboring counties, and I still consider them friends, as do many of you.

Hardy was a great House Speaker during the trying economic times of the late '70s and early '80s. The previous speaker, Phil Lang, had been effectively deposed by the Republicans and six Democrats ("The six pack", which included our Governor), and Hardy was able to work with all sides and keep the state afloat.

As AG candidiate in '96, Hardy came out of the private sector to beat Kevin Mannix in the D primary. As AG, he has not shrived for media attention, but to do his job with the judicious professionalism that is Hardy.

We need more public servants like Hardy Myers.

Hardy has been a great public servant - even if we are on opposite sides of a lawsuit.

I suggest term limits on Stoel Rives attorneys serving in public office.

It is time for Oregon to elect John Kroger. Oregon needs an Attorney General with experience as a prosecutor. John Kroger has the experience to tackle Oregon's meth crisis, serious child abuse, unchecked pollution and environmental degradation, poor child support enforcement, and countless consumer rip-offs. We need an AG who has experience in the court room. John Kroger has the experience working as a prosecutor in New York and helping to prosecute the crooks at Enron.

I just want to mention that Oregon also needs an Attorney General who is an Oregon lawyer. John Kroger took the Oregon bar exam last month.

I have worked for three Oregon Attorneys General, including Hardy. I can attest to Hardy's integrity, thoughtfulness, and professionalism. He has worked hard for our state in his many years of public service, and he certainly wasn't in it for the money.

Thank you for your public service Hardy Myers!

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IN OTHER NEWS, SENATOR BARACK OBAMA WILL BE SPEAKING IN PORTLAND ON SEPTEMBER 7TH! Oregon is about to be Baracked and it will never be the same!

Kevin Mannix? Jeez Kari you should ban yourself for the day just for bringing up his name.

You can take a closer look at the Macpherson-Kroger race that's a-brewing over at the new Beaver Boundary, where I've got a post-announcement analysis.

Hardy is a good guy. Even my Republican partners respect him.

Some of us who have lived and practiced law in the NW for 20 or 30 years are a bit skeptical about folks like Kroger from the east coast who fly in, run for AG, position themselves to run for Gov. or Senator, and then, if things don't go well, head back to the east coast. Perhaps Kroger was born here, or his wife is from here, or he loves fly fishing in the Deschutes and therefore belongs here. But you do have to acknowledge our skepticism.

Some of us who have lived and practiced law in the NW for 20 or 30 years are a bit skeptical about folks like Kroger from the east coast who fly in, run for AG, position themselves to run for Gov. or Senator, and then, if things don't go well, head back to the east coast.

But you do have to acknowledge our skepticism.

He's a teacher at one of the top private law schools in the country. He's prosecuted high profile cases at the federal level and he's helped put a lot of bad men behind bars. But he's not good enough for Oregon AG? Why don't you tell me why you question Kroger's motives? I'd love to know.

And as for acknowledging your skepticism, you forced it upon me. I'd rather ignore the views of a holier-than-thou nativist. I want the best people our state has to offer in leadership positions. I could care less where their origins are.

John Kroger too possesses "integrity, thoughtfulness, and professionalism" whether or not he fits your definition of an "Oregon lawyer."

The definition that Oregon Lawyer was going for was probably 'someone who has passed the state bar'. Until Kroger passes the bar, he's not really a credible candidate. He'll find out on 9/13 if he passed.

So, Kroger is a nationally famous lawyer who has been DPO finance chair.

I can see the slogan now: Vote Kroger, the nationally famous prosecutor, for Oregon AG.

What does Kroger know about Oregon politics?

As much as Hardy--I don't think so! I have admired Hardy Myers back to his days in the legislature.

As far as Kevin, I have met Republicans who don't have much use for him, so don't nominate Mannix for AG quite yet.

What does Kroger know about Oregon politics?

I can't resist spillover from the Gonzalez thread. . . does it matter whether the Oregon AG understands Oregon politics? Is that the AG's job?

Hardy who?

I'm just glad to have not one but two impressive (potential) AG candidates. Macpherson probably is the favorite but I'm a fan of Kroger. (And, for the record, I'm a native Oregonian and I don't give a damn where he's from.)

Having worked closely with the AG's office on both public safety and elections legislation, the answer is YES - knowledge of politics matters. It's not the main thing the AG does and there are excellent attorneys in the AG's office who take the lead on a lot of the legislation. Plus Kroger is strategic and savvy so I imagine he'd do just fine. But McPherson's experience in the legislature will help him on the legislative front.

Is there any discussion about Floyd Prozanski(?) running for Attorney General.

He's my State Senator and a local District Attorney. He has worked with local groups that help abused woman and children and he was the leader in fighting predatory payday lenders in Oregon. I think he would be an amazing Attorney General.

Just my two cents,

John

God is not so good as to give us Kevin Mannix to run against.

Chris Bouneff wrote:

"I'd like to see an aggressive, consumer-oriented, media hungry AG who can get out front on issues for once."

Like Dan Meek, perhaps?

Kari, Kevin Mannix won't run. He'll have initiatives on the '08 ballot which he hopes will propel him to the governor's mansion.

<h2>Our state (and Washington, too), has a growing underground economy. The attorney general and the legislature needs to fully implement the "Welfare Reform Act", of the 90's. The legislature must include the self employed/ contract labor new hire reporting. California has been doing this since 2001. Oregon and Washington pay out apox. $1600.00, per month, in benefits to children not receiving child support simply because the non-custodial parents' jobs aren't "seen" by the government. New Hampshire did a study that 95% of self employed people were past due. Many were not reporting income or under reporting income in order to not pay tax, either. I'm progressive but I really despise the growing crime here.</h2>