Raging Moderate vs. Raging Maverick?
Paulie Brading
Independent "raging moderate" John Frohnmayer, who's been flirting with entering the Oregon Senate race since January 2006 will announce his run for Senator of Oregon on Monday.He'll face Novick, Smith and Merkley in a contest that will entertain and delight us in the run up to the vote in November 2008. Frohnmayer, already burned by the partisan Right when he was appointed to chair the National Endowmwnt of Arts by George H.W. Bush in 1998 left Wahington after two and a half years of a stormy tenure. He was taken down by the Religious Right led by Pat Buchanan. Frohnmayer's book, "Leaving Town Alive: Confessions of an Art Warrior" details his participation in a Greek tragedy complete with his exit lambasting Buchcanan for undercutting the arts. Frohmayer, residing in Corvallis may appeal to some voters with his degree in Christian Ethics from the University of Chigago, a law degree from the U of O and his service as a decorated officer in the United States Navy. Frohmayer's tales of Republican monitoring of artistic content was summed up in a great line from a NYT's editorial, "the lunacy that sees artists as enemies and ideas as demons, " defines Frohnmayers exit. It is left to BO comment crew to tell the readers what Frohnmayer has been doing since his Washington days.
Republican Gordon Smith read the tea leaves after the 2006 elections and took a turn on the Iraq War attempting to portray himself as a maverick Oregon Senator. Smith, who favors John MCCain for president is riding McCain's coat tails as McCain remains consistent supporting the "surge-after- failed -surge" Iraq War strategy of George W. Bush. Smith, described by many Republicans as the "cut and run or cut and walk " senatorial candidate is seen as the "trying to please everyone candidate." A recent example was Smith stating to a big "O" reporter he feels, "very keenly the responsibility" to help out not only loggers, but ranchers, farmers and miners. "My plate just got bigger," Smith said in the telephone interview, "and I'll work day and night for rural folks." While best-dressed Smith is stowing away his tux, his finger tired from holding it up to the political winds, he continues to mislead voters with his last minute switches. Doesn't he recall questioning Wyden's judgement on the War in Iraq? Moderate or maverick, the choices increase.
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Sep 8, '07
Good luck to John Frohnmayer and anyone else who enters political campaigns.
Third party candidates can enlarge the political discussions. They can ask the uncomfortable questions unrestricted by party affiliations and official handlers. They have no national platform to constrain them. They can speak from the heart and the mind w/out the interference of political hacks who want to chop their speeches into bland little sound bites that are devoid of meaning or content.
8:35 p.m.
Sep 8, '07
Presumably J. F. was appointed by G. H. W. B. in 1988?
Sep 8, '07
Oh come now Sally, ask the uncomfortable questions? Why would he, he has the two parties to do that work, his goal is to stand outside those questions and look "reasonable." Independent's whole appeal is to the no mess no fuss "middle," exactly where you're accusing the Parties of going.
11:38 p.m.
Sep 8, '07
entertain and delight? sweet jesus, this is not a tv game show. this is a challenge to rid the Senate of a man who helped Bush-Cheney wage an illegal, immoral war that's killed and maimed thousands of Americans, tens of thousands of Iraqis, and made the world far more dangerous that an it was before 9/11. what's the entertaining part to you? watching Gordon Smith yuk it up as Frohnmayer plays Oregon's Savior and undermines the attempt to put a decent person in the Senate to work constructively with Wyden, rather than negate almost every vote he makes? i hope you have a real fun time if Smith returns to the Senate and votes against increases in the minimum wage, universal health care, tax fairness, net neutrality, and keeping the frikkin oil wells out of ANWR.
good times, Paulie, good times.
Sep 8, '07
Independent candidates ask questions the mainstream candidates won't touch. That's why we need them.
I think most of the people in Oregon are waiting to see who runs because most are want to vote "Not for Gordon Smith"
It should be a Democrat, but only if they do the job they were hired to do. Cut the platitudes, cut the BS, and get to work.
September 15th a large demonstration and week of activism is planned in Washington DC to stop the war and impeach the President. The organizers have been fined over $30,000.00, police on horseback broke up their last press briefing. Editorial writers and administration lapdogs attack them in the press. Despite this, they've raised enough to send every member of Veterans for Peace to DC for free. They have 100 transit points set up for buses around the country. If you seriously want to stop the war then go or donate.
Sep 10, '07
Frohnmayer is not "mainstream"??
He's not a major party nominee, yes. But out of the mainstream? "Raging moderate"? Nope.
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