You don't see Clinton campaigning with Kulongoski, do you? You don't see him cutting commercials for her either. He is radioactive. I hope some of it rubs off on McCain. This is not only inept on his party, but just plain stupid. It further erodes his standing in the party and in the state.

Crazy like a fox, I'd say. Right wing full-mooners like Larson are baying like a gang of deranged banshees about McCain's appearance with Teddy K. And the global warming stuff has sent them over the edge. It's all quite funny actually.

At least some of their psychotic hatred for Kulongoski is bound to transfer to McCain, further separating him from his GOP "base."

I hate the smell of Republican victory in the morning. With Democrats like Kulongoski, who needs Republicans. I did not realize Kulongoski was such a tool.

I particularly enjoyed the Grumpy Forester's take on the Guv's appearance with McCain.

no kidding. what a goddamned boneheaded maneuver. thanks a lot ted. oregon's not a blue through and through state so that we can afford idiotic slip-ups like this. what the hell was he thinking? i've never been all that excited about kulongoski, but he's got a D after his name, and as a rabid partisan that's ultimately what matters most to me. i certainly hope he will release a VERY public statement to the effect that his appearance with mcturd does not in any way constitute an endorsement of his candidacy.

I can hear the TV ad voiceover behind this photo...

"John McCain knows environmental leadership means working together with Republicans and Democrats like Governor Ted Kulongoski. His independence and bipartisan leadership make him the right choice to bring change to Washington."

Straight from the Ron Wyden school of photo-op science.

BARF. Thanks, Ted.

It reminds me of Sunday night before the 1980 election, when Jimmy Carter landed Air Force One by the old terminal at PDX, on his last harrah. They pulled the jet behind the stage in the eerie flickering of portable lights. Jody Powell was hiding in the shadows, the look of knowing the result on his grinning face.

Introducing the Democratic still-President was the Mayor of Portland, and purported Democrat, Frank Ivancie. Soon he was a Reagan appointee to the Federal Maritime Commission.

Unfortunately, Ted supported the Iraq War going in. In his Oregonian interview on the fifth anniversary of the War, he said the War was about oil and can not stop until we are energy independent.

So, his appearance with McCain, and behind McCain's campaign sign is not a surprise.

I disagree with the criticism of Kulongoski. As Chris alludes to above, but doesn't follow through to its logical extension, global warming should not be a partisan issue. McCain was touring a renewable energy company that the Governor has promoted, and the Governor was there to also talk about renewable energy. What's important isn't the appearance, it's what Kulongoski said. Did he say we should vote for McCain? Or did her talk about the benefits of renewable energy?

The blind partisanship that we see in this post and the comments does NOTHING to move this country forward on environmental issues. The anger that you all seem to have now that McCain is moving to the left on global warming is irrational. It's almost as though you prefer that he continue parroting the right-wing line, because. . .well, why exactly? So we can win elections more easily?

Do you care more about winning elections, or more about saving the earth?

If it's not partisan, he shouldn't be standing behind the logo of the GOP candidate for President. Surely his staff could have insisted that as this was a non-campaign event, it did not require the campaign poster.

But it WAS a campaign event.

DUPED.

This sort of idiot maneuver is why I have long called him Special K.

Carl and Jenni,

Pretty sure this wasn't the 33K event next to the working folk. I believe this was at a "sustainable company." It looks like they're outdoors, not at a hotel or convention hall.

ted could have easily righted this wrong by talking to any reporter and saying that it was nice to hear john mccain acknowledge the global warming crisis. unfortunately the policies he is advancing are a smokescreen designed to obscure what truly needs to be done if this country is going to turn this crisis around... Ted bought a ticket to the bully pulpit when he attended the event, now he needs to show some leadership for both the environment and his party.

It's one thing to point out the flaws in McCain's environmental record - although two of the alleged flaws, a cap and trade system and advocacy of nuclear power, say more about the myopia of the environmental left than tbey do about McCain.

It's another to dismiss this all as a Republican campaign trick. Kari Chisolm is descending into disgraceful partisan hackery with that charge. McCain has been touting global warming for quite a while now - to a volley of brickbats from the neanderthal majority in the Republican Party (led by Rush Limbaugh)

It's the kind of thing the Obama campaign (and McCain's perhaps as well) are trying to get us beyond, because we're sick of it, whether it's from Kari Chisolm on the left or David Reinhard on the right.

Our Governor, unlike the partisan hacks of Blue Oregon, will have to work with the next President of the United States to combat global warming. And there is just the off chance that John McCain will be that next President. And while John McCain is a nicer guy than a lot of Republicans, I can't imagine he wouldn't remember a snub from the Governor of Oregon if and when, as President, he started really tackling the global warming crisis facing our globe.

Good point, UPO. If McCain is president, this will look like a brilliant hedge. Oregon and Teddy K will be well poised to help lead a bipartisan greening effort with the new administration. McCain will not forget the favor of how Teddy K stuck his neck out for the enemy in the heat of battle.

Oh, but McCain will be President = America will be F*CKED.

DE: You may be right about America's fate if McCain is elected President, but at least it won't be because the U.S. government still thinks global warming is an environmentalist hoax.

McCain will not forget. Ted will get an appointment.

I have been disappointed in the Governor because he appears to like Republicans more than Democrats. He appoints Republicans much too often to state committees and commissions. His economic development efforts are consistently to help persons who are already well off, often Republicans. He was AWOL during his first legislative session, did better last time. I recently wrote him that Oregon's tax structure is much less progressive than when I first moved to Oregon and encouraged him to initiate changes. The letter I got back was that it's the legislature that has to change the tax structure. Obviously this is not an issue the Governor intends to address from his bully pulpit and he doesn't intend to suggest changes to the tax code in his state of the state. Overall, he's a disappointment.

From The Oregonian, March 19, 2008:

"The governor said he believes the war was planned from the start as a way to ensure U.S. access to the vast stores of oil in Iraq. As a result, he sees no end in sight unless Americans wean themselves from foreign oil supplies."