No way. Unless we want to hand the governorship over to Greg Walden.

Go Bill! He's got my vote if he decides to run.

On a side note...

Greg Walden is a joke. No way a statewide vote goes for that guy. Even less of a chance with the Oregon GOP in shambles and the increase of Democrats.

Garrett:

Go Bill! He's got my vote if he decides to run.

Bob T:

Yeah, that's it -- reward him for the way he screwed Nader and others who've had their petitions thrown out. He was no Phil Keisling.

So much for Democrats and democracy.

Bob Tiernan

"He was no Phil Keisling."

Do you support Phil and Norma's Open Primary measure? Would you support Phil if he ran for statewide office in 2010?

Bob T: blah blah blobbity blah

Garrett: Nader who? Oh yeah I remember that guy. He used to be pretty cool but now he continuously strokes his own ego.

Oregon needs to find a slot for Novick. If not Senator, then Governor. If not Governor, then ... what? He's too talented not to be in one of the state's very top positions.

I'm sorry to hear about the progression of MS. This does not bode well for his candidacy. MS is entirely unpredictable, and it looks like the course of this disease for him means more disability and deteriorating health.

I'd rather have Ray for Gov - not Bill.

Oh please no. Bill's a nice guy, but can't we get someone with some personality and charisma (a la not like our previous Democratic losers such as Tom Bruggere, Bradbury himself, and soon to be Jeff Merkley).

love bradbury, great guy, but it's gonna be a crowded field, so bring on the candidates.

He'd make a decent Governor. I'd like to see who else is on the menu before choosing, though.

Novick would be GREAT.

Peter C is right. And remember last Dem. Gov. primary? One of my criteria will be only taking seriously those who show up at all debates, are responsive to questions, have a vision for a future and a plan to carry it out--not just one liners and demeaning remarks. Remember, the person you have known for years may or may not be the person we see running for Gov.

(Yes, I am still angry that the Ted K. who ran for re-election couldn't find time to debate, made disparaging remarks about Westlund like "I'm running against 2 Republicans" and generally acted as if he were entitled to re-nomination and re-election. Not the Ted K. some of us knew in previous decades and thought we were electing in 2002.)

Adm. N:

Novick could be a good Gov. candidate IF: he meets the criteria in my other comment he starts next year building a statewide network who could be his ground operation he spends time learning that downstate Dems see things differently than Portlanders he learns how to speak to people who are not his usual group of friends.

I saw Steve speak to Marion Demoforum early in the campaign. Of the 6 people at our table, 2 of them were young people who would have been maybe in jr. high when Kitzhaber left office. Yet, Steve (apparently thinking the audience was all political junkies like himself) would use insider references like "Kitzhaber says.... about health care".

This is basic "Elements of Style" communication stuff. If you are speaking to an audience who was not aware of who the Gov. was when they were in Jr. High, you should at the very least say something like "Former Gov., Dr. Kitzhaber, who authored the Oregon Health Plan while a legislator, says about health care....". THAT is how you win over audiences who didn't know you before they entered the room. And they would still have the right to say of him (as my guest did) "nice guy, but....". Steve seemed to believe that people hearing him would support him and not even offer a constructive critque of his speech. It was that sort of thing which frustrated more people about the Novick campaign than some bloggers would like to admit.

I know of a local political party which has encouraged the Democratic candidates in their county to speak to the local party meeting and allow everyone there to critique the speech and help improve it. Steve Novick should gather friends to do the same thing before he runs for office again.

NO ONE should run (or allow supporters to give the impression of ) with the attitude of "you have heard this candidate speak, therefore you agree and will support this person". That is a level of arrogance which has cost many people votes on election day.

It's been a little while, but last summer Kitz was saying in private conversations that he is thinking very seriously about running again.

I think he'd be great and he'd clear the slate, on both sides.

Kitzhaber would (likely) have my vote, but he has been making bold statements about the nature of health care reform while -- though accurate -- are poitical no-nos for anyone running for office. I think he could overcome that, but he's set up an initially high hurdle.

Now Bradbury I have met several times, and he is one of the most personable people in Oregon politics. Not only would he make a great governor, he would make a great campaigner as well.

Daniel Spiro said: Oregon needs to find a slot for Novick. If not Senator, then Governor. If not Governor, then ... what? He's too talented not to be in one of the state's very top positions.

Sure, how about AG? He's a lawyer; that seems fitting. A progressive, pro-active AG could do wonders for the state.

Back to Bradbury -- he'd probably make a wonderful governor. I don't see the wheelchair as a huge impediment. Roosevelt pulled it off fine, as POTUS, fer crissake, and that was 60+ years ago -- technology has evolved since then, and so have facilities, thanks to the ADA (for better or for worse, but for better if you're wheelchair-bound).

I do agree with the commenter who welcomed a wider field, however. A contested primary would be nice, and then if Bradbury wins on his merits, so much the better.

Message for Daniel Spiro:

Oregon does not need to "find a slot for Novick". Kitzhaber and many other very bright, talented people found their own slots. Kitzhaber and many others started that process by being elected as legislators. Maybe Steve should consider that route.

I admire Bill, the happy warrior and never seems to get discouraged. Bill came very close against DeFazio in the '86 congressional primary and would have likely done much better for senate in '02 had it not been for the pro Bush, post 9-11 environment. I can see a lot of people (Kate Brown and Peter COurtney come to mind) running, but Bill would be an early favorite.

I don't know the type of MS that Bill Bradbury has, but MS is frequently characterized in later stages by cerebral lesions with a growing mental impairment in addition to loss of motor function. Not a good recommendation for governor.

Does anyone know if Randall Edwards is going to toss his hat in the ring?

Bill Bradbury isn't progressive enough for me. I am disappointed that hispanics are now forced to show a social security card to get a drivers license. This is putting alot of families at risk.

Thank you, LeoM

Garrett:

Nader who? Oh yeah I remember that guy. He used to be pretty cool but now he continuously strokes his own ego.

Bob T:

Whether he's doing that or not, it has nothing at all to do with Bradbury's abuse of his power as Secretary of State. Do you understand the difference? Unless you're saying that because Nader was on another ego trip it was okay for a Secretary of State who happens to be a Democrat to do whatever he could to keep him off the ballot and this prevent him from drainging votes from Kerry.

Bob Tiernan

Bob T:

He was no Phil Keisling.

LT:

Do you support Phil and Norma's Open Primary measure? Would you support Phil if he ran for statewide office in 2010?

Bob T:

I don't support the Open Primary measure. But as Secretary of State, Keisling would not have tried to implement such a thing. You're talking about two different things. The job of Secretary of State is not meant to be run in any partisan way, as one can as a governor. Keisling was a very fair Secretary of State, and Bradbury has not been. It was disgusting seeing Democrats support him for a second term. But then, I guess that was a reward for keeping Nader off the ballot, among other things.

Tell me again that the Democratic Party is not as sleazy as the Republican Party. I keep forgetting.

Bob Tiernan

The Politicker link to the Novick story:

http://www.politickeror.com/brittenchase/2543/novick-if-i-am-going-spend-rest-my-life-fighting-bill-sizemore-i-might-well-do-it-

Let's have a large field in the primary (hopefully on both sides) for Gov. in 2010. For Democrats: Steve Novick, Bill Bradbury, maybe one or 2 current statewide officeholders, one or 2 former statewide office holders, a couple of legislators. Then let's see what they can provide in terms of as positive agenda.

Let's try to avoid "you are supposed to like my candidate!". Elections are like job interviews, and we have the right to ask any question we want.

A friend of mine was once a legislative staffer in the year before a Gov. election with a contested primary. He said people were always asking him to support their candidate for Gov. He had a one-liner which was successful in getting the message out about what he was looking for. "Show me that your candidate has a vision for the future and a plan to carry it out".

All due respect guys, "If I am going to spend the rest of my life fighting Bill Sizemore, I should do it from a position of power" doesn't exactly provide that vision and that plan for the future. I'm guessing that if Randall Edwards or John Kitzhaber (or others who have held statewide office) decided to run for Gov., they would be able to provide that vision and that plan.

What about tax reform? An open budget process with input from more than legislative leadership, the Gov. and Ways and Means members? Health care? Continuing what the 2007 session started regarding regulating the pay and performance evaluations of educational administrators (esp. the central office variety) so that their work is monitored as closely as the pay and performance of teachers (both teachers and administrators are public employees)? Transportation options outside places like Portland? Energy conservation? Environmental issues?

The Public Comm. on the Legislature presented a report based on their findings to the 2007 legislature which provided an agenda to fix structural problems in the capitol and address some of the structural problems of the legislative process. Reports are that the recent Rural Congress or whatever it was called will provide a concrete list of proposals to the 2009 session.

My vote in the Gov. primary will go to the person who makes the most sense talking about such concrete problem solving. I want to know what a candidate wants to DO as Gov. We don't need someone who just wants to BE Gov.

Well, I like others better. Phil Keisling would be at the top of my list for Oregon governor.

Let's line up now, behind Steve Novick.

I called the Bill Bradbury campaign recently, pledging my meager support of a Bradbury book effort to polish and promote Oregon's vote-by-mail as a national standard. I thought the book would help establish his stature, for higher office. I was advised Mr. Bradbury's health would not permit such effort. We really need that book, by someone. Whether or not a book's a ticket, perhaps it is not too late for Norma Paulus.