Ka-pow! Smith caves. Admits he lied about travel.
Kari Chisholm
Wow. That didn't take long.
Just a few hours after BlueOregon readers started cataloging Gordon Smith's visits to Oregon, trying mightily to prove that he actually visits all 36 Oregon counties every single year, his campaign is now admitting that he lied.
This morning, the DPO also sent a request asking him to prove it by releasing his schedule.
Smith admits to overstating in-state travelSen. Gordon Smith’s (R-Ore.) campaign said Monday that he incorrectly claimed to have visited every county in the state once a year as a senator.
The Democratic Party of Oregon called Smith on the claim Monday, and Smith’s campaign admitted the senator’s mistake soon after. Smith is being challenged by state House Speaker Jeff Merkley (D) in one of the top races in the country.
Smith said at a press conference last week: “Mr. Merkley is challenging me to go to all of Oregon’s counties once a year. Well, I do that.”
When the Democratic Party of Oregon asked to see Smith’s Senate schedules to verify the claim, Smith’s campaign admitted the senator was wrong.
“Sen. Smith incorrectly stated being in every county every year, but more important than being a visitor to rural Oregon every year, Smith has been its voice and its vote every year,” spokeswoman Lindsay Gilbride said. “No matter how often Jeff Merkley visits rural Oregon, he has already proven he will never be its voice or vote.”
Oregon Democratic Party Chairwoman Meredith Wood said: “The closer we get to Election Day, the more Gordon Smith exaggerates.”
And he didn't just say it once. Along with that press conference, he also said it on Lars Larson's show on Friday:
"Jeff Merkley is challenging me now to visit every Oregon county every year. By the way, I do that. "
So, now that Smith admits that he doesn't actually visit all 36 counties every year, Jeff Merkley's question remains: If re-elected, will he pledge to visit all 36 counties every year?
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1:22 p.m.
Oct 6, '08
[Full disclosure: My firm built Jeff Merkley's website, but I speak only for myself.]
1:29 p.m.
Oct 6, '08
Lindsay Gilbride spins.....Jeff Merkley wins!!!!
1:48 p.m.
Oct 6, '08
"...more important than being a visitor to rural Oregon every year, Smith has been its voice and its vote every year,”
Now it's time to take a good look at that. Uh, has he?
Oct 6, '08
So, now that Smith admits that he doesn't actually visit all 36 counties every year, Jeff Merkley's question remains:...
And, will Lars Larson announce this correction?
Oct 6, '08
And the voice of county payments for rural Oregon has been... anyone? anyone? Senator Ron Wyden (and Rep. DeFazio).
2:35 p.m.
Oct 6, '08
As a somewhat unrelated note, I advise any Oregonian to travel to all 36 counties in a year. It's a chance to enjoy the beauty and diversity of this amazing state, from the Jordan Valley to the Wallowas (Terminal Gravity brewery in Enterprise) to the Columbian Cafe in Astoria and the lily fields in Brookings and the Alvord desert and high Cascades and Florence dunes and culture in Ashland...
It's a great state. Don't forget to enjoy it.
Oct 6, '08
Sorry I'm a little late in responding, but Gordon Smith, to the best of my knowledge, has never visited Wheeler County. I've lived here going on twelve years, and as a political junkie (I recently visited with Greg Walden at a meeting here in Fossil), I'm confident I'd remember any such visit. He might have visited here some dozen or more years ago, during his initial campaigns to be elected.
Oct 6, '08
The smell of electoral sweep is sweet in the air! I won't digress here, so how's about a thread dedicated to "after the sweep, with an FDR style Congress/Executive majority, what's the hit list, priorities, from the top, day one".
I think electoral momentum is not at all like surfing, which might explain why no serious surfer has ever been a serious candidate. You can't make a wave out of nothing. But in electoral politics if you ride a momentary wave, it might remain of it's own momentum. No doubt effective considering the weak minded nature of the opposition.
I've chritisized the Dems a lot for being too cynical since 2000. Here's a chance to show the difference between cynicism and decent, righteous hunger! Throw the dirty tricks away, go major principles, and bite 'em hard in the butt and bite 'em now!!!
3:14 p.m.
Oct 6, '08
And the voice of county payments for rural Oregon has been... anyone? anyone? Senator Ron Wyden (and Rep. DeFazio).
They may have been the "voice" of county payments, but they both voted "no" when it finally passed last week.
Oct 6, '08
Nice work Kari et al!
This is exactly the kind of reporting that proves all that matters to Gordo is, well himself. If Gordo wanted to or thought it was a priority to visit every county he would. But he doesn't care enough about Oregonians be be honest about how often he meets with the citizens he is supposed to serve.
One would think with all the days off they have a year to do constituent work, it is very feasible for him to meet this challenge...hmmmm...guess we can see where his priorities are, as if that wasnt already crystal clear.
Oct 6, '08
The smell of electoral sweep is sweet in the air! I won't digress here, so how's about a thread dedicated to "after the sweep, with an FDR style Congress/Executive majority, what's the hit list, priorities, from the top, day one".
I think electoral momentum is not at all like surfing, which might explain why no serious surfer has ever been a serious candidate. You can't make a wave out of nothing. But in electoral politics if you ride a momentary wave, it might remain of it's own momentum. No doubt effective considering the weak minded nature of the opposition.
I've chritisized the Dems a lot for being too cynical since 2000. Here's a chance to show the difference between cynicism and decent, righteous hunger! Throw the dirty tricks away, go major principles, and bite 'em hard in the butt and bite 'em now!!!
3:48 p.m.
Oct 6, '08
And the voice of county payments for rural Oregon has been... anyone? anyone? Senator Ron Wyden (and Rep. DeFazio).
They may have been the "voice" of county payments, but they both voted "no" when it finally passed last week.
4:01 p.m.
Oct 6, '08
"They may have been the "voice" of county payments, but they both voted "no" when it finally passed last week."
Do you have a point here, Jack?
Oct 6, '08
Gordon Smith is a master at saying anything and nothing at the same time.
Oct 6, '08
Good ol' Blue Oregon, where partisanship reigns supreme and no Republican ever makes a mistake -- it's always a LIE. Oh, and Torrid, Jack's point would be that you're wrong. But this is Blue Oregon, where the Left is always right and the Right is always wrong... AND EVIL.
4:43 p.m.
Oct 6, '08
"They may have been the "voice" of county payments, but they both voted "no" when it finally passed last week."
Do you have a point here, Jack?
Gee, I thought it was pretty obvious. But to spell it out, I wouldn't brag that your guys were the "voice" of the county payments bill when they voted "no" on the bill when it finally passed.
I know, I know. They were for it before they were against it.
4:48 p.m.
Oct 6, '08
Jack Roberts wrote: "They [Wyden and deFazio] may have been the "voice" of county payments, but they both voted "no" when it finally passed last week.
I would hope that none of us would have voted for that masterly kakistokratic abortion. I would hope that neither Jack Roberts nor I would have voted for it but, rather, would have held out for a far better bill. Calling it good is worse than putting lipstick on Ms. Palin.
4:52 p.m.
Oct 6, '08
Jack, do you have any reason to believe that Wyden or DeFazio opposed the timber payments rather than the $700 billion bailout package that they were attached to?
Oct 6, '08
Jack - You should really lay low on this issue considering it was a president from your party who allowed the law to expire and a Republican congress who kept the re-authorization bottled up for years while our counties suffered. In fact, as reported in Smith's Oregonian profile, the county payments bill never even got out of committee when the Repubs were in charge. Smith doesn't have the political muscle to swat a fly, so that's no surprise, but it's hilarious he's trying to claim credit now for what DeFazio, Wyden and the democrats did.
(and let's not even get into Walden's putting oil companies ahead of his constituents...)
7:36 p.m.
Oct 6, '08
From a discussion of possible cross-party Cabinet picks intended to open up Senate seats one way or the other depending on who wins the presidency:
Smith's is just one of many names mentioned in the speculations.
Oct 6, '08
I know this isn't the correct site, but I want to mention that signs of Democratic candidates are being removed from lawns in Medford. Mine of local candidates were removed Friday evening, my son's of Merkley, Lynn Howe and Obama were removed Sunday afternoon, and I the Obama sign from his neighbor's lawn was gone early last week. Have been wondering if you're getting similar messages?
Oct 6, '08
I know this isn't the correct site, but I want to mention that signs of Democratic candidates are being removed from lawns in Medford. Mine of local candidates were removed Friday evening, my son's of Merkley, Lynn Howe and Obama were removed Sunday afternoon, and I the Obama sign from his neighbor's lawn was gone early last week. Have been wondering if you're getting similar messages?
10:30 p.m.
Oct 6, '08
Good ol' Blue Oregon, where partisanship reigns supreme and no Republican ever makes a mistake -- it's always a LIE.
Well, what else would you call it?
Gordon Smith knows that he hasn't visited all 36 counties in the last year, and likely that he hasn't ever visited all 36 counties in a single year (and if Jack Lorts, former superintendent of schools in Fossil, is to be believed - there's at least one county he's never visited at all.)
So Gordon Smith knows his claim is a falsehood. And yet, on at least two occasions last week, he made that exact claim. Precisely so as to avoid the criticism that comes with having fallen short of the high standard set by the senior senator of our state.
What else would you call it?
9:32 a.m.
Oct 7, '08
Hey Jack, I notice you've been changing the subject a lot lately. This post is about Smith's lies. Your response is ... to pull out some canard about DeFazio and Wyden?
I think Obama's right. The GOP has become the party of change--changing the subject.
(And it IS a canard. You know well how the two had a single vote, and the no was against the bailout, NOT the timber payments, which wouldn't have been a part of the bill if they hadn't worked so hard for it in the first place.)
So let's come back to the point: Smith spends little time in Oregon and lies about it. Your response is?
Oct 7, '08
It's nice to have a Progressive site that pushes back against the republican noise machine so we can separate fact from 'misstatements." . We certainly can't count on the "Oregonian" to do it that's for sure.
Oct 7, '08
Courage is shown by Wyden and Defazio who refuse to squeal for the pork. Smith, meanwhile is at the trough. Thanks Jack for reminding me once again of the pride felt when courage is on display. PS - your candidate could use a little.
Oct 7, '08
"to pull out some canard about DeFazio and Wyden?"
Pigs, chickens, turkey... and now ducks!
Today's Blue Oregon is a barnyard of fun! All we need now is some sacred cows, silly geese, and perhaps an old goat or two! :)
Oct 7, '08
Just got a push poll from Smith.
Claimed to be from Western Watts Caller ID from AZ 928.268.3060
Started as a poll, then hard a hard right and asked all sorts of negative "poll" questions about Merkly.
Clearly wasn't a real poll, but a push poll.
Told the caller it wasn't a poll, but a push poll and to tell Smith his push poll sucked.
<h2>-Greg</h2>