My conversation with Gordon Smith
Carla Axtman
On an absolutely gorgeous autumn afternoon in Hillsboro today, I had a little chat with Senator Gordon Smith.
Smith is spending this week on what looks to be a pretty nice bus, making some stops in what I guess his campaign considers key places in the state.
Smith's stop this afternoon was the Main Street area of Hillsboro. Interestingly, Smith and his staff snuck in through the back of the first two shops, presumably to avoid the handful of people holding Merkley signs. Or maybe he just didn't feel like actually walking on Main Street at first. I didn't ask.
I managed to catch up with him at his second stop, a local drug store which sports a very nice, retro soda fountain/counter. Smith was there with his wife, Sharon. The other people you see in the photos (after the jump) are staff, reporters and a few supporters traveling with Smith, as far as I can tell. Except for the people working in the store, there weren't many locals showing up to see the senator.
As I was snapping photos with my phone, Smith turned my way and shook my hand. I introduced myself (Carla Axtman, writer at Blue Oregon) and asked the Senator to share with me his position on abortion--and what his plans are for the issue should he win another term.
Smith told me that he is pro-life with exceptions for rape, incest and the mother's life. He said that he's not a "one-issue" Senator, and that he voted for President Clinton's "qualified" nominees. And that he's done the same for Bush. He went on to say that he and his wife had adopted some of their children.
That was the answer I expected him to give a woman standing in downtown Hillsboro. I wonder if I'd been standing in Pendleton or Medford...would he have answered differently? Or if I'd been in DC at a National Right to Life event..? Then what would the answer be?
I ask these questions because the National Right to Life has dropped an independent expenditure into Oregon. They've got radio ads up, calling John McCain and Gordon Smith "Oregon's pro-life team". Here's the ad:
Smith very well could be giving National Right to Life the same answer he gave me this afternoon. But somehow I doubt they'd be dumping cash into this race if that were the case. I'm also hearing that Right To Life is now staging protests at Merkley events--which seems odd given that Oregon is one of the most pro-choice states in the Union.
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Oct 28, '08
He was on KGW tonight, playing his moderate act...
Oct 28, '08
Nice catch. Gordon can be smooth. Pretty good answer on his part too, I'd say. It's nice when a rich guy is willing to adopt and care for someone else's child as their own, if the intention is sincere. As to how he would answer the question in all the other situations you suggest, I think he'd sing to the choir the best he could, and try to get the votes and the money... play Mr. Chameleon.
Oct 29, '08
Wow, you saw him--you really saw him! Glad you got pics to prove it, cause otherwise folks might never believe it. Thanks for sharing.
9:19 a.m.
Oct 29, '08
Wow, you saw him--you really saw him! Glad you got pics to prove it, cause otherwise folks might never believe it. Thanks for sharing.
It was a monumental effort on my part to even figure out his schedule. His campaign office NEVER calls me back and they never announce events in advance unless they want you to write a check to get in.
You'd think he was trying to avoid having to meet the public in a non-staged atmosphere or something....
9:42 a.m.
Oct 29, '08
It's bizarre that he's doing "public" appearances but trying to avoid the public. I'm obviously not a Smith guy, but if I were, I would find this equally mystifying. There's something wrong about not being willing to interact with your constituents, even when they disagree with you.
It would be interesting to know what kind of historical precedent there is for this. Was Mark Hatfield, the man who held the seat before Smith, equally as elusive? I can't imagine it. He'd probably win a few swing voters just by engaging.
In other words, I'm glad he's hiding out, but even more glad you found him. Nice work!
10:17 a.m.
Oct 29, '08
OK, so Gordon Smith is now having haircuts and drinking milkshakes across Oregon... odd way to campaign, but I guess he needs to actually prove he's a regular person.
Carla, did anyone else show up -- or was that tiny crowd of a half-dozen or show the extent of it?
10:34 a.m.
Oct 29, '08
I couldn't stay for the entire Hillsboro stop. Smith was late (he was supposed to be there at 3:15. He didn't show up until around 3:45 or so). I was there for about 20-25 minutes of his visit. What you see in the photo is the sum total of people that were there that I know of, with the exception of about 5 pro-Merkley folks holding signs on the sidewalk in front of the shops.
Its possible that more folks showed up after I left--but I doubt it would be a lot more.
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