Chris Dudley threatens to leave Oregon if he loses race for Governor
Kari Chisholm
It's not quite a macaca moment, but Chris Dudley got caught in a moment of unintended spontaneity by the Democratic Party of Oregon.
[Audience] "If you don't get elected, I will leave." [Dudley] "Yeah, I might... Yeah, I might too. No ... just ... better watch the recorder here ... what are you ... where are you putting this?"
Michael Kinsley used to say that a gaffe is when a politician accidentally tells the truth. Seems to me that this qualifies.
Over the last several months, we've heard from lots of businesses who claimed that they would leave Oregon if Measures 66 and 67 passed. So far, none actually have. Now, we've got at least one person claiming he'll leave Oregon if Dudley doesn't get elected. Bizarre and pathetic.
Right up there with all those idiots who claimed they'd move to Canada if George W. Bush got elected (or re-elected.)
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4:25 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
Is it just me, or has the new format somehow stopped filtering out Kari's really bad posts?
First the John Lim piece, now this on Chris Dudley. If Allen Alley spills mustard on his tie at a public appearance, I'm sure we'll be reading about that next.
5:20 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
Funny, there is no gun to your head to read or post here, yet here you are whining.
8:33 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
It's a joke, Mithcell. You know, sort of like your life.
10:30 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
Charming.
9:26 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
No, that can't happen.
The media rarely report on Alley.
9:30 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
On the other hand, I just thought, why not? After all, the Smith for US Senate Campaign made an absolute ass of itself by obssessing on how Jeff Merkley ate a hot dog.
Fair's fair.
5:10 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
If it wasn't taken out of context, then it sure makes him look like a carpetbagger. Sure doesn't look like someone who wants to work at making Oregon better.
BTW, I will not be voting for Kitz or Bradbury, so yes, his comment matters to me.
5:21 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
Are you suggesting the video was somehow taken out of context?
5:32 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
no, but it is only a 23 second clip. Context matter, or at least it used to.
5:35 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
So what was the context that was missing?
5:12 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
we've heard from lots of businesses who claimed that they would leave Oregon if Measures 66 and 67 passed. So far, none actually have
Don't let reality get in the way of a good talking point. Ever hear of leases? Any business who has left since Jan was leaving already. Time will tell...
5:22 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
Cite businesses that have left Oregon because of the the passage of M66/67 please.
Thank you in advance.
5:33 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
Didn't say any have. Basically said none could have left b/c of 66/67 due to leases.
1:21 p.m.
Apr 27, '10
Could it be the simple fact that Oregon's business taxes are still the lowest in the country even after the tax increase?
5:25 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
i wouldnt blame dudley one bit if he left because all the liberal leaders in oregon are so hostile to businesses and dont care about anyone but their union pals seiu,oea and opeu.
5:36 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
So when are you leaving this liberal infested hell that is Oregon?
11:12 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
Actually, I would blame Dudley and every unhappy businessman if they left Oregon, driven out by our mythical "hostile business climate".
Even with the passage of Measures 66/67, Oregon has a friendlier business climate, taxation-wise, than three-fourths of the states of the Union. Moreover, businesses such as Boeing, making headlines for significant explansion in Oregon, are not merely talking points - they are reality.
The reality is that Oregon is still a pretty good place to do business.
On the other hand, it doesn't take any courage or smarts to moan endlessly about the evil Unions (made up of regular Oregonians) and liberals (who may be your neighbors).
The Republican party I've come to know has always been short on courage and smarts, and only wants to be In Charge Here, and that's as true now as it ever has been.
It takes courage to constructively work with someone you disagree, and you won't find an Oregon Republican legislator doing that very often.
7:23 p.m.
Apr 27, '10
Uhm, sorry, but exactly WHEN did Boeing expand down here in Oregon? Their last expansion was in SC and that is where most of their working capital for expansion will be headed for the next 5 plus years. In Boeing's decision making midset (from Chicago) Oregon is no better than washington.
3:35 a.m.
Apr 28, '10
It was announced in March, cleverly disguised as a headline article at the front of the March 6th Oregonian business section.
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/03/boeing_plans_to_invest_120_mil.html
$120,000,000 in investment, 152 new jobs.
Looks like expansion to me.
1:46 p.m.
Apr 27, '10
Matthew -- the "liberal" leaders of Oregon simply reflect, pretty accurately I'd say, the political views of the majority of Oregonians. While I was growing up, most of the state’s officers were members in good standing in the GOP, but since the Republican Party in Oregon has become a wholly owned subsidiary of hard-core conservatism, its political fortunes have suffered to the point where it’s in danger of becoming an after thought to many Oregonians. Apart from Gordon Smith, who was detested by many on the right, who was the last Republican to win a statewide office? It’s hard to recall isn’t it? Why do you suppose that is? I can assure you it’s not because over the last twenty years the Republican Party has gone too far to the left.
You want a formula for a GOP candidates to compete statewide? Here is it: A fiscal moderate who doesn’t regularly demonize public-employees or their unions and who’s also a social liberal who doesn’t kowtow to the far-right’s morality police.
But such a candidate will struggle to gain footing in a Republican primary and be nominated. And there’s the rub.
So feel free to complain all you like about our “liberal” leaders (as if “liberal” is a pejorative term). After all, you’re really complaining about those of us who elected them.
7:00 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
I'm no fan of Dudley, but it seems to me like he's clearly joking in this video. I think it might be a bit much to say that he's "accidentally telling the truth."
9:16 p.m.
Apr 26, '10
Of course he's joking. Then again, he also didn't take the opportunity to encourage an Oregon business owner to keep his business right here in Oregon. The Governor should be Cheerleader-in-Chief for the greatness of Oregon; and so far, Chris Dudley has proven to be the exact opposite - more of a Whiner-in-Chief.
9:27 a.m.
Apr 27, '10
Kari, when you say Dudley hasn’t been “Cheerleader-in-Chief for the greatness of Oregon” you might be forgetting the letter he sent to Chicago Mayor Daley after Daley threatened to come here and steal Oregon jobs.
The first lines of Dudley’s letter read:
“Dear Mayor Daley, I have followed with interest your recent statement about coming to Oregon to steal our jobs and businesses. If you pursue this idea, rest assured you will find me ready to defend our jobs, our workers and our businesses.”
The full letter is at www.chrisdudley.com/dudley/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Letter-to-Mayor-Richard-Daley.pdf