Team Dudley needs to fire their fact checker
Carla Axtman
..or maybe they haven't hired one yet.
Either way, their first major error is now on the books.
Republican Chris Dudley Thursday seized on a new report on Oregon's budget crisis to criticize his Democratic opponent, former Gov. John Kitzhaber, for putting the state in debt to balance the budget during the economic downturn of 2001-03.
However, Dudley was wrong in blaming Kitzhaber for the borrowing.
Actually, Kitzhaber fought legislators of both parties - and particularly Republican leaders, who ran both chambers when he was governor - for wanting to borrow money to pay the state's operating costs.
The borrowing that Dudley referred to in his speech was actually approved by the Legislature in March of 2003 - several weeks after Kitzhaber left office - and signed into law by Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
Oops.
Pretty amateurish stuff for a campaign that boasts some of Gordon Smith's finest. For a campaign at this level to not manage some basic fact checking before coming out with this kind of accusation is just not good at all.
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6:02 a.m.
May 21, '10
I'm shocked! Shocked that the Republican nominee for Governor would use a false or misleading negative attack in a political campaign.
In other news... Sun rises in east today. ;^)
8:02 a.m.
May 21, '10
LOL Sal, touche'.
I just wish they'd be more clever about it, at least. Such an obvious f-up so early out of the gate is Sarah Palin level amateur hour.
Let's get some sneaky, interesting lies that I actually have to investigate! :)
10:06 a.m.
May 21, '10
You've gotta stay on top of this stuff. Dudley's ghostwriter issued a stiff response via Mapes.
11:03 a.m.
May 21, '10
A stiff, yet still factually wrong response.
Jeez.
6:57 a.m.
May 21, '10
Readers may learn more from the Mapes column which includes an interesting update. Dudley's campaign revealed a few cards they will continue to play throughout their campaign. Steve Marks shows his chops when it comes to correcting Dudley's statements.Kudos to Steve!
8:28 a.m.
May 21, '10
Well, Dudley signaled that they were going to spend all summer lobbing bombs at Kitzhaber's record in his acceptance speech on election night. But given what his record actually is, the Kitzhaber campaign should welcome it. Yes please, let's keep highlighting Kitzhaber's record, because it is a good one.
Let's remind the voters why they supported Kitzhaber and elected him repeatedly.