Comments on: Oregon Paper Calls Senate Race For Dem Jeff Merkley

By: Doug Mataconis

Doug Mataconis — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:24:25 +0000

Right now, the Dems have 57 seats if you include Bernie Sander and Joe Lieberman, and Lieberman can be considered a safe vote on most Democratic issues even if they strip him of his committee chairmanship.

Then, you have Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe. Republicans, but very moderate ones who often buck their party.

That makes 59.

One more Senator, and they have their filibuster buster, even if it’s not a true 60 seat majority.

By: rIC lE

rIC lE — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:07:44 +0000

Is is a joke that someone posted that they “heard” Norm Coleman said something negative about Native Americans. Well you may have “heard” it, but is in all likelihood untrue. I have “heard” that all (put your group here) are racist in that they do not like Caucasians, well I have heard that at one time or another about most every group including Native Americans, well I always just ignore such rubbish or, occasionally, tell the individual spouting it how unfair it is to say something that is generalized and unsubstantiated about a group of people. You should do the same when it comes to a single individual as well.

By: Ariel R

Ariel R — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:15:36 +0000

As an Oregonian, I am saddened by the nasty race Jeff Merkley ran. I am usually so proud of Democrats for being on the defensive end of attack politics. Jeff Merkley was, disappointingly, the aggressor in this race. His demeanor likens that of… well… John McCain comes to mind. But, I have high hopes Smith will come out on top. I see many of the good things Smith has done for farmers and Native Americans. He and Ron Wyden have a fantastic working relationship. They often come together on many of the issues; especially those that effect Oregon the most. He is a senior Senator with the ability to get more done, based on his time in (“rank”). He had had quite enough in 2006, and stood up against the war in Iraq. He has a voting record that is much more moderate than conservative. I also have a tendency to root for the underdog. Go Gordon.

By: Clarke D

Clarke D — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:43:58 +0000

As an Oregonian, I am very happy to see Merkley pulling away from Smith in the later stages of the Senate race here. Maybe Smith can return to Pendleton and keep a closer eye on his frozen food plant that keeps running discharge into the stream below it. Smith has a gated mansion in Pendleton the size of a city block, hires illigal aliens at his plant, and pollutes the stream with waste. What a great American.

By: Allen

Allen — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:19:13 +0000

I hope Al Franken comes out on top, I know that Norm Coleman is known to be a racist, he has said some nasty things about Native American Indians, and since I am Native American Indian, I heard Norm Colman tell a group of Natives In Minnieasota that Native American are a bunch of Drunks and that they should not complain about being screwed by the government. I don’t like this man, and Karma will come back and bite him in the butt.