Red Guy In A Blue State

By Ron Beasley

Here in Oregon we have Republican Senator Gordon Smith.  Now most of the time Smith is a wingnut - he voted with Bush and the Republicans 98% of the time.  But every six years he attempts a temporary color change.  This election cycle is no different.  After the Democrat's win in 2006 he suddenly found that he opposed the occupation of Iraq after supporting it for four years.  He is John McCain's campaign manager in Oregon.  A couple of weeks ago he started running an ad with to Democrats who said they support him and one of those is a black state legislator.  Ben Smith reports that he is now trying to associate himself with Obama.

A fairly stunning new ad from Oregon's Republican senator Gordon Smith leaves little doubt as to which way the wind is blowing there.

In the ad, Smith, running hard away from Bush, associates himself at length and explicitly with Obama.

"Who says Gordon Smith helped lead the fight for better gas mileage and a cleaner environment?" the female narrator asks. "Barack Obama."

The ad shows Obama's face and an image of his website.

"I approve working together across party lines and this ad," Smith closes.

Obama is having no part of it however:

Barack Obama has a long record of bipartisan accomplishment and we appreciate that it is respected by his Democratic and Republican colleagues in the Senate. But in this race, Oregonians should know that Barack Obama supports Jeff Merkley for Senate. Merkley will help Obama bring about the fundamental change we need in Washington.

Jeff Merkley will have a tough time beating Smith even this year.  Very conservative Smith is a political slim ball with a lot of money and the support of Oregon's largest Newspaper which is constantly trying to pass him off as a moderate.  If you have any spare change Merkley would be a good investment.

More on Smith and Iraq can be found here and his history of dirty politics and history with The Oregonian here.