From the Oregonian:
Wyden -- who has also benefited politically from his bipartisan friendship with Smith -- told the crowd, "I will not be criticizing (Smith's) service as a senator, or anybody else's.Oregonian reporter Jeff Mpaes also points out that Democrat Bill Bradbury received this same kind of endorsement from Wyden in his unsuccesful 2002 campaign to unseat Smith.
"But just as Gordon supported my opponents in 1998 and 2004 because those gentlemen shared Gordon Smith's Republican values," added Wyden, "it is important I support the person who supports my progressive values, and that person is Jeff Merkley."
Merkley called Wyden a "huge asset" to his campaign and said the senator has promised to help in "multiple ways." Merkley aides say they expect help with fundraising and with additional appearances at campaign events. They also didn't rule out using Wyden in campaign advertising.
3 comments:
""I will not be criticizing (Smith's) service as a senator, or anybody else's."
I think everyone has tried to spin this as some magnanimous or special effort from Wyden, but as long as he continues to refrain from holding Smith specifically accountable, I'm going to criticize that stance. It's unnecessary, it's frankly robbing his constituents of what is absolutely true and recorded about him, it is telling just half the reason Jeff Merkley needs to be elected, and it gives Smith none of the respect or credit that either he deserves or that he has given his own political opponents. Smith calls John Kerry french-looking as an insult, but should have hands off on even his POLICY? His adherence to 90% of the worst President in history? He can't mention that? I continue to be vastly disappointed with Senator Wyden at election time. Honestly.
wow, that was an incoherent rant, sorry. Supporting Merkley is the very least he can do, and that appears to be what he's doing.
...the very least.
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