Hartmann moves Portland to center of universe

The Oregonian profiles Air America's Thom Hartmann, who is replacing Al Franken in most of the country.

Hartmann's success extends far beyond Portland's politically blue borders. His nationally syndicated talk show -- a separate three-hour show that begins at 9 a.m., just after his local show ends -- is heard coast to coast every day by more than a million listeners. And starting today, when Hartmann's national show moves into Air America's midday slot (though it will continue to air locally at 9 p.m.), recently abandoned by political comic turned U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken, his audience will nearly triple.

So not to put too fine a point on it, but Portland thus surpasses Seattle as the center of the progressive universe. And Vancouver is right across the river from Portland. We may have tons of wingnuts but we can smell progressive values from here. And Portland-Vancouver is both a fake radio designation and a legally defined metropolitan census area.

Seattle had grunge in the last century, we have Thom Hartmann. You'll notice in the article that he eats oatmeal without sugar.

Put that in the tank of your Prius, Seattle.