Pandering election year asshole-ishness reaches epic proportions in Oregon
(Update, 4:00 PM: Smith has apparently considers his comments sufficiently offensive enough to offer an apology. Within it he reiterates his opposition to gay marriage but says he'll work for civil rights for gays and lesbians. In Smith's world, Oregonians are supposed to believe that the GLBTQ community can have all the civil rights they want just as long as they don't want to get married).
Senator Gordon Smith (R-Oregon) is the ultimate asshole wolf in well-mannered sheep's clothing. With his toothy Pepsodent smile and fluffy Prell coif, Smith has lured Oregonians and Americans into a false belief: that he's a warm/fuzzy independent (or biconceptual) who works and votes across the aisle.
In fact, Smith has placed himself in the cadre of those whose vote is vastly lockstep with the Bush Administration. Smith's votes have helped launch the United States into one of the worst periods in our history. From the war in Iraq to an energy crisis/global climate change crisis reaching the emergency stage, Gordon Smith has been a willing standard bearer for the policies of George W. Bush.
Only when its time for the Oregon electorate (and media) to start paying some election year attention to him does Smith try to vote along the values lines of Oregonians. The interim sees his vote cast squarely in Rightwingia.
The latest salvo in Smith's effort to show moderation is his recent muddled and convoluted statement that seems to be in support of gay marriage.
(View video)
Depending on how you decipher this mess, Smith seems to be saying that discrimination against gay marriage is similar to the persecution of Mormons based on polygamy.
Some in the blogosphere have used this as a point to laud..cuz after all, we have to start somewhere to get the righties on board with civil rights.
But these bloggers haven't been following Smith's career. They don't know that this is the kind of garbage he pulls in an election cycle.
In 2004, Oregon's ballot contained a Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Gordon Smith lent his image and words to a mailer sent to Oregonians in favor of the amendment.(PDF available upon request)
Smith also gave an extensive interview to a local right wing columnist, reinforcing his opposition to gay marriage.
In addition, Smith voted for DOMA, which says that states don't have to recognize gay marriage, even if it was performed in a state that does.
Gay marriage isn't the only issue where Smith lurches to the right in the off-season, only to do a left shift in the election cycle.
In fact, according to the Washington Post's vote database, Smith rarely bucks his party at all - until this year (via Jeff Alworth at Blue Oregon).
On the environment, Smith's League of Conservation Voter scorecard shows a marked jump in the last year as he burnishes his campaign cred for the electorate.
On the war in Iraq, Smith's PR juggernaut did a great job of shoving his "the Iraq war may be criminal.." speech into the news cycle. But when it came time to actually back his words with action, Smith failed to back a bipartisan resolution opposing Bush's troop level increases in Iraq. He also continues to vote for Iraq war funding with no timeline.
It's all part and parcel of this same pattern.
Gordon Smith's words and actions are calculated and consistent. He's gone out of his way to ensure that gays and lesbians in Oregon (and around the nation) cannot be married. His environmental votes are garbage.
His position on the occupation of Iraq is a joke...set up to pander to an ill-informed electorate and journalists willing to let him get away with it.
The video above does not demonstrate a politically courageous man trying to do the right thing. It highlights a muddled attempt to pander to Oregon voters that pay little attention to him.
And a local media that continues to fail in its duty to inform.
Senator Gordon Smith (R-Oregon) is the ultimate asshole wolf in well-mannered sheep's clothing. With his toothy Pepsodent smile and fluffy Prell coif, Smith has lured Oregonians and Americans into a false belief: that he's a warm/fuzzy independent (or biconceptual) who works and votes across the aisle.
In fact, Smith has placed himself in the cadre of those whose vote is vastly lockstep with the Bush Administration. Smith's votes have helped launch the United States into one of the worst periods in our history. From the war in Iraq to an energy crisis/global climate change crisis reaching the emergency stage, Gordon Smith has been a willing standard bearer for the policies of George W. Bush.
Only when its time for the Oregon electorate (and media) to start paying some election year attention to him does Smith try to vote along the values lines of Oregonians. The interim sees his vote cast squarely in Rightwingia.
The latest salvo in Smith's effort to show moderation is his recent muddled and convoluted statement that seems to be in support of gay marriage.
(View video)
Depending on how you decipher this mess, Smith seems to be saying that discrimination against gay marriage is similar to the persecution of Mormons based on polygamy.
Some in the blogosphere have used this as a point to laud..cuz after all, we have to start somewhere to get the righties on board with civil rights.
But these bloggers haven't been following Smith's career. They don't know that this is the kind of garbage he pulls in an election cycle.
In 2004, Oregon's ballot contained a Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Gordon Smith lent his image and words to a mailer sent to Oregonians in favor of the amendment.(PDF available upon request)
Smith also gave an extensive interview to a local right wing columnist, reinforcing his opposition to gay marriage.
In addition, Smith voted for DOMA, which says that states don't have to recognize gay marriage, even if it was performed in a state that does.
Gay marriage isn't the only issue where Smith lurches to the right in the off-season, only to do a left shift in the election cycle.
In fact, according to the Washington Post's vote database, Smith rarely bucks his party at all - until this year (via Jeff Alworth at Blue Oregon).
On the environment, Smith's League of Conservation Voter scorecard shows a marked jump in the last year as he burnishes his campaign cred for the electorate.
On the war in Iraq, Smith's PR juggernaut did a great job of shoving his "the Iraq war may be criminal.." speech into the news cycle. But when it came time to actually back his words with action, Smith failed to back a bipartisan resolution opposing Bush's troop level increases in Iraq. He also continues to vote for Iraq war funding with no timeline.
It's all part and parcel of this same pattern.
Gordon Smith's words and actions are calculated and consistent. He's gone out of his way to ensure that gays and lesbians in Oregon (and around the nation) cannot be married. His environmental votes are garbage.
His position on the occupation of Iraq is a joke...set up to pander to an ill-informed electorate and journalists willing to let him get away with it.
The video above does not demonstrate a politically courageous man trying to do the right thing. It highlights a muddled attempt to pander to Oregon voters that pay little attention to him.
And a local media that continues to fail in its duty to inform.
# Posted by Carla : 1:24 PM
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