Be the Spark!

contribute now

Merkley Wins

AIR DATE: Friday, November 7th 2008
Download the mp3 for this show.
What should his priorities be?

When I wrote the "Next Week on TOL" post last Friday I mentioned that the schedule might change if news broke. Not too surprisingly that happened this week. During our program today Jeff Merkley claimed victory in Oregon's senate race against Republican incumbent Gordon Smith. We brought you a bit of the news at the end of today's show and will bring you a more in-depth discussion on the win, and the impact of it, tomorrow. (We moved our show on dams and salmon to Monday.)

Merkley's win ousts Senator Gordon Smith from a post that he has held for 12 years. Smith called Merkley to concede this morning, and will address the press this afternoon.

The victory gives Democrats at least 57 votes in the U.S. Senate, with the outcome of three other races still murky. "This is the beginning of a transformational change for America," Merkley said this morning. Later in the day the senator-elect sat down with Sen. Ron Wyden and Portland Mayor Sam Adams to discuss solutions to Oregon's economic crisis.

Jeff Merkley will join us tomorrow to answer your questions. What do you think of his win? What should his priorities be? Are you concerned about how he will represent your corner of the state? Or elated that Oregon has turned a darker shade of blue?

GUESTS:

Photo credit: Pete Springer

Tagged as: 2008 election · jeff merkley · senate

No!!!!! I wanted Smith to win. what is merkley going to do for eastern oregon? not impressed with him.
ellaz17 —
This is definitely a question we can ask Merkley tomorrow. Are there any specific issues you're worried about?
Sarah Jane Rothenfluch —
that he's doesnt know eastern oregon and how to serve this huge part of the state. am from baker originally and knew that since smith was from pendleton he had a better sense of how to serve eastern oregon. the commerical about the oregon farm bureau giving him an F, made me livid! you cant forget eastern oregon and feel that with merkley respresenting this part of the state, he would look at the rest of the state, not eastern oregon. one unhappy republican (who voted for obama), thanks ellaz17
ellaz17 —
I agree.
Sum this up with:
Look "Portland" just replaced an outstanding Oregonian with "Just Another Democrat"!

Thank You Mr. Smith for representing the true Oregon spirit.

Desolation —
not trying to pry, but what part of the state, in general terms, are you from? sounds central -eastern-southern attitude, a good one at that!
ellaz17 —
I have to admit that I'm disappointed too... but, I'm going to hold off on judging the man based on who voted for him.

I admit to serious cynicism that he will have any interest in representing those of us who did not vote for him, but if I'm going to say that democracy is important, I have to accept that it remains so even when those I disagree with win. I'm willing to give him a chance... for now (not that he will care one way or the other).

I do think it's too bad that the more moderate Republicans are the ones who lost out this time... leave an embattled hardline and all you can expect are problems. That isn't the senator-elect's fault per se, just an observation.
tpohara —
I have high hopes that not only Merkley but, the entire Senate acts maturely with the power they have been given.

I voted for Smith, not for myself but, for equal representation of the rest of the state. For as many years as I can remember, there has been resentment of the I-5 corridor by the rest of the state and in some cases for good reason.

Jeff, please consider the views of rural Oregonians and work to bring us all together. We all love the state we are from and we all need to help each other in these tough times.

PDXtech —
I hope those on the right will learn a lesson from the outcome here in Oregon and the results in North Carolina. In both states disgusting ads were used to put down the Democratic candidates and in both of the senate races these ads backfired.

Gordon Smith's "hot dog" ad was a pathetic ploy to smear his opponent and I think people saw right through that sad attempt to win votes. I'm guessing his twisted ad cost him more votes than he gained.

All I can say is good bye and good riddance to right wing politicians like Smith and North Carolina's Dole. We deserve better.
Paul Cooke —
I'm a little confused by some of the comments claiming that Sen. Smith represented their "part of the state" and their interests. The soon-to-be former Senator rarely visits Pendleton, yet continues to call it his "home". His loyal constituents may want to do some fact checking in regard to his wealth which has afforded him a $3.5 million mansion in Bethesda, MD as well as properties in Kauai, a condo in Park City, UT and $1.25 million worth of antique golf clubs. All this accumulated wealth and access while running a company with alleged illegal workers and tax assessment reductions that he fought for claiming non-profitability in 2001 - despite receiving a $3 million federal contract from the U.S. Department of Agriculture just a year before. As a result of the tax reassessment and subsequent $300,000 reduction in Smith's company tax liability - the City of Weston saw its operating budget cut by nearly 10%. Please explain to me how Mr. Smith represented your interests again.

OnceUponAStage —
These are excellent questions that need answers.

Personally, I would rather have a Senator that spent his time working for Habitat for Humanity rather than one that has spent his life amassing a personal fortune.

In the end I think most Oregonians can identify more with the compassion and commitment of Jeff Merkley.
Paul Cooke —
Folks,

A few of you have lamented that Merkley doesn't -- or won't -- represent any parts of Oregon outside the Willamette Valley. But I'm interested to hear what specific policies you're worried about. What, in particular, would Merkley have to do to prove to you that he's for the whole state?
David Miller —
Please don't keep calling Smith a moderate Republican.

What is "moderate" about voting for war and death by siding with the Bush administration these past 8 years?

And please don't tell me he no longer supports this illegal war. That last minute conversion only came about when he saw the political winds blowing against W.
Paul Cooke —
Here's my questions for Senator Merkley:

1) Are you willing to close the prison camp at Guantanamo? And what about the restoring habeas corpus to the prisoners there who have spent over five years without trial?

2) Virtually all human rights groups--most prominently, Amnesty International--have documented that the US engages in torture and human rights violations, President Bush's denials notwithstanding. What will you do about secret prisons, foreign rendition on CIA 'Ghost Planes,' detention of suspects without trial, and most importantly: banning of torture, either under American direction, or sending suspects to be tortured in Syria or Egypt, for example?

3) And *IF* you have time: During the Democratic primary, then Speaker Merkley differed with Mr. Novick on the issue of a capital gains tax cut. Since then, the federal government has bought AIG, put Frannie Mae and Freddie Mac in receivership, and bailed out Wall Street to the tune of $700+ billion USD. Does now Senator Merkley STILL think a capital gains tax cut is a good idea?
Bill Abendroth —
Dave Miller-

Please ask the above questions to Jeff Merkley.

Thanks.
Paul Cooke —
Agreed. These are good questions that should be addressed.

Also, I am curious as to how he is going to address the job slump here. How will we attract and retain good businesses? While I'm well aware that green collar jobs are beginning to make a surge here, not everyone is qualified for those positions even though throughout the election race many of the candidates across the state seem to be putting much of their faith into this one type of industry.
amy-OR —
There were many lies and near lies in this nasty campaign. How does the senator-elect fell about the tenor of the race?
jsturnidge —
I cannot get the commercial out of my mind when Merkley was asked about the situation in Georgia - the COUNTRY. How does he explain this and how can a person in such a high office have such a lack of knowledge of world events?
nicoleinportland —
The ad you refer to is one of the reasons that Smith lost.

The people of Oregon saw the desperation and spite that Smith put forth with that ad and realized it was a cheap shot.

I am certain that Merkley has enough knowledge about world events.
Paul Cooke —
Please ask Merkley:

The US Constitution requires the Legislative branch to check the powers of the Executive branch. How exactly would you fulfill this obligation to the Constitution knowing your election was due to Obama?s endorsement?

Thank you
echolynch —
For Senator-elect Merkley:

Senator Smith's campaign spoke a lot about how Oregon needs a Senator who represents rural Oregon. Rural Oregonians are really feeling the squeeze. How can the government assist Oregonians outside the urban regions--especially since County Timber Payments are unlikely to continue in the long term?

Can the Senator-elect also offer some words to assure rural Oregon that he will be there for them, too?
carlaaxt —
Just before 9:am today, Bob Isinger from Lewis and Clark called Smith a "moderate" Republican. No, Smith ran as a Conservative and nearly always voted as a Conservative, it was just in the past few years that he "pretended" to be a moderate when he realized that Americans were sick and tired of the extreme right-wing politics of Conservatism.



Tom D Ford —
I'd like to know where Senator-elect Merkley stands on protecting our mature and old-growth forests and restoring our forests through conservation-based thinning projects. To date, we've already lost up to 90% of the old-growth we once had and a rapidly growing body of evidence cites old-growth forests as a critical component in mitigating climate change.
Jonny5 —
Question for Merkley:
Will Merkley help correct the imbalance of unprotected Wilderness in Oregon?
Wilderness protection is the best way to protect Oregon's clean drinking water, wildlife and recreational opportunities - all the while attracting businesses looking to locate somewhere with a high quality of life.
erikfernandez —
Thank you so much for interviewing Merkley on think out loud! I was undecided before but after hearing him speak in a mostly unrehearsed situation I felt confident enough to vote for him.
millejos —
Congratulations on your win, Senator Merkley. How will you promote healthcare for all Americans? The drugging of our elderly, children, veterans, even those with Workman's Comp to 'comply' for benefits, has eroded our Constitutional rights, in the interest of maximizing profits for Big Pharma. My second grade teacher, 80+ yrs. old was drugged until she got a hole in her stomach, and died of sepsis, which is a horrible death. Hospice often maintains the level of drugging, even though the person cannot drink enough liquid, which demonstrates the length Big Pharma has gone, gaining medical and government approval to harm us all. Pharmaceutical euthanasia is the norm in many areas. ie: Mandatory flu shots for preschoolers in New Jersey when the mercury amount in vaccines are dangerous for even someone who is 550 lbs. Formaldehyde, aluminum and Propylene Glycol (antifreeze), 1/3 of many classrooms drugged, the continuous pushing of drugs in prisons, rest homes, etc. as named in my comment are all major concerns of mine. How will you respond and advocate for our human rights? Thank you.
leangreencafe —
I'm an urban democrat (kinda) and I think it's important that rural needs be addressed. Rural poverty, lack of access to health care, lack of high speed internet, and cuts in education hit rural counties as hard as urban ones--but there is no large critical mass of people to become active around the issues. What will Merkley do to bring solutions that honor rural voters ideological commitment to self-reliance but also show them that republican policies hurt them, that democrats can solve problems they have been taught are insoluable?
gregearl1 —
While we are all immersed in human affairs, the earths biodiversity is in a tailspin. All major classes of organisms are in decline. For example, a recent study showed that as many as 25% of all mammals are in danger of extinction. Mr. Merkley, is this a major concern of yours, and if so, what will you do to address it as a senator?
zeugirdor —
I consider myself middle class, I make as Merkley said that 3-4k per month + benefits.

It has been my belief that I, and people like me should be carrying the bulk of the tax burden. because as easy as it would be to tax the people who make more then me a larger amount, there are so many more people in my position then there are people who could consider themselves "rich"

It makes perfect sense to me then, that the 'best' way to increase the amount of revenue our state and country bring is is to increase the number of people who are in my economic position. And it honestly upsets me every time I hear that unemployment is going down when in reality there are fewer people in my econoic class and more people effectively flipping burgers.

I also feel we need to offer incitements to big businesses -strictly- based on how many actual living-wage jobs they have.
Jon.Miller —
Just a point of clarification:

There has been a recent tendency to call Liberals the "Left" and Conservatives the "Right", but the reality is that the Conservatives have moved the Republicans to the extreme right, the Liberals are still at the center, and the only real leftist left is socialist Bernie Sanders of Vermont. There has been no real leftist-socialist voice in Oregon or the US for many many years.

Unless you called the recent Bush Nationalization of Banks socialist and really that would not be true either, because when a right-wing government interleaves itself in the corporate world it is properly called what Benito Mussolini called The Corporative State which is the definition of Fascism.
Tom D Ford —
Mr. Merkley has already been making statements about the importance of "breaking gridlock" in the Senate. While I certainly hope he pushes aggressively for his policy agenda, I am concerned that Mr. Merkley isn't sensitive to the unique institutional history of the U.S. Senate. If he wants strong majority control, he should have run for the House. The Senate's cultures and procedures are strongly protective of minority rights, encouraging compromise and negotiation. I sincerely hope that Mr. Merkley pays close attention during new Senator orientation and upholds the long history of minority rights in the Senate.
WilburStone —
I was going to write these later... but since he's on the air, here are some requests of our new Senator.

First, what is your stance on the embargo against Cuba? I would like to see it lifted.

Second, what about self-determination for Puerto Rico? I suggest giving them the option to apply for statehood or independence - their choice.

These items seem to be perennial bills that don't ever make it past committee. When can these finally be taken care of?

Chad
cginther —
A top priority should the battle against meth. The weakest link in this battle is prevention. Gov Tom McCall proposed parenting classes for all high school students, though this may be prohibitive.
We could allow Head Start programs to allocate funds to offer parenting classes to their families. Would Senator elect Merkely Support this?
What are his intentions regarding Head Start funding and other tools for battling meth?
vreppeto —
I am from Portland and voted for Merkley, but I did it with the idea that is was the best choice for ALL OF OREGON. Rural Oregon needs to realize that the problems in their regions have come from our leaders' policies. How do you expect to change those things if you don't bring in new leadership? We have in this state a great opportunity for growth in the renewable energy sector. Wind and solar can be deployed to rural Oregon while technological developments are fostered in the urban areas.
We need leaders who are going to align our future and our well-being with that of the rest of the nation and the world.


My questions for Merkley:
1) What will you do to revitalize and empower Oregon's timber communities? It's clear that there needs to be more local ownership of the forests and education around sustainable forest practices.

2) Will you push for legalization of hemp as an agricultural crop? Hemp has seen an explosion in the marketplace and currently Canada's Manitoba region and China are reaping the benefits. Legalizing hemp would bring a sustainable and highly valuable crop alternative to Oregon''s farmers.
oregonbeliever —
I would like to hear Mr. Merkley's view on immigration reform. The Bush government has turned the US immigration into an enforcement focused policy. There are many illegal immigrants in Oregon. Some have US kids and spouses but because they came here illegally they cannot adjust their status in the US.
People come to the US to make a living and with great dream. For those Mexicans, deporting them will not solve the problem because they will just cross the border again because they need to make a living here. We need to have some constructive solutions to create ways for people to legally stay and work here. I am against amnesty but there definitely are other options that need to be explored.
usaxbz —
I wish Senator Merkley all the best, but hope that he tackles the crises in Washington more forcefully than he did during his rather anemic campaign. I think that Sen. Merkley has three people to thank for his victory on Tuesday: Constitution Party candidate Dave Brownlow, George W. Bush, and whichever member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee was responsible for the enormous ad buy on his behalf.
newshound —
Wild salmon make Oregon and the Northwest unique in the Nation, but most are listed as threatened species. I am looking forward to Merkley helping to solve problems beginning with appointment of new National Marine Fisheries Service Regional Director so that this agency with wild salmon recovery responsiblity actually does its job for salmon.
bmbakke —
When I called in to ask Jeff's comment on salmon runs into the Upper Klamath Basin, I had hoped that he would point --- with an eye to the future--to the economic advantages of sport fishing to communites like Klamath Falls. I understand his stance for farm families and his conciliatory comments on working together to find a solution to the chronic water crisis.

So he gave a pre-demolition answer to my post-demolition question. Fair enough, since I didn't make clear the big IF.

The fate of the dams likely rests on the findings of the CA Water Board now receiving comments on permits, the main issue involve being an alarming rise in toxic parasites breeding in warm dammed waters.
johndenton46 —
Oregon has a long history of purposely not getting involved in the defense industries and military bases because of their seemingly whimsical ups and downs with every change of administrations, isn't that something that ought to be reconsidered in light of the possibilities of research grants and departments for our Universities and possible contracts for Businesses?
Tom D Ford —
Research shows that during recessions, enrollment at community colleges increases. I would like to ask Sen. elect Merkley how he would or could help community colleges deal with the upcoming budget cuts, yet increased demand for education that can be tough to meet. (Increased tuition does NOT meet the needs of added teachers, classroom space, utilities, technology, etc.)
ormamcc —
I listen to Think Out Loud every morning on my commute. It's been very helpful in understanding local issues. I was surprised this morning at the hostility in your voice. Hard questions for politicians is good. But today a lot of the questions and comments sounded more like an attack than hard questions. I'm disappointed. Give the man a chance. Please try to find out what the man thinks, not score a gotcha.
dcarder —
Agree.
oregonbeliever —
I also agree with this comment.
Paul Cooke —
On the contrary I thought that Emily did a good job of asking the hard questions, the ones that normally the media is too meek to ask, and when Merkley did not answer the question, she appropriately pressed him. It?s not a ?gotcha? it?s simply good journalism and if we had MORE of this in the US, we might actually be a better nation. I did not hear attacks, just good hard questions that deserve answers.
echolynch —
Former Governor John Kitzhaber has very good new ideas about health care, are you in agreement with that project which I think is called "The Archimedes Project".
Tom D Ford —
Would also like to hear Merkley's views on Cuba. It is absurd that we do business with China, talk with N. Korea, N. Vietnam and most other countries that are deemed dictatorships, but not Cuba--absolutely ridiculous.
ormamcc —
I'm very glad you will be our new senator! Thank you for addressing climate change during this show. Have you read Paul Krugman's The Conscious of a Liberal? In it he talks about his ideas about national health care among other things that I find very exciting.
Joan44 —

Comments are now closed.

Web Analytics