Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski sends supporters an e-mail calling for two debates between Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama in advance of the Beaver State's May 20 primary.
Kulongoski, who supports Clinton, writes a note to folks on his political mailing list and includes a link to his "petition" to urge a debate, which conveniently links back to Clinton's Web site.
She appears in a video urging two debates, which is interesting since this is not something the campaign sent to the press as far as I know.
"The Pacific Northwest hasn't had a single presidential debate," Clinton tells the camera, before proposing two debates because Oregon voters deserve as much information as Iowa and New Hampshire.
One debate would be entirely focused on Oregon's rural issues, she says. "I hope that Senator Obama agrees Oregon deserves nothing less."
Here is Kulongoski's note:
In less than two weeks we'll be voting. Oregonians will make a decision which will impact the rest of our lives. The stakes cannot be higher, which is why I am standing with Hillary Clinton's challenge to hold two presidential debates - one on rural issues - right here in Oregon.
Oregon deserves just as much attention - and just as much information to make its decision - as Iowa, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.
Join me in signing a petition calling for two presidential debates in Oregon:
Debates about real issues - Oregon issues - are good for the state and healthy for our democracy. Tomorrow I will be touring the state talking about a new Oregon Compact - Hillary's promise to our state to have a partner in the White House. The Compact is made up of some of the most important ideas Hillary has heard from Oregonians since the start of her campaign.
The Compact should be the starting point of the debate. How we bring green collar jobs to our state, how we make our state and nation more energy secure and how we will work together to bring health care to all Oregonians.
I could not be more proud to support a candidate who not only will work for Oregonians, but who will also listen to Oregonians. No matter which candidate you support, I hope you will join me in calling for two presidential debates on the issues in Oregon.
We need to hear the candidate's views on Oregon issues - sign the petition today:
www.debateoregon.com
You deserve to hear from both candidates. I look forward to the next month and I hope Senator Obama agrees to the challenge.
Sincerely,
Governor Ted Kulongoski
— Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times
Comments (15)
As an Oregon democrat I don't seem to be on the governor's mailing list. Probably because I am not supporting Senator Clinton this time.
Our former governor, Dr. John Kitzhaber, a physician who participated in Oregon's succesful health plan, is also supporting Obama.
I am not sure the current governor is supposed to be using his office to campaign in the primary. I would love to have Obama come and campaign but it doesn't seem prudent for him to expose himself to the kind of sleaze that passed for the last debate.
I am sure if Clinton is asking this in Oregon, it is a campaign tactic elsewhere. I am ashamed of my governor for playing it this way. I won't vote for him again.
Posted by Gaias Child | April 23, 2008 7:59 PM
If Obama does not have the courage to stand up for himself and his candidacy, then he cannot stand up for America.
As President, he will have to face pressures and dangers that are much worse than a simple debate on rural issues.
At a moment when he needs to demonstrate strength, he looks scared.
Posted by Evie | April 23, 2008 9:34 PM
I am also an Oregon resident. Governor Kulongowski was one of the super delegates that signed up with Clinton before the primaries even began.
Oregon is a state that Obama is supposed to win handily, and our residents are none-too-happy that our Governor seems unconcerned with representing the will of our electorate - and is instead using his elected position as a campaign spokesperson for Clinton.
I'm quite sure he and Clinton would love another debate, seeing as how Obama was nothing short of lynched at the last one. However, it is not something I support.
Posted by NS | April 23, 2008 9:46 PM
I will give Hillary Clinton credit for tenacity and perseverance but that is about all I would give her credit for. Slippery as an eel, sly as a fox with the patience of a vulture. Quite the role model. As for the governor, his guilt lies with his loyalties.
Posted by Nuclear Midnight | April 23, 2008 9:48 PM
Courage has nothing to do with a debate with Hillary, and these debates have nothing to do with the kinds of "pressures and dangers" he'd face as president. Obama is always placed in an uncomfortable position in these debates when Hillary starts her negative attacks. If he doesn't hit back, he's viewed as weak. If he goes after her he gets spun as being the negative nominee. And if you haven't noticed, she rarely goes after him on the issues any more, she goes after him on Wright or Ayers or Bittergate. In the last debate, neither moderator went after her for her remarks to Bill Richardson. The moderator even apologized and said " I know you don't want to talk about it" Then they all commenced to attack Barack about Wright, Ayers and Bittergate.
They barely touched upon her misrepresentations (lies) about Bosnia. How during her 2000 run for the senate that she said how she was going to bring 200,000 new jobs to NY, to which her excuse was...I thought Al Gore would be elected president and the democratic policies of the 90's would continue. I could post more examples, but this post would go on forever. Bottomline is she'll always have an excuse or someone to blame for her lack of accomplishment, and the people of the USA will pay the price for it.
Posted by JustBuzz | April 24, 2008 12:35 AM
Well, we can't let Obama be in an UNCOMFORTABLE position! God forbid the candidate for President ever deal with anything UNCOMFORTABLE. Let us offer him a PILLOW so he does not have to bother his pretty head with these icky campaigns.
I agree, debates aren't that much pressure or dangerous. So if Obama doesn't have the courage or fortitude face up to this, how is he going to face up to ACTUAL pressure and danger? Running away makes him look weak and scared. Forget the electorate for a second, no foreign leader is going to respect him for running scared like this.
Posted by E | April 24, 2008 3:33 AM
Not sure why Oregon should capture the spotlight any more than any other state. Might have more instances of examples that emphasize Hillary's liberal strength's over Obama's. It is politics after all.
Posted by Larry Stone | April 24, 2008 3:34 AM
I think another debate is pointless. Hillary and Barack have almost identical positions so what's the point? Most of the debates I saw were not debates at all they were simply agreeing with one another with a few subtle differences. Hillary whined about getting the first question and being treated more harshly but attacked Obama when he rightfully stated how the last debate lacked substance. Obama wanted to debate Hillary before the PA election and Hillary declined. Obama also has to be careful how he treats Hillary because she's a woman and she's good at pulling out the victim card when things aren't going her way. I haven't heard Obama say once that race was a reason his lost occurred in PA and we all know that was the real reason but no one wants to admit it. I'm tired of these debates and I'm tired of Hitlery and her mean-spirited supporters.
Posted by Carol | April 24, 2008 12:57 PM
I find it quite scary how mean and vicious Hillary's supporters are. What the hell has Hillary been through that makes her so tough? Oh, the press is mean to me, wah, wah, wah, so what? Being mean and being tough is not the same thing. Has Barack cried once? No. Has he stomped around whenever Hillary attacked him? No. Has he complained about the press not treating him fairly? No. THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT HILLARY HAS DONE! Barack is simply not a monster like Hillary and we're so used to seeing monsters run for office the minute a gentleman comes along we call him weak. In what way is Barack weak? Because he's a black man that you're not afraid of? Because he's just as or perhaps even more intellgent than a lot of people? Because he doesn't behave like some classless immoral politician when things don't go his way? All Hillary and her supporters have done since day one is cry. Obama has shown up to every debate and showed he's just as intelligent and informed of the issues as Hillary. Hillary has disgraced herself and the Democratic Party with her desperation at winning the election. I've never seen the party divided like this before and most of Hillary's supporters are saying that they will vote for McCain out of spite if she's not the nominee. HILLARY SUPPORTERS ARE JUST AS AWFUL AS SHE IS! So her supporters would rather ruin the country with 4 years of McBush all because their candidate didn't win despite the fact that Barack is almost identical in his views with Hillary. That borderlines evil to me. So if you don't win you destroy the whole country. Real mature Hillary supporters. I've never seen someone behave so ridiculously in an election. Hillary wants to be President more for her ego than anything else. This whole election is about Hillary not about the country. If McCain is president because of all this and the country continues to decline because of the Iraq war that he supports, this country will get exactly what it deserves. I won't feel sorry for anyone. I will support whoever is the Democratic nominee, even if its Hillary because she would be better than McCain even though I don't like her.
Posted by cw | April 24, 2008 1:23 PM
Maybe she can get another scripted debate like that last one :)
Posted by JustBuzz | April 24, 2008 3:59 PM
Larry, it's not that Oregon should capture the spotlight, it's just that for the first time in recent memory that Oregon's vote will appear to count in the primary.
usually, the candidates are already chosen before we vote in the primary.
the candidates usually fly over Oregon going between CA and WA.
however, yet again, our vote will probably be overturned by the superdelegates.
Posted by roger | April 24, 2008 6:09 PM
Both Hooley and our "Governor" (using that term loosely) have endorsed Clinton ahead of our voting, and, as stated, before the primaries even started. Mr. K has never gotten my vote, nor will he ever, as he seems to march to his own drum, just as Clinton does -- Hooley's not running again. She/they want a debate because Clinton's broke and it's free air time for her -- it's always about Hillary, ain't it?
My vote is NO 1, 2 nor 3 debates in Oregon..there have been 21 and personally, I've gotten their messages in those 21.
Posted by Cathi | April 24, 2008 6:32 PM
>In what way is Barack weak?
Um, in running away from any further debates?
Whatever his reasoning, he LOOKS scared. That does NOT look good to the voters in the upcoming primaries, the voters in the general election, OR to the rest of the world. He needs to show all of them that he can pick himself up after a less-than-stellar performance, dust himself off, and do BETTER in the next debate. If not, the lingering impression will be that Obama got burned and is too scared to try again.
Obviously, these states want to see these candidates. Not everyone is a political junkie, you know. Or has cable. If you're sick of debates, don't watch, but there are people left who still don't know very much about these candidates. Let them have a chance to see who they're being asked to vote for.
Posted by Misty | April 24, 2008 10:23 PM
Why doesn't the Oregon governor support the people of Oregon. Hillary has to campaign in a high school gym... Obama in the Coliseum. Oregon wants Obama, Kulongoski is voting against the will of the peoples vote. Smelly Stuff!
Posted by JC | April 25, 2008 7:25 AM
If a debate is going to have any value at all
there needs to be nothing on all this garbage that
has been in the past debates and if the moderator
is not willing to ask questions strictly on
specific policies the candidate actually plans to follow
the debate will be beyond worthless.
Posted by Julie Lawyer | April 25, 2008 11:35 PM