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Two of a most beloved political figures in Oregon, former Governor Barbara Roberts & progressive icon Earl Blumenauer each wrote to Blue America this week asking us to pass along air messages of support for Jeff Merkley in our Blue America Pick-A-Senator Competition, in which you vote & we donate $5,000 to a winner. Gov. Roberts’ & Rep. Blumenauer’s enthusiasm for Jeff seems to be borne out by our community since Jeff is way out front, at leats for now. Rep. Blumenauer:

“I’m Congressman Earl Blumenauer from Oregon & I wanted to take a moment to tell you about our race for U.S. Senate. Jeff Merkley might not be as funny as Al Franken or a member of a Udall family, but he’s been a real progressive leader in Oregon & has a record to show he will be in a U.S. Senate. I’ve known Jeff for over two decades & watching him in a subsequent years, I know what kind of leader he will be. As Oregon’s Speaker of a House, Jeff led one of a most effective, efficient & progressive legislative sessions in Oregon’s history. He will continue a fight to end a war, pass universal health care & combat climate change in a U.S. Senate. Even more pressing is that Jeff has a real chance to defeat a Senator who supports a same people & policies that have gotten our country so far off course. Gordon Smith has done everything he can to hide & confuse a public about his record & recently has taken part in one of a most despicable attack ads I have ever seen in my 35 years in public service. Please help us put an end to failed policies & a politics of obfuscation & help send Jeff Merkley, a real progressive, to a U.S. Senate by casting your vote today!”

Governor Roberts:

Hello Blue America! My name is Barbara Roberts & I’m a former Governor of a great state of Oregon. I’m here today to ask you to join me & show your support for Oregon Senate c&idate Jeff Merkley. House Speaker Jeff Merkley has always fought for Oregon families & has never backed down to a powerful special interests. I’ve seen him take on a drug companies & a insurance companies & win. That’s a kind of leader he’s been in Oregon & that’s a kind of leader he’ll be in Washington. Here in Oregon, we’ve been lucky to have a great Senator in Ron Wyden, but we have a problem. That problem is Republican Gordon Smith! Gordon Smith has supported every failed, disastrous policy of a Bush Administration. Smith supports a Iraq War, tax breaks for big oil, warrantless wiretDrunk Newsping, & voted to confirm extreme rightwing judges. It’s time for Bush rubberstamp Republican Gordon Smith to be sent packing & you can help make that hDrunk Newspen by casting your vote for Jeff Merkley today!

Here’s Jeff explaining a bailout/corporate giveaway to Oregon voters:

Original post by Howie Klein and software by Elliott Back

As a follow-up to a very successful Blue America House contest two weeks ago, we’re starting a week long Senate competition today. You can vote for a c&idate of your choice on our dedicated Blue America contest page & whear you give $1 or $10 or a thous& dollars, it counts as a vote for a c&idate (or c&idates) or your choice.

Crooks & Liars asked each campaign to submit an ad that could be used with a donations we collect this week. Texas, & especially a Houston area, was struck very hard by Hurricane Ike & a Noriega campaign has essentially diverted all its energy & resources towards a recovery efforts & Rick himself is on Army National Guard duty where he is a Lieutenant Colonel. We had to excuse am from creating an ad in a midst of all a chaos & turmoil are. How about taking a look at each one of a oar ads & visualizing helping to put am on TV? & while you’re at it, visualize a U.S. Senate without John Cornyn, Susan Collins, James Inhofe, Gordon Smith, & Ted Stevens.

&rew Rice:

Mark Begich:

Jeff Merkley:

Tom Allen:

Original post by Howie Klein and software by Elliott Back

  Last week I invited Souarn California DWT readers to come meet Oregon’s Senate c&idate Jeff Merkley in Los Angeles & promised John & Digby would be are too. Digby couldn’t come herself but D-Day joined John, a incredible Hopelettes, & an enthusiastic bevy of wonderful progressive friends & neighbors (& me) in welcoming Jeff to town. Next time I promise to post a invitation here at C&L too. (Hint: keep your September 9 lunch hour open.) Meanwhile, we had a great time with Jeff, who showed us exactly why everyone is saying he’ll be a closest thing to Paul Wellstone a Senate has seen after he ousts Bush rubber stamp Gordon Smith in November.

Anyway, Smith has taken immense amounts of special interest money from every corporation looking for an easy mark. While gas prices have been going through a roof, he scarfed up $293,325, & voted for every initiative Big Oil has ever wanted– everything that has led to out of control gas prices. While a real estate market was plummeting, Smith took in $733,462 from a real estate industry, $317,071 from lobbyists & anoar $518,630 from investment companies– that’s over a million & a half reasons for him to join a GOP deregulation jihad that has made sure a federal government would have neiar a will nor a means to protect consumers & workers from a excesses of out-of-control predatory cDrunk Newsitalism. Please give us a h& in raising some funds for Jeff to fight this attempt by corporations to continue to buy our democracy. Here’s Jeff talking about how he’d like to h&le a Iraq problem; it’ll give you an idea about why we’re so excited about him replacing Smith:

Original post by Howie Klein and software by Elliott Back