(Updated below.)
The recent semantic haggling may be an indication that Gordon Smith is experiencing that frozen moment when he realizes what's on the end of every fork (and it isn't frozen vegetables), but both he and the senior Senator from Oregon are on record as opposing Bush's "surge" plan for Iraq.
And thanks to a handy searchable database provided by Think Progress, we can see that, at the other end of the building, Smith and Wyden have been joined in their opposition by Blumenauer, Wu, and DeFazio.
But where are Walden and Hooley?
Think Progress lists their positions as "unknown." Ridenbaugh Press found found little evidence of Walden's position and even less from Hooley.
So, p3 readers from Oregon's 2nd and 5th--what's happening with your representatives?
Update: The Torrid One is on this like white on rice. See the Comments.
2 comments:
Way ahead of you, boss!
I polled our delegation a week ago last Friday, and here's what I got from them.
Hooley is a definite yes vote for resolutions opposing the surge in principle. She also believes that it IS possible for Congress to restrict troop increases by cutting off funding, and would support that as a generality as well (although it would certainly depend on the measure). That's directly from Joan Davis, her Chief of Staff, so as far as I'm concerned it's pretty solid.
Walden is another matter. To the best of my knowledge he has no political statements on the surge at all. That's shameful. I have left at least a half dozen messages with his press person Andrew Whelan, but he has not returned those calls. I encourage other Oregonians to call and ask as well--we are entitled to know his position.
I notified ThinkProgress of this a few days ago--also cautioning them not to make Smith "opposed" to escalation just yet--but they haven't changed anything.
PS--this is really something the real journalists should have done for us, don't you think?
Excellent. Thanks, Teej.
bn
Post a Comment