News Nov 1, 2012 at 4:00 am

Let's Send Charlie a Message

Comments

1
Denis: This is the sort of column you'll be embarrassed by a year from now --if you still have the capacity for embarrassment.
2
Yeah, that unanimous endorsement is just ringing, ain't it?
3
Denis you are a shameless Smith shrill.
That said, last week I wrote in Sam Adams. Mostly because it would be funny to piss off all the anti-Sam cranks.
4
Uh, didn't the Mercury already endorse Hales? What's going on here?
5
Eileen Brady polled at 7% - and this after 5 months off the campaign trail. write in who you will - but thousands of Portlanders will be writing in Eileen Brady. she remains the most qualified candidate for mayor.
6
Denis, I get what you are getting at. But none of these folks (other than the sadly unprepared Eileen and, of course, Sam) has subjected themselves to the sort of personal scrutiny that Jefferson has suffered in the last few months. Sure, he handled it poorly. But to suggest that a complete unknown (O'Connor) would handle it better is ludicrous. If you write someone in, write in someone in who can stand the heat and knows the legwork involved - there are options.
7
@rangerhunter: A write-in vote comes with no consequence—so when I raise Chris' name as a possibility, I'm mostly highlighting his work and passionate advocacy on some issues I care about. And I'm not pretending that any write-in candidate will win or even come close.

Also, for the record, in a world where no write-in was allowed, I'd still be sticking with the candidate this paper officially (and unanimously) endorsed.

Does that still make me a "shrill"?
8
I am more interested in how to stop the damage that Hales is to the town if becomes mayor?

Anyway, interested in pulling apart city contracts as soon as their signed? I bet city hall is going to be covered in dirt within 6 months.
9
He's just going to require close oversight from the rest of the city council. At least until he finds a better-paying job halfway through his term.
10
You're trying to have your Chuck and beat him too?
11
You're a shill, Mr. Theriault. The most recent evidence is when you wrote that Smith "showed up at her house this fall to try to talk to her about it." No he didn't, he showed up immediately after he realized the police report was going to be made public, to get her to clam up or make a statement forgiving him. If he just wanted to talk to her, he had 20 years to do that. The fact that he reacted that way, incidentally, proves that he lied when he said that he couldn't remember details about the incident, he obviously remembered enough to realize the police report was damaging. And the only role you've played in all this is to slam the Oregonian and Willamette Week for reporting on it in the first place--remembered that editorial you wrote where you invited readers to tell you why this incident in Smith's past matters? Well, we've been telling you why it matters, but you've decided to stop listening--you ignored my last letter.

Neil Anderson
12
Just so we're clear, you're calling a guy who

* endorsed Charlie Hales
* marked his ballot for Charlie Hales
* would rather write in a candidate than vote for Jefferson Smith

...a shill for Jefferson Smith? Because he has concerns about our incoming mayor's well-documented ethical issues?
13
He also wants Jefferson Smith to remain involved in Portland politics. And Theriault's also a guy who

* dismissed the significance of Smith hitting a woman
* criticized the Oregonian and WW for reporting it
* has consistently ignored, now minimized the creepiness of Smith trying to silence her, and
* wrote that Portland, even after all we've learned about Smith, still "needs" him.

Clear?
14
Kind of. What's clear is that you want to talk about the problems with Jefferson Smith. Which is great, however:

* That's not what this story is about.
* He's irrelevant at this point in the race.
* The people who wrote this article didn't even endorse him in the first place.
* Holy shit we've been over -his- well-known shortcomings a thousand times by now.

So knock off the halfassed and disingenuous misdirection. Hales is going to be our new mayor, he has issues, and we need to address them aggressively.
15
Crowsby: Go ahead and "address Hales' issues aggressively." Nobody's stopping you. Here's a hint to get you started: Commenting on the Mercury website isn't the same as "addressing" something.
16
Crowsby, you haven't addressed that Mr. Theriault still wants Jefferson Smith to remain in Portland politics. He explicitly wrote that in his article on Smith musing about moving away. If Smith runs for City Council or something else in the years to come, and Theriault writes some blather about how Smith's "learned from his mistakes" and "grown as a person and a candidate," just remember you read it here first. By the way, I'm not a fan of Hales either, I voted for Chris O'Connor (because he's a friend, not because Theriault endorsed him).
17
Who the fuck is Neil Anderson and why do his opinions matter?
18
Courageously put, "theonlysanepersonintheworld." I'm sure that's your real name.
19
Ugh...I'm still voting for Jefferson Smith because:

* I can spot a Weiner smear job when I see one.
* I don't believe for a second that Smith is a serial woman beater.
* I believe Smith is sorry for his actions.
* I think he's the only candidate that right on the issues I care the most about.
* I have zero faith in the opinion of The fucking Portland Mercury or the WW for that matter.
* I most definitely believe Neil Anderson is an asshole.
20
Neither of these guys (Smith and Hales) did anything as heinous as have an affair with a 17-year-old and then try to cover it up. We survived that for the past four years. I'm still voting for Smith because he is on the right side on important issues, particularly in opposing the cRC boondoggle.
21
The Portland Mercury did not have to endorse Hales. Just sayin.' Sadly, the paper missed an opportunity to refuse to endorse anyone and ask the question "why do we have two lousy choices?"
22
Hey Zipitup--can I nominate you for a Profile in Courage in the "Anonymous Name-calling" category? By the way, do you approve of Smith going over to that woman's house, twice?

Neil Anderson
23
I thought both Hales and Smith; was a choice between a turd sandwich and a smelly used tampon. So instead I voted for Cameron Whitten; even though he was running for state treasurer; which was an idiotic idea; since Ted Wheeler was re-running and not going to lose.

Please wait...

Comments are closed.

Commenting on this item is available only to members of the site. You can sign in here or create an account here.


Add a comment
Preview

By posting this comment, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use.