Bradbury/Kitzhaber In Country Club Kerfuffle

Democratic Gubernatorial primary candidate Bill Bradbury has canceled a planned appearance on Thursday at the Oswego Lake Country Club. Here’s a quote from his campaign: “In a time when Oregonians are hurting, unemployment is at historic levels, hunger issues abound and people are losing their homes, I think it sends absolutely the wrong message as a Democrat to hold consecutive forums at one of the most exclusive country clubs in the state located in one of the wealthiest communities in Oregon.”

Bradbury’s opponent John Kitzhaber drew attention for agreeing not to wear his signature jeans at an earlier session at the Country Club last week. Bradbury now says he’s hoping Kitzhaber will confirm a date to appear before University of Oregon students, instead—apparently trying to paint his opponent as an elitist.

“At first we had confirmed the evening of February 25 but the Kitzhaber campaign later canceled citing a scheduling conflict,” says Bradbury.

“We never canceled that, we’ve been working to confirm a date,” said Kitzhaber campaign spokesman Derek Humphrey when I called up to ask. So, he’s saying the Bradbury campaign is lying?

“I’m not going to respond to any specifics,” said Humphrey. “Except to say that we’ve been working with the college to find a date that works for both parties.”

So he’s saying the Bradbury campaign is lying?

“You can certainly draw your own conclusions,” he said. “I’m not going to get into the weeds of arguing over scheduling requests with the Bradbury campaign.”

And does his candidate still plan to attend the country club debate this Thursday?

“We had never said we would do that, and we’re not doing it,” he says.

Bradbury campaign manager Jeremy Wright isn’t answering his cellphone, but we’ve left a message.

Update, 3:23: Wright returned our message with an email and writes that Bradbury is fully prepared to debate a “frozen chicken” in Eugen on the 25th, if Kitzhaber’s office can’t suck it up. Read more after the jump.

Got your voice mail.

Both parties had agreed to the 25th in Eugene for the U of O College Democrats debate. We had it on the schedule by early December and have the emails to prove it (below is one example) It was not until
Kitzhaber released his economic plan in Eugene in mid January that they approached the new U of O Dems President at that event and said they had to move it, and wanted the 24th, which was not available for us.

Kitzhaber has since proposed dates in late March during finals week which is ridiculous.

We are not the ones lying here. Taking a page out of the Mercury’s handbook we are fully prepared to debate a frozen chicken on the 25th in Eugene.

Full disclosure: in the email below Ryan McCarrel was the then President of the University of Oregon College Democrats. I hired Ryan last month to run my social/new media work here on the campaign. When he was setting up the debate he was still a student and was not involved in any way with our campaign either officially or unofficially. Lauren is our scheuduler. We sent an email back confirming the 25th an assumed that was that.

Thanks!

And here’s that email:

Email dated December 7, 2009:

Lauren,

I called Greg, Kitzhabers scheduler, today to get them locked into a date for the debate. I’m not sure what the confusion is on their end, or why it’s taking them so long, but today they told me exactly what they want so here it is:

For them to participate in a debate, they want it to be on the 25th of February and Greg wants me to cc him an email from you that contains a solid confirmation of Bradbury’s commitment to attend.

I realize that you have already committed and apologize for any inconvenience, however, they would like to see a written confirmation from you directly to their campaign.

If you have any questions please feel free to call or email me back.

Sincerely,

Ryan McCarrel
Pres. University of Oregon
College Democrats