THE SECOND EFFORT to recall Mayor Sam Adams—after he lied about his relationship with former legislative intern Beau Breedlove in the run up to his 2008 election—looks like it may be even more of a disaster than the first.
I didn’t think it was possible, either.
The second recall effort, which launched in January with ominous promises of big business backing from the likes of car dealer Ron Tonkin and Columbia Sportswear boss Tim Boyle, has so far gathered just over 10,000 signatures. That’s with the help of paid signature gatherers. The previous recall effort fell short, having revealed in August 2009 that it needed 786 signatures a day to make its goals.
“I have an optimist gene I was born with,” said former State Senator Avel Gordly, speaking for the second recall at a press conference outside city hall on April Fool’s Day. “We still have 20 days.”
To gather over 1,000 signatures a day? Just leave it, already!
Gordly was flanked by 20 recall volunteers, mainly pissed-off-looking middle-aged men, and of course, Breedlove himself, who has returned to Portland after vowing to begin his life anew on the East Coast. Breedlove showed up in shades, drinking a Rockstar energy drink. I now officially feel sorry for him.
“I’ve not turned on him,” he said of Adams. “He turned on me.”
Unfortunate though it may be, watching this train wreck is compulsive. Earlier last week, Breedlove hit out at those calling him a “fame seeker” on blogtown.portlandmercury.com, after he posted about the recall on his blog.
“It is beyond my comprehension how people justify a politician lying to them to be elected,” wrote Breedlove in the initial post. Cue Blogtown commenters’ derision, and then cue Breedlove’s response, criticizing “low-level media idiots” (touché) for linking to posts on his “PERSONAL BLOG” on their “online websites.”
“In reality, YOU are the loseres [sic],” wrote Breedlove. “And YOU are the worthless, low life’s [sic] who need to go away.”
Then on Monday, April 5, Gordly launched a desperate Hail Mary with an op-ed in the Oregonian, saying the campaign could have a “fighting chance” if only somebody would donate $75,000 in the next few days.
Even in Oregon, I don’t think there’s any “losere” crazy enough to whip out their checkbook to answer a request like that. Not even “worthless, low life’s” like Loren Parks—the guy who funded Bill Sizemore for years, who’s now looking for other recipients for his right-wing money.
On second thought, I’ve got a bad feeling about this.
*yawn*
Interesting the Oregonian reported this morning that she’s actually doing fairly well just recently with the signature gathering. I figured it was BS (and probably is).
Beau Breedlove. You are not just a manwhore, you are an idiot. Might as well join the Log Cabin already. That $75k can go fix pot holes or help out non-profit groups. What’s the alternative to Sam? Elect Breedlove? Scary.
20K and counting. And another recall effort to replace this one if they don’t make it.
Sorry guys, Adams is indelibly etched on too many people’s shit lists for this effort to suffer the dying of the light at this point. Taking the spotlight away just might lead to a re-election, and some of us aren’t going down without a protracted battle over it…
Oh, and Matt? Please note that there were at least four gay men amongst the 20 people you referred to.
Really, gonetorio? And how many of those people who have Adam on their shit list actually live in Portland? Seems to me that if the people of Portland (you know…the people that actually live in the city) wanted Adams out of office, two attempts at a recall would not have failed.
Failed…your favorite word, blownspeakers. When people work hard to give voice to a minority faction, it frequently involves ‘failure.’ But it reminds people who might otherwise forget, and informs people who haven’t got all the facts.
A majority of the people I have talked to (thousands, at this point), won’t sign the recall, but also think Adams is not re-electable. “I would never vote for him again”, is their mantra.
Nasty surprises happen in politics. I plan to leave Portland if Adams is re-elected. Since I love this place in spite of its CRAZINESS, I also plan to do everything in my power to prevent his reelection, in part because I want to stay here. It’s bad here, but worse everywhere else, as far as I can tell, at least in the US.
Call it what you will, I have a lot of passion about something I believe is important- preventing whackos, narcissists, sociopaths, and liars from getting and keeping office.
Google Jim Minnis, and you’ll get the idea.
“I have a lot of passion about something I believe is important- preventing whackos, narcissists, sociopaths, and liars from getting and keeping office” Please list politicians that do not fall into at least one of these categories.
Also, “failed” is not my favorite word. Far from it. But it is an appropriate word to be placed upon both recall efforts.
barack obama
ted wheeler
tina kotek
john kitzhaber
bill bradbury
allen ailey
michael bloomberg
angela merkel
tony blair
joe biden
nicolas sarkozy
vaclav havel
nelson mandela
hillary clinton
To name a few.
Really, gonetorio? Not one of those people lied *somewhere* along their campaign trail, or have not lied at some point since they’ve been in office? Clinton slandered Obama on the presidential campaign ~~ some of which was not true ~~ so her name goes off; Obama has yet to close Gitmo, which he promised to do pretty soon after he took office if he was elected, so his name can come off; Blair lied to secretary Clare Short about his intentions of going to war with Iraq, so his name can come off; Bradbury lied about changing his stance on measures 66 & 67, so his name comes off; Bloomberg was pretty outspoken against repealing term limits while he was on the campaign trail, yet wanted term limits extended once he took office…soooo his name comes off. And it goes on and on and on and on…
Gonetorio, your list made me laugh out loud. You seriously are insanely delusional.
Also, you stated “Since I love this place in spite of its CRAZINESS…” that’s a statement made only by someone who doesn’t truly love Portland for what it is. No true Portlander loves Portland “in spite of” its craziness. They love it because it’s crazy.
You’re a trip. I will seriously do everything in my power to laugh directly in your face if Adams gets re-elected (which I highly doubt, but would enjoy it happening just to spite the ridiculous Recall and Recall² efforts).