Liz Kimmerly, Online Director for Steve Novick's run for U.S. Senate, blogs about Novick's recent explosive and exciting campaign run through Eastern Oregon and offers Gordon Smith travel advice for his nearing and prolonged vacation.
Kimmerly is a fired up computer geek who likes to help activists with spines shake up the political backdrop of the land. You can find out more about her current favorite candidate Steve Novick, the fighter with the hard left hook at his (newly upgraded!) website and help support his campaign at ActBlue.
It was great to get out to Baker City on Friday night. This is a small and culturally rich town in eastern Oregon. Echoes of gold mining, the Oregon Trail, and western frontier adventures are evident in many of its historic buildings and landscape.
On Friday night the local Democrats welcomed us with hometown hospitality and held a groovin' blues dance at the local Elks Club. Thanks to local Democrat and organizer Chuck Butcher, the night was a success with its hoppin' dance floor and open space for Steve to meet and greet many community movers and shakers.
Steve took the chance to speak and left another audience captivated and excited for the campaign. His statement that "this country is going to hell in a hand basket" seems to get the crowd going every time. Just after he said that, I actually heard the guest blues guitarist say, "This is guy is the king". The musician's sentiment was dead on and collectively reflected on faces around the room.
The Baker City Herald had the following to report:
Steve Novick, the diminutive hook-handed attorney trying to wrest a U.S. Senate seat from Gordon Smith told a Baker City crowd Saturday night it'll take someone "a little different" to defeat Smith in 2008...
"I'm little, and I'm different," he said with a smile.
Novick, who also spoke at the wedding of Gov. Ted Kulongoski's aide Chris Warner, the younger brother of Baker County Commission Chair Fred Warner Jr., said he'd given Warner a $75 donation when Warner ran successfully for office in 2002. Warner, who did not attend Saturday's event, has endorsed Smith in the 2008 election.
"If you see Fred," Novick told the crowd, "tell him I want my 75 bucks back."
The bit about the 75 bucks had everyone cheering. I was amazed at how Steve ignited the energy of the packed house, and surprised that I actually absorbed every word of his speech. This is rare for me, especially in this country's political environment of sweet talk speeches reminiscent of soggy bread, weak spines, and broken promises for social change.
Final thoughts--
- Steve Novick is officially on fire.
- To Gordon Smith,
I will be more than happy to connect you to some cheap airline ticket web sites so you can plan your prolonged vacation after your numbered days in the U.S. Senate are over. I also know of some great beach-side grass huts and tiki bars in Thailand that are calling your name.