Want MORE and BETTER Dems? Try Bill Bradbury in the Oregon Governor's race. The man who worked intimately with Vice President Al Gore in the run up to "An Inconvenient Truth" has a stellar resume, and he's gotten the official Howard Dean seal of approval too.
Feb 10, 2010
Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor and 2004 presidential candidate, jumped into the Oregon gubernatorial race Wednesday. Dean appeared at a fundraiser for former Secretary of State Bill Bradbury and took a veiled shot at Bradbury’s Democratic primary rival, former Gov. John Kitzhaber.
"There is only one progressive candidate running for governor of Oregon who has an opportunity to win, and that is Bill Bradbury," Dean told about 80 Bradbury supporters gathered at the Gerding Theater in the Pearl District.
How is that for an endorsement?
Much, much more below the fold
When Howard Dean speaks I listen up, and you should too, because Bill Bradbury IS the ONLY Progressive Candidate in the race for Governor of Oregon, and he needs your help and support.
But when you throw Al Gore's endorsement of Bill Bradbury in there too, then things get interesting.
Here is a short video of VP Gore giving Bill Brabury his endorsement, courtesy of blueoregon.com
A short transcript of Al Gore's endorsement of Bill Bradbury.
I’m proud to endorse Bill Bradbury as the next Governor of this state. Let me just say you won’t hear a negative word of any kind about John Kitzhaber, a distinguished former Governor who served honorably in the past in this state.
I am here to speak for Bill Bradbury and tell you what I know about this man. And to tell you what I know about this man has meant to me personally as a friend of extremely strong character, commitment and leadership.
blueoregon.com
Now, for a little background of the State of Oregon.
Oregon is quickly becoming a solid Blue state. Even though Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley won in a close election in 2008 the word on the ground in Oregon, according to those in the state who I have spoken to, is that the Oregon Governor's race is a lost cause for the GOP. This election will be decided in the Democratic primary and offers progressives nationally a prime opportunity to put MORE and BETTER into practice along with Howard Dean's 50 state strategy.
The other big name challenger in this race on the Dem side is former 2 term Governor John Kitzhaber.
After seven years on the political sidelines, former Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber had an epiphany of sorts on how to lead a fractious state he once called "ungovernable."
snip
The state's best hope, he decided, lies not among the entrenched factions that hold sway in today's hyperpartisan climate, but among the moderates on all sides, from conservation-minded Democrats to profit-seeking Republicans.
"You can actually re-create that political center," says Kitzhaber, who is looking to make history by winning a third term in his old job. "If I'm wrong," he adds, "I won't get elected."
oregonlive.com
Bold text added by the diarist
Kitzhaber has the support of the Democratic establishment in Oregon who see the better funded Kitzhaber as their best bet for winning. That funding Kitzhaber has received has come from "staunch Republican timber executives", as the article above states. Some centrism, huh?
In a race that will feature a Palin-ite wingnut, a Dean progressive or a centrist who will try to pander to both sides, the decision should be easy. There is only one correct answer to the question "Who will be the best Governor for Oregon". One can choose a Republican = 2+2=6, one can choose a Progressive = 2+2=4, or one can stake out the centrist position and play it safe between the two by saying 2+2=5. This is, in essence, what Democratic "centrism" and media "balance" is today, a way to justify 2+2=5 as a viable answer between the facts Progressives supports and the crazed, corporatist untruths touted by America's right wing.
When it comes to ideas and how to make America better for working class families the Republican party has NOTHING. Centrists who try to pander to the right will always water down effective progressive ideas, that is what they do in the pursuit of the mythical middle ground between 2+2=6 and 2+2=4. This is NOT the answer to our problems.
Bill Bardbury does have answers for Oregon's problems, which you can learn more about at the issues page on Bill Bradbury's campaign web site, which I have posted below with permission from the Brabury campaign.
Bank of Oregon
It’s time to declare economic sovereignty from big banks. The Bank of Oregon would administer state lending programs that promote economic development in key sectors or regions...
Quality Education
When people talk of the need to dramatically reform public education, I point them to the Quality Education Commission and the model for public schools, The Quality Education Model...
Climate Change and Sustainability
When former Vice President Al Gore called and asked for leaders to step up and speak out on global climate change, I answered that call. I have given more than 200 presentations about the global climate change crisis...
8 Solutions to Get Oregon Working Again
For the past year I have had the opportunity to travel this state and talk to Oregonians about the real challenges they are facing in this recession. And these 8 Solutions to Getting Oregon Working Again are a product of those conversations. I am proud to say that small business owners, students, seniors, teachers, financial experts, public employees, sustainable industry leaders, construction workers and farmers all had a hand in the creation of these 8 Solutions to Getting Oregon Working Again.
For more info on these policy ideas, click heread follow the links
I know where Bill Bradbury stands. He stands with Howard Dean and Al Gore, and I will stand with them. The ideas offered by Bill Bradbury are the best available to Oregon voters. If we want more bold ideas from Progressives and the ability to enact them, we should support Progressives at the state level like Bill Bradbury.
I hope you will too, and help support Bill Bradbury for Governor, a great Progressive candidate. If we want MORE and BETTER Dems candidates like Bill Bradbury are the ones we have to support. I will, and I hope you do too.
Support Bill Bradbury with ActBlue today
Cheers
You can follow me on Twitter @JesseLaGreca
Crossposted at ProgressiveElectorate.com