Quote of the Day Archive

"He will amplify the voice for children out of Washington County."

-- Jim Mabbot, the superintendent for the Northwest Educational Service District, on hiring lobbyist Ozzie Rose to represent his district's interests to the Oregon state legislature.

"On the mailing list it explicitly said, 'In 2006, Erickson was endorsed by so and so.'"

-- Erickson campaign manager Jeff Harvey, responding to one of the Democratic Party of Oregon's accusations of misrepresenting his endorsements in the current election.

"I think the cigarette tax will be in play next session,"

-- Oregon House Majority Leader Dave Hunt, anticipating gains by the Democrats in the House, on one possible way of finding the money to pay for increases in health coverage.

"Gordon Smith is my friend but the problem is that when it's come time to vote in the Senate he's been a much better friend of George Bush. Voting with George Bush ninety percent of the time just isn't good for the people and issues I've fought for over a lifetime."

-- U.S. Sen. John Kerry on a Gordon Smith ad that touted his bipartisan credentials in the Senate, including work with Kerry.

"I choose to reach across the aisle with John Kerry to protect homeowners against foreclosure, with Barack Obama for better gas mileage. And when President Bush tried to cut Medicaid, the Oregon Health plan, I said 'No.'"

-- U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton) in a campaign advertisement, trying to put as much distance between him and his party as humanly possible.

"Under Merkley's leadership, furniture in one member's office will cost more than two years' tuition at the University of Oregon."

-- Gordon Smith, criticizing opponent Jeff Merkley for the cost of furniture improvements in the statehouse during his tenure as

"Smith is trying to do everything he can to avoid being accountable. He now realizes that he cannot win this election as a lap-dog to wealthy, powerful interests, so he has to run away from his record. And it's a horrible position to be in when you have to change your views to win an election. When that happens, it's time for him to retire."

-- Jeff Merkley, on opponent Gordon Smith's decision not to attend the Republican National Convention this year.

"They are for responsible drilling, alternative energy, and using these plans wisely. Just because they don't want to turn our entire oil future over to the oil companies does not mean they are not for a balanced approach."

-- U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland) defending his fellow House Democrats from charges of obstructing efforts to open more areas for oil drilling.

"That's a week where he can be here and focused on the campaign. Most likely, he'll be in Oregon."

-- Smith campaign spokeswoman Lindsay Gilbride on why U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith will most likely not be attending the Republican National Convention.

"I was (at the labor site) four days in a row and never got work. The next day I came out here, I get work like that."

--A 33-year-old Cuban day-laborer on his experiences with the city of Portland's municipally funded day-labor site.