Smith loves me, Smith loves me not

Well, it appears that Senator Gordon Smith can forget about any potential cabinet post under a McCain administration.  His latest ad touting his work on energy efficiency with Democratic presidential nominee and media darling Senator Barack Obama leaves many of us to wonder where his support for buddy and Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain has gone.

The Smith ad is surprising because Obama does not have the lock on Oregon as he does in similar states like Washington.  Turning his back on McCain when the state is still very much in play could create serious tension between any Republican coordinated campaign effort and the Smith campaign this fall. 

On the other hand, some politicos speculate that Smith clearly gets it.  He recognizes his vulnerabilities in his re-election bid in a state where Obama drew a crowd of over 70,000 people just before Oregon's primary election.  Smith is not talking to Republican or Democratic activists who already have their votes determined.  He's talking directly to swing voters who are tired of gridlock in Congress and pay little attention to elections until two days before their ballots are due.  By keeping his ads on television throughout the summer while his challenger Jeff Merkley is dark he can set the tone before the games truly begin this September.