Posted on 10/07/2005 4:00:36 PM PDT by crazyhorse691
Buoyed by a drop in President Bush's popularity, about 500 Oregon Democrats are gathering in Sunriver this weekend for a series of talks on how to seize the moment.
"The focus is on how Democrats can win in western states," said Jim Edmunson, chairman of the state Democratic Party. The Central Oregon conference will feature a keynote speech by Joe Wilson, the former ambassador and husband of outed CIA operative Valerie Plame, and will look at how anti-war themes are expected to play in the 2006 elections.
"National security and the international situation in the Middle East is a huge issue for Democrats at all levels," Edmunson said.
Wilson drew a national spotlight when he wrote an opinion piece in 2003 in the New York Times that questioned whether Iraq had or was developing weapons of mass destruction -- the primary reason given by the Bush administration for invading the country.
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether administration officials, in retaliation for the opinion piece, leaked that Wilson's wife was a CIA operative.
Wilson has since written a memoir about his experiences, called "The Politics of Truth."
The Democratic conference, held every two years, brings together party activists, loyalists and candidates for three days of meetings, speeches and schmoozing. This year's "Oregon Summit" has sold out and is expected to be abuzz with talk, not only about national politics, but also about the Oregon governor's race and efforts to oust Republican House Speaker Karen Minnis, among other topics.
Gov. Ted Kulongoski is scheduled to host a golf tournament and give the kick-off speech this evening. Former Gov. John Kitzhaber will make his first appearance at the summit with two presentations, one on forming "Oregon communities" and one on the state's health-care system.
Kitzhaber created a bit of a political stir last month when he acknowledged he was being pressed by some Democrats to run against Kulongoski for an unprecedented third term as governor.
Sen. Vicki Walker, Sen. Rick Metsger and Lane County Commissioner Pete Sorenson, all potential Democratic candidates for governor, also plan to attend. Earlier in the year, Sorenson had challenged Kulongoski to a debate at the summit, but none is scheduled.
Edmunson said the summit will not become a sounding board for gubernatorial candidates.
"I made the call and specifically asked all presenters not to use their time for campaign speeches," Edmunson said. "That's not appropriate."
Harry Esteve: 503-221-8226; harryesteve@news.oregonian.com
This would be a very good weekend for the special counsel to drop an indictment on Ambassador Wilson and his trophybride, Ms. Plame.
Good place for a MOAB! Just kidding, but really, it's a good place. Kidding...
If my tolerance of pit and leg hair on women was higher, I might enjoy upsetting them, too.
They may be pissed off to find the law they passed won't allow them to smoke those cigars inside the bars.
Ha!
Great Scenic View, Mt. Batchlor, great golfing, great white water rafting, great lounges, great sex....
What the hell is Wilson doing there...
I love Oregon, but if there ever were a time to hope for a Mt. Hood eruption, this is it.
Oh, no! 500 dems led by Joe "The Liar" Wilson. I'm scared.
500 Rats, what we need is
a pied piper and a cliff.....
If Bill Clinton is there they may not be smoking those cigars.
All they going to have is wet dreams.
Let me be of some help...
Put together a plan that tells the american people what you stand for and what you stand against. Include 8 or 10 bullet points that outline what you plan to do if elected. And present that to the voters over the next 12 months.
If they like your plans and what you stand for, the voters will elect you...what's so hard about that?
Having no core values and nothing to offer, they now work to create a platform.
And in a freakish accident empty jet liner crashed in Sunriver, Oregon killing 500 rats...
At first I thought it might have been Tenet who leaked it, but more and more I think it was Wilson. Not because he had an agenda, but because he is an idiot. But yes, I agree, this would a great weekend...!
Sounds like "Saturday Night Live" in disguise. Could make for some good comedy, but otherwise worthless.
Something Wilson said or did ended up blowing her cover, or at least endangering her. It probably involved both Wilson and his THIRD WIFE, Valerie, because she sent him to French speaking Africa to make contact with French speaking people he already knew, e.g. maybe Jacqueline!
Open marriage may be the secret to all of this.
When Wilson went public and revealed he'd visited Niger, if Jacqueline was his contact, her cover was blown.
The business of interviewing everybody else has to do with building a case concerning effects on Jacqueline, not Valerie.
I recall your posts on the French agent now. My lefty buddy at work was salivating over the prosepect of Roves indictment..
From what I've seen none of the lefty's want to discuss any aspect of this case that touches on Jacqueline although she is, in fact, currently an undercover agent, albeit of an ally.
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