Press Room
What A Year!
Thanks for a great year.
In the past 12 months, our Stop Gordon Smith Campaign has protested several times at Smith's events and his Oregon offices, created web videos, handed out flyers at more than 100 events throughout the state and sent more than 110 press releases to reporters.
We've earned coverage on OPB, in The Oregonian and The Register-Guard and numerous other TV, radio, newspaper and blog outlets from Oregon to Washington, D.C.
Let's look at how you've held Gordon Smith accountable. For selling his votes to the special interests, for saying anything, and for opposing Oregon's Democratic U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden.
Flyers And Videos
Stop Gordon Smith activists have passed out flyers on Smith's record on everything from civil rights to Iraq and signed up supporters at more than 100 events across Oregon.
Click here to download flyers.
Thousands of people have watched our online videos. We've even inspired supporters to send us their own videos explaining why they want to Stop Gordon Smith.
Protesting The Special Interest Senator
June - Veterans led the way in June 2007, protesting Smith's continued votes for the Iraq War and dismal ratings from Disabled American Veterans.
December - Stop Gordon Smith Campaign protestors rallied outside all five of Smith's Oregon offices to expose his Say Anything pattern on the Iraq War. Five protests, in one day, outside all of a U.S. Senator's state offices. It was an Oregon first.
January - A month later, protestors greeted Smith in Medford at one of his rare public appearances in Oregon.
April - Medford and Eugene activists gathered outside Smith's offices the day before Earth Day to protest him for becoming a vending machine for votes, especially on the environment.
Exposing His Record
The Stop Gordon Smith Campaign makes sure that reporters get the facts on the Say Anything Senator's record, from his documented doubletalk and his opposition to a woman's right to choose, to how he's become a vending machine for votes.
Keep It Up!
With only six months left until the election, we need your help more than ever.
Sign your friends up for the campaign, pass out flyers, make a video, and keep sending in those letters to the editor.
Thank you for all your work!
Together, we will Stop Gordon Smith.
Marc Siegel
Communications Director
Democratic Party of Oregon
Discuss: What A Year!
Posted April 29, 2008 in Grassroots Resources, Press Room - 0 comments
Say Anything Senator Greeted By Protesters In Medford. Answers With More Empty Rhetoric.
Stop Gordon Smith Campaign activists and other protesters greeted Gordon Smith during his visit to Medford yesterday, criticizing him for saying anything to get re-elected. They focused on his Iraq War record.
Watch the local TV coverage of the protest.
Rather than seriously discussing the issue, the Say Anything senator repeated more parsed, empty rhetoric in response to the protesters.
“I substantially agree with them. I want our troops home as fast as they can come home safely. And I think we are on the cusp of a way home. And the sooner the better as far as I’m concerned.”
(KTVL, 1-16-08)
We’ve heard this kind of empty rhetoric before from the Say Anything Senator.
Smith's Record
Although over the summer Smith boasted to columnist George Will he would have a dozen Republican U.S. Senators by September 2007 helping to get troops out of Iraq, he’s tallied zero support for removing troops.
And last year, only after America kicked Smith’s Republican Party out of office and said no to the Iraq War did Smith say he would oppose it.
Smith has been “here, there, everywhere” on the war according to The Oregonian’s February 10, 2007 editorial.
In fact, in 2007, even after he said he would oppose the war, he has actually voted five times to keep troops in Iraq and prolong the conflict. Oregon's other U.S. Senator, Ron Wyden, voted opposite Smith on all five of those votes.
“Every time Gordon Smith speaks he erodes his credibility," DPO Communications Director Marc Siegel said. "The more you examine his record, the more you understand why editorial writers and Smith’s own allies and supporters have questioned his accuracy and authenticity.”
Discuss: Say Anything Senator Greeted By Protesters In Medford. Answers With More Empty Rhetoric.
Posted January 17, 2008 in Grassroots Resources, Press Room - 3 comments
Democrats Hold Smith Accountable in Statewide Protests
Eleven months before the 2008 election, the grassroots energy aimed at replacing Gordon Smith ignited Oregon. Oregonians showed up outside all five of Smith’s offices across the state in Pendleton, Portland, Medford, Eugene and Bend on December 5 to hold Smith accountable for saying anything to win re-election.
This unusual level of activity and organization this early in the campaign drew local media attention at all five protests and statewide radio and blog coverage. Even Smith’s hometown paper, the East Oregonian, splashed the protest across their front page:
Read more and discuss: Democrats Hold Smith Accountable in Statewide Protests
Posted December 11, 2007 in Grassroots Resources, Press Room, static - 0 comments
Stop Gordon Smith Campaign expands its online effort
The Stop Gordon Smith Campaign is inviting all Oregonians to click in, search through and blog on www.StopGordonSmith.com, the revamped interactive home for the Stop Gordon Smith Campaign.
“If you want to find out about Gordon Smith’s more than 20 votes for the Iraq War, the gap between his votes and his quotes, or why he votes with President Bush 90 percent of the time, it’s all here,” DPO Chair Meredith Wood Smith said. “Click in, search through, and blog on. We will frequently update the site with the latest information on Smith and his voting record.”
The website is the interactive home for the Stop Gordon Smith Campaign. After launching the site in April and drawing more than 700 members in one week, the Stop Gordon Smith Campaign is expanding its online presence.
Read more and discuss: Stop Gordon Smith Campaign expands its online effort
Posted July 9, 2007 in Press Room - 0 comments
"Gordon Smith is not, and never has been, pro-choice"
NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon blasts Smith’s anti-choice, anti-Oregon record
As the 2008 election nears and U.S. Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) tries to run away from his right wing record, his votes are catching up with him.
Michelle Stranger-Hunter, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, set Oregonians straight today on Smith’s anti-choice record.
In a comprehensive review of his votes posted on BlueOregon, Stranger-Hunter explained that Smith is no moderate. In fact, he’s a longstanding, ardent opponent of womens' right to choose.
Key column excerpts:
“With a Senate voting record that dates back to 1997, Senator Smith has voted with his anti-choice allies at least 80 percent of the time... and usually more. In nearly half of his years served, he scored a 0% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America.”
Read more and discuss: "Gordon Smith is not, and never has been, pro-choice"
Posted June 11, 2007 in Choice, Press Room - 0 comments
