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Oregon Matters

Kip Ward

Posted: 05.10.2008 / 1:16 AM EDT

Well I guess this is it; finally Oregon matters.  Who would of thought?  According to Obama this is where Hillary’s candidacy will be finally laid to rest and he is probably correct.  I remember about a year ago, we all thought that Hillary had the nomination in the bag.  But that bag had a hole in it, and Hillary is on her way to becoming a historical footnote. I guess we all learned a lesson that there is no such thing as a sure thing. 

 All ready the local dialog has switched.   It’s all about Obama and McCain.  Hillary is still running commercials though, and Obama should watch them.  I think she is pretty Oregon savvy.  War, Environment, and Economy; those are the things she is talking about.  She hits extra hard on the environment.  Smart. 

 On the other hand, Obama has ground troops and plenty of them, even in Lincoln County.  He is organized and getting more so.  McCain is going to have his work cut out for him.  I don’t know where McCain and his supporters have been during his hiatus, but they certainly have not been around here.  Could it be he is taking Obama lightly?  Maybe he should talk to Hillary about how that worked for her. 

 Turns out I suppose, that Hillary did Obama a favor.   Obama’s cuts and wounds will be simply scar tissue come November.  Hopefully the rest of the nation will feel about Obama’s various brouhahas as we do around here. Sure we all heard about the Reverend Wright, about being bitter, and the other things.  But most people I see don’t give much credence to dished up dirt.  What they do care about are the issues and about change. 

 And those people I see?  With out exception every one of them respects John McCain.  Whether or not they support his presidential bid.  I think around here, any personal attacks against McCain would go over like a bikini in a winter sou’wester. 

 So there it is.  I guess we are in the finals and we are just getting started to begin all over again.  The stakes couldn’t be higher and by now we should all know that there is no such thing as a sure thing.