« How long must you wander in the political wilderness? | Main | Rightwing freaks on parade »

December 16, 2007

My chat with Jeff Merkley

I went to the Have a Tap with Tester event for Jeff Merkley last night as an invited blogger. That entitled me to get in for half price but I chose to pay the full $50 admission.

Once I'd paid the admission fee I headed to the bar to get something to drink so as to better fit in with the theme for the night. And who should step up to the bar next to me but Montana Senator Jon Tester!

Tester got the barkeep's attention first, Senators probably have a knack for doing that, so we exchanged small talk while he waited for his beer and I waited to order. He noted the hospitality of Portlanders and quipped about what a great country we live in where you can go to a political event and drink beer too - a theme he hit on later in the evening when he, Merkley and Governors Kulongoski and Roberts addressed the whole crowd.

He left and Jeff Merkley stepped into his spot, and once again got the barkeep's attention before I could - damn these Senators! But honestly, I didn't mind. I'd been hoping to get to talk to Jeff one-on-one and this was my golden opportunity.

Once Merkley had ordered he turned to me and thanked me for coming the the event. Of course I recognized him right away and circumvented the need for him to introduce himself by greeting him by name.

Pleasantries out of the way, I forged right in. I told him that I very much admire how he'd handled the 2003 HR2 resolution which he has taken so much flack from Novick & Co for. He asked if I meant the way he's been handling it during the campaign or how he handled it in 2003. I indicated the later and we started discussing it.

Jeff said that he'd been surprised when Steve Novick jumped on the GOP frame because he'd honestly expected Novick to defend him rather than join in the criticism. I asked how he would have handled it if the roles had been reversed and it was Novick being tarred by the GOP with hating the troops because of his assertion that he'd have voted against HR2. Without any hesitation at all Jeff passionately blurted out that he'd have defended Novick!

We talked a bit more about his background having worked in the Pentagon (as a weapons analyst) and how I've got a buddy in the Army who was sent to Iraq and how those things informed our respective views on how HR2 should have been dealt with. The point was made that solders don't have any say in where they are sent or what they have to do once they get there and ought not be held responsible for the politicians who do control where they go and what they do once they get there.

Then, spotting his wife Mary nearby, Jeff brought her over and introduced her to me. She is a very, very beautiful woman and is clearly in love with Jeff. I'm a life-long "people watcher" with a particular fondness for observing how couples interact and throughout the night I could plainly see her passion for Jeff written all over her face every time she looked at him - which was often when he was busily talking to someone else and she was just watching from a distance. To a hopeless romantic like me it was a very heartwarming thing to observe.

Then we each had things to do and people to see (I wanted to meet some other bloggers who I knew were going to be there) and we said our goodbyes went our separate ways.

I promptly ran into former Governor Barbara Roberts. Not having seen any pictures or footage of her for a number of years I was amazed at how little she appears to have aged... and told her so.

I've heard that Jeff isn't a very good public speaker, but later in the evening when he addressed the whole crowd I gotta say that I observed a very passionate speaker who had the crowd in the palm of his hand.

Posted by Kevin at December 16, 2007 10:39 AM