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April 03, 2008

Sizemore Hearts Novick

Beth Slovic’s little piece in this week’s Willamette Week tickles my funnybone. “If Bill "Racketeer" Sizemore were a Democrat,” she asks, would he vote for Jeff Merkley or Steve Novick? Bill said he would choose Novick because he is “a very smart and clever guy.” But just to make sure no one could become confused by his endorsement, he said, “I don't agree with a single thing the guy stands for … (he) should be living in Cuba.” He then went on to talk about Novick’s reflexive attacks and acerbic and nasty personality. Oh, and "He's short."

After that acerbic and nasty personal attack on Novick, why in the world would I conclude "Sizemore hearts Novick"? I'm glad you asked.

In many ways, Sizemore and Novick are very similar. Okay, Sizemore is far from short. In fact, he is quite imposing in stature. But like Novick, he comes from a somewhat impoverished childhood. And like Novick, his high level of motivation and intelligence took him to a position of public prominence. Both are able to lurk in the background where necessary to achieve their objectives, though Sizemore seems to enjoy and be comfortable in the limelight a bit more. Like Novick, Sizemore’s desk could be described as resembling “a rodent’s nest.” (As any good psychologist knows, people with messy desks tend to be more successful and know how to use their environment to expand their thinking capacity.) And like Novick, who erroneously and egotistically claims to have “defeated” Sizemore, he has a big ego.

I suppose a bit of admiration for one’s able arch-nemesis is to be expected. But this matter of Sizemore’s calling Novick “very smart and clever” is of particular interest to me. Not long ago, Sizemore told Jeff Mapes of The Oregonian that “he was hardly aware of Novick's work against him until he started bragging about it on the campaign trail.” Sizemore told Mapes he viewed Novick as a “bit player” in his ongoing war with the unions. Upon hearing that, Novick pointed out to Mapes that Sizemore had previously written at NW Republican that Novick was “a very bright guy.” Sizemore “chuckled” and explained to Mapes that he had said it because he “was returning a favor.” See, Novick had earlier called Sizemore “brilliant.”

Is this a case of mutual love-hate we are seeing here?

At the same time Mapes was interviewing the two of them in February, Sizemore posted at NW Republican that not only did he never know he had been defeated, he never even knew he was fighting Novick in the first place. So why is he now saying if he was a Democrat he would vote for this “short” guy who is bragging about defeating him in a fight he didn’t know was even occurring? Surely, it’s more than just the fact that Novick is “smart.”

If Sizemore is telling the truth that he didn’t realize he was fighting Novick, his preference for Novick really doesn’t make sense. Jeff Merkley is also very smart and has a strong record. No, Sizemore knew exactly what Novick was up to even though Novick was working quietly and deliberately in the background. If you spend any time reading Novick’s old campaign pieces or his record of testimony at the State Legislature against any of those efforts, you can certainly see what an intellectually and strategically formidable foe he really was. I don’t believe Sizemore was ignorant of any of that.

I suppose considering that both are extremists and idealists, and likely engaged in a lifelong struggle against low self-esteem, it makes sense that each would have strong opposition and admiration – perhaps even obsession - for each other. And maybe it is that which pushes Sizemore into Novick’s camp.

Posted by Becky at April 3, 2008 01:01 PM