Gov. Roberts tells it like it is

I haven't written much about the Merkley campaign, partly because I wasn't writing on many campaigns, in general, and partly because so many others are doing a better job than I can. However, I feel the need to post for the same reasons I feel the need to post the truth about McCain: When presented with crap, that crap needs to be named and acknowledged. In this case, that name is Smith

Jeff Merkley's campaign held a press conference about an hour ago to address the bullsh** that is the commercial most recently released by the Smith camp. I won't even honor Smith by describing the commercial here. He doesn't deserve it. Suffice to say, it is the one about the statute of limitations.

There were numerous officials there, including Governor Roberts.

Here is a sampling of what she had to say:

"I have never never in Oregon seen anything like Gordon Smith's attacks against Jeff Merkley"

"They are simply not true."

And straight and to the point:

"These ads are simply lies."

She went on to explain that the bill that the Smith camp is harping on (and using to infer that Merkley favors rapists' rights over that of victims) was a bill written by four people, behind closed doors, without public input of any kind. Merkley was among several Democrats and Republicans who voted against that bill. Smith obviously leaves out those types of facts. The fact that Merkley voted in favor of the extension on the statute of limitations (and other like-legislation) that is now IN PLACE, also escapes Smith. We won't discuss Smith's own lack of support for making sure that law enforcement and first responders have what they need, in order to do what we demand of them.

Fortunately, as Governor Roberts mentions, Oregonians are not that stupid or easily fooled. The support that has flooded Merkley's office, in response to these ads, is amazing. If Smith wants to keep giving Oregonians incentive to get behind Merkley, I'm all for it. Keep it up. Somehow I doubt Smith is all of a sudden going to grow a pair and actually begin discussing actual issues.

And here is the rest of it.