There aren't many more pointed ways to announce that you are seriously considering running against the incumbent governor, than to call up the incumbent governor and tell him. And on Thursday that's exactly what former OR goobernor John Kitzhaber did, telling Ted Kulongoski he was concerned particularly about the budget setbacks in the Oregon Health Plan that Kitz largely authored. His former chief of staff, Steve Marks, confirms that it's a pretty big signal:
"I don't think you make a decision to call the governor and have this discussion with him without understanding the seriousness of this possible step," [Marks] said.
Kulongoski's spokeswoman, Anna Richter Taylor, confirmed that her boss and Kitzhaber spoke Thursday morning about Kitzhaber possibly running for governor, among other subjects.
"I don't think that was the sole focus of the conversation," Richter Taylor said. "They talked about health care and issues facing the state."
Of course his running wasn't the sole focus--I'm sure the first half of the conversation was more about questioning WTF Ted was doing, as a setup to dropping the bomb. There's no real gracious way to tell someone you think he's doing a sucky job and it's making you feel like you have to come out of retirement, so I have to wonder what kind of weekend Kulongoski is having. Perhaps he is bowling angrily somewhere, cursing the fate that has led him to be challenged harder from his own party than from Republicans.
Speaking of his own party, this would appear to be nearly all that Vicki Walker needs to drop out, although she'll probably continue to wait for the official notice from Kitzhaber. The timing of these events seems clearly related: Walker tells Kitzhaber she's ready to run, Kitzhaber tells her he's thinking of running, Walker announces publicly she'll back out if he does but needs an answer soon, Kitzhaber drops a big signal he will--all happening in the space of about three days. That makes the Kulongoski call a "courtesy call," but the courtesy extended is actually to Walker.
No word so far on what this does to Peter Sorenson's candidacy, although he would be trailing anyone in the race at this stage no matter who is in, so he's likely to keep his hat in. But 2006 just got a whole lot more interesting.
Update 12/5 4pm--
The Douglas County News-Review is not enthusiastic about another Kitz-run, although the editorialist seems hard pressed to say why other than a sense of miasma. While acknowledging the he probably represents a tougher GOP opponent than Kulongoski, the N-R suggests he's too burned out and would lack the passion to lead, plus that he's too environmentally progressive. He certainly sounds passionate to me--it seems he thinks his health plan baby is being drowned, and he wants to fix it. He may also see a chance to govern with a full Democratic majority in both houses, allowing him to shed the "Dr. No" tag as a veto machine from his last terms in office.
--TJ
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