I was very interested to see mention of John Kitzhaber, the former two-term Oregon governor, on MyDD.com the other day (see Breaking Blue entries
http://www.mydd.com/... and
http://www.mydd.com/...).
It seems that the popular ex-Governor and former emergency room doctor recently opted against a bid to reclaim his spot in Salem in favor of a project to promote health care reform, a project described as the Archimedes Movement (http://www.archimedesmovement.org/).
What really piqued my interest however was the rumor, first reported at Political Wire (http://politicalwire.com/...) and cited at the above MyDD links, that Kitzhaber had recently met with former Dean adviser Joe Trippi. Could Kitzhaber have his mind on an even higher office?
A look at Kitzhaber's wiki page (
http://en.wikipedia.org/...) shows him to have solid credentials on issues of national interest such as health care, the cost of higher education, and growth management. Having been a governor from a Western state would, all else equal, seem to be preferable for a Democratic nominee than would say being a Senator from the Northeast. I think the Party's future success depends on our ability to expand our appeal in the Western half of the country, especially as the South slips further and further away each cycle. Superficially, he appears to have some potential as a darkhorse nominee.
Having said all that, there's obviously a lot more info needed on him before I can write him in. A quick google search revealed nothing on his position on Iraq, for example, and a Governor with no federal experience would have to work to burnish his image on foreign policy and defense matters.
Would any Oregonians care to tell us about his handling of the state, how he's perceived by Oregon voters, and his speaking style, etc.? He sounds like someone who may be worth a look.
Take the poll.