Gordon Smith lands in top spot at NAB

I am glad for him, and hope he does well. I liked him personally, and I admired his intelligence in courage in reading a lot about the Iraq war, and beginning to doubt it. Too bad he fouled up by running a less gentlemanly campaign than he did a Senate career, but I am delighted by the new Senate Democrat who replaced him. He's OK, and we needed the extra vote. I did feel bad about losing three fine Republicans last year, however - Gordon Smith, Chuck Hagel, and John Warner, were three of the top 6 or 7 sensible Republicans in the Senate. Along with Lugar on foreign policy, and in demeaner, which is civil, and the two ladies from Maine. I use the word deliberately. I think Lisa Murkowski and Kay Bailey Hutchinson are interesting women, especially in their 2010 campaigns, if KBH does run agaisnt Rick Perry in the primary, and not take a poll at the last minute and wimp out. I susopect she and Lisa M. are both what one calls "rational players". and I like that, though the political theatre is not as exciting!

and courage - not in - sorry, didn't edit - I forget how typos look in big type, since I have my screen in quite small type, and typos don't look so glaring there. I am not sure what Smith's views are on communciations issues. I will wait and see and not prejudge. At least he is same and sober, and not a dittohead. The nuts ones are over at the association of religious broadcasters. those of us in little towns tend to know and approve of the local concerned pastors and friends, who help people with problems, instead of yelling about hell and begging for more money to buy a cadillac with.

sane and sober - Smith was very good on two big issues, caring about those with problems of mental illness (and especially danger of suicidal tendencies, due to the tragedy in his own life), and caring about the financial situations of little towns in the west, which were way over-stressed because of idiot adventureres who needed to be rescued, and problems of fires, and the lack of tax base due to public lands, etc. He worked wwell with the Democratic Senator from Oregon - who is a bi-partisan type of guy, also - Wyden - on these local community issues. there was a gentle look about Smith, when he spoke in many Seante appearances, and after he lost the election. apparently not during the campaign, but one can forgive when he was probably desperately worried about losing, and still was not as bad as many Republicans are when they are sure of winning.