I needn't remind you that Gonzales has merely been nominated.

Oregon is a pretty independent old bird, and many of us have memories that span generations.

There was nearly thirty years of debate before we "joined" the union, and there is still some musty old tome out there that I haven't fully sorted out (I'm still an "amateur" at law) that retains the right to change our minds - we, with a sizable chunk of N. California, tried to do so before the interuption of WWII. (It's also important to remember that Oregon was the only continental state subject to assault during that conflict, an act not necessarily inconsequential to this debate)

Ashcroft's eleventh hour appeal following as it were upon the heels of a Red-wing nutjob proposal to expell a number of states from the union, notable amongst them California, and the chorus of "kick us out too"s from Oregon, Washington, and parts of Arizona, N. Idaho (a given) and W. Montana (another given), may very well be a harbinger of a classic demonstration of the expression Lame Duck.

I've long held that the Right Coast doesn't represent the interests of the Pacific Northwest. These nutjobs need to think long and hard before they decide to piss off more than just those of us who have been here four, five and six generations. It wasn't all that long ago that to be thought of as "Red" really wasn't such a good thing.

I think Ashcroft deserves a nice thank-you for faithful service-- something like nomination as ambassador to France.

As much as I'm fighting to keepm Gonzalez away from the job, C. Boyden Gray would be infinitely worse.

Christ, the Register Guard has evolved into a halfway decent editorial voice then it blindly advocates the biggest turd in the cesspool.

And for Secretary of State, will they push for Brent Bozell? Or Ann Coulter?