How much do those political endorsements matter?
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PORTLAND, Ore. - It's been a tough last five days for Portland mayoral candidate Jefferson Smith. He's now lost three major endorsements: the Portland firefighter and police unions and the Mother PAC, which promotes family issues.
One question that has come up is why the groups didn't do a better job looking into Smith's background before giving their endorsements. But digging into a candidate's personal history isn’t how the endorsement process works.
"When you lose an endorsement very late in the game, it's a very bad sign for your candidacy," said Portland State University political science professor Ron Tammen. "Organizations give endorsements only after a due diligence about their candidates, and then they stick by those endorsements."
He said the "due diligence" behind endorsements is based on face to face interviews with candidates about policy alone. Voters should not be surprised the police union or other groups didn't know about Smith's history of driving seven times with his license suspended until it was uncovered by The Oregonian, or the incident when Smith punched a woman while in college in 1993.
A look at Smith's history in the court system via computer only shows things like an "improperly executed right turn," some speeding tickets and only one driving while suspended – finding the other six requires much more digging.
"They (the organizations) don't have the time and resources to do it," said Tammen. "It takes a lot of time to dig into somebody's past, and those things should be done by the political parties and other outside organizations."
Tammen said endorsements matter to voters when the endorsements are pulled late in the game.
Last Thursday, Smith's campaign released its newest television advertisement. It contained the endorsements from the firefighter and police unions as well as the one from Mother PAC printed on the screen. But that same day, the unions pulled their endorsements followed by Mother PAC. Now the same ads have the endorsements wiped off the screen.
Just looking at Jefferson smith makes me wanna punch him in the face almost as much as looking at Sam Adams does.
As the state is nearly the largest employer in Oregon, and since unions own Kitzhaber, got him re re reelected, and also tell him what for and when to vote, it would seem obvious that whomever bends over and bows down to the giant unions will win the election. No wonder our state is crumbling under the weight of the PERS scandal.
I could care less who  Portland Firefighters or the Portland Police Union (ick) endorse. The NEWS of their endorsements is only relevant to their members.Â
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I am a individual with an individual right to vote. No union owns me. And as for actual union members - Jefferson Smith is not worthy of being mayor - and it does not take your union telling you so. Even though I am certain Mr. Smith was promising all of you union members a whole lot - in exchange for each of your votes. Yup. Icky on that, Mr. Smith. But then you, sir - what in the heck were you doing running for high elected office in the first place, Jefferson Smith.?Â
Is it just me or does Mr. Smith look as if he's been crying? I try not to pay any attention to political supporters! What they say about a candidate is extremely biased, to say the least! I look at what the candidates have actually done and base my vote on that. Or if it's a measure, I read the measure! I'm no lawyer but I can understand legal jargain and figure out how the measure would effect me. And I never read nor participate in any polls! The media should not decide the election!!!!
 @MickRoh Mick - so if other chronically BAD CHOICE MAKING law breaking candidates cry a little - you are impressed? Come on. Jefferson Smith has spent his adult life thumbing his nose at just about anything and everything that is used to define good "character". He doesn't "think" he has to legally park. Or pay for his tickets. He doesn't think its a big deal to have your license be suspended multiple times over. He DOESN'T "THINK" a whole lot. And then when he is thumping with his fist on a innocent young woman - he weasels out a deal -and walks away. And doesn't THINK years and years later - he will be held accountable to the public and to WOMEN and YOUNG GIRLS - for those actions of his choosing?Â
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And he still cannot admit exactly what he did with his fist on that night. Full out.Â
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And YOU, Mick think its all about the polls hating on him. Or the media - and not somehow the lack of character or self control or law abiding actions - of Mr. Smith himself. For the totality of his adult life span?Â
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How much do those political endorsements matter? None what-so-ever.  In recent years, endorsements by associations, organized groups have their own agenda and the masses seem to place entirely too much credibility on them.  As the previous poster mentions, the lesser of two evils. Smith seems on the political outside which is a strong motivation to vote for him.
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Having been raised with a strong sense of grounded realism, no one is without fault, successes and mistakes. The expectation for politicians is not realistic, the candidates that seem too clean usually are. Does anyone recall the delusional sense of popularity Adams possessed around the time he was elected?
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We need LESS leaders and more people focused on the job they're elected to do.
 @Quaoptician And to follow thru on there promises made during there campaings.
 @Quaoptician "Smith seems on the political outside which is a strong motivation to vote for him"Â
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Exactly why I'm for Jefferson Smith.
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Something that happened 20 (plus) years ago in college does not matter to me. None of us where there. Was he defending himself or did he outright deck this girl? Non of is know. But what I know is that next-to-all-of-us had some night in college similar to this, that was a big learning experience. Is this not what college is about? Making mistakes and learning from them?Â
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For such a liberal place, the liberals of Portland have gone quite conservative on a candidates personal life and night 20 years ago.Â
Sigh. Media bias? Nahh.
I seldom look at endorsements by others as their goals may be different than mine.....In the future the endorsements by PPB/PFB will cause me to wonder where they really stand and if they are really certain of their position.......If I lived in the City I would vote for Smith as the lesser of two evils......look at Hales a bit closer, he is not as clean as one might think.