In 1994, An Oregon state senator drafted legislation extending Medicaid beyond the welfare recipients who had previously qualified for it. Results were good. In its first year, the Oregon Health Plan’s (OHP) enrollment climbed from 260,000 to 360,000, as 100,000 Oregonians who had depended on emergency rooms or charity clinics for their health care were […]

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When Oregon governor John Kitzhaber needs to get away from the stresses of work, he heads to the Rogue River and rafts the great whitewater rapids that churn through its canyons. In calmer waters, he fly-fishes. “It’s my church,” the 65-year-old politician explains. “You’re in the moment. Ospreys, eagles, bears. It’s the most spiritual place […]

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I was covering the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February 2008 when right-wing radio commentator Laura Ingraham introduced Mitt Romney as “the conservative’s conservative.” Ingraham had no clue that Romney would conclude his speech by accounting that he was withdrawing from the race, handing the nomination to John McCain. After Romney ended his speech, […]

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1970 Poses as a volunteer for a Democratic Senate candidate in Illinois and circulates a letter to homeless people, advertising “free food, beer, girls and a good time for all” at the candidate’s campaign event. 1974–77 The Washington Post reports Rove taught Nixon- style “dirty tricks” to College Republicans. Rove is investigated and cleared by the […]

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If right-wing donors got little for their investment in the most expensive election in history, progressive funders prevailed. In the most expensive 2012 Senate race, Democrat Tim Kaine’s win in Virginia’s open seat, outside parties spent more than $50 million, with $20.7 million going to Kaine and $29.6 to his opponent, former governor and senator […]

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