Blumenauer: ‘All of a sudden he has these last minute conversions’

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland) attempted to debunk the idea that U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith stood up to the Bush Administration on Wednesday, saying that Smith doesn’t stand up to Republicans until he has to.

Smith recently released an ad last week, saying he stood up to the Bush administration on healthcare. Blumenauer said that defiance of the Republican president was an exception to Smith’s actions, not the norm.

“He’s not been at the forefront of change,” Blumenauer told PolitickerOR.com. “He only came along when it was safe. All of a sudden he has these last minute conversions. His environmental score doubled the year before an election year. Coincidence?”

But Smith campaign spokeswoman Lindsay Gilbride said that Smith has maintained a record that has made him one of the most bipartisan leaders in the Senate.

"Results, not rhetoric, drive Gordon Smith,” she said. “His independent-minded, bipartisan leadership cuts through the partisan gridlock in D.C. That's what Oregonians expect."

Blumenauer pointed to presidential candidate Barack Obama’s energy plans for the country, including closing energy speculation loopholes as an example of Smith’s obediance to the Republican party-line. Blumenauer said closing the speculation loopholes would offer immediate relief, noting Smith’s vote – in lock-step with the Bush policy -- against the measure.

“Sen. Smith is not someone who has been aggressive in challenging the Bush Administration,” Blumenauer said.

According to a report released last week by Congressional Quarterly, Smith was the listed as the fourth most moderate Republican in the Senate, behind Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.).

Still, the CQ report says that Smith voted with the Republican position 77 percent of the time. And Blumenauer said Smith only steps out of line when there’s no risk involved.

“Early in the Bush presidency when Rove controlled the White House and DeLay controlled Congress, they got too much cover from people that could have made a difference,” Blumenauer said. “If (Smith) could have helped four, eight, even 11 years ago, it would have meant something.”