Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon’s two Senate candidates are divided on a $700 billion bailout plan making its way through Congress.  Salem correspondent Chris Lehman reports.

With less than a month to go before Oregon voters get their ballots in the mail, Gordon Smith knows his every move in Washington will be closely watched.  

So the incumbent Republican issued a statement before Wednesday’s Senate vote explaining in detail his reasons for supporting the bailout package.  

Smith said the plan isn’t perfect but it will stabilize financial markets and restore consumer confidence in the economy.

Smith’s opponent, Democrat Jeff Merkley, has run an ad criticizing Smith for supporting, quote, “a trillion dollar blank check for Wall Street”.

But the Senate version of the bill adds a new wrinkle:  It includes a four-year extension of a timber subsidy meant to prop up county governments across Oregon.