Oregon Public Broadcasting

The political week took a legalistic turn, as Oregon’s leaders consider their roles in two important political issues.

Attorney General John Kroger said he would not join the multi-state lawsuit challenging the legality of the federal health care overhaul. 

The state will, however, join 17 other states in advising the U.S. Supreme Court on whether the names of people who sign initiative and referendum petitions should be public. 

Top contenders to be the next Governor gathered for an environmental debate, and the current Governor will give his final State of the State speech Friday.

Our political guys will try to make sense of it for you this morning.  Jeff Mapes is the senior political reporter for the Oregonian.  Bill Lunch joins us on the phone from San Francisco.