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Ben DuPree

Ben DuPree is witigonen.com's political blogger. Although he is a transplant to the Pacific Northwest, that makes him appreciate the foliage and wide-open spaces all the more. After being born and raised in Los Angeles, he attended Reed College, where he received his B.A. in English with a focus on American frontier literature. Despite not majoring in political science, he has a passion for civil service and progressive politics. In the past, he has served as one of the first staff associates in the office of Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams, worked on the successful re-election campaign of California State Assemblymember Ted Lieu, served as a member-at-large and the Outreach Director of the West Los Angeles Neighborhood Council, and has done public relations and campaign strategy for healthcare labor unions within the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). In returning to Portland in time for the 2008 election cycle, Ben hopes to apply his experience and interests in transportation policy, community civic engagement, affordable healthcare, and smart growth in a city he is quickly discovering is probably the best in America.

Ben lives in Northeast Portland with his wife, Mele, whom he met at Reed. He currently works in Portland's Hollywood district and sits as a member-at-large on the Metro regional government's Committee for Citizen Involvement.

Posts by Ben

05/12/08 - Surging to the Finish: Merkley Takes the Lead!
05/10/08 - Gordon Smith in Deep Trouble
05/09/08 - Barack Obama. Rock Star. Superdelegate Leader.
05/07/08 - Republican Party's Choice for Portland Mayor? Sho Dozono. [Upated with comments from Adams campaign]
05/07/08 - Reverend Chuck Currie: "Sam Adams Has Earned My Vote"
05/06/08 - Jeff Merkley Sticks It to Gordon Smith
05/06/08 - Myanmar Disaster
05/05/08 - Linky Madness
05/02/08 - By the Power of Grayskull: I have VOTED!
05/01/08 - Final Push for Jeff Merkley- Race in Dead Heat & May Day Push!
04/29/08 - Mayoral Updates Post Candidates-Gone-Wild
04/25/08 - Jenny Greenleaf (OR DNC) Releases Statement on Her Superdelegate Status
04/25/08 - Kevin Mannix: "Fighter"
04/24/08 - Rick Dancer (Laughably) Channels Steve Novick
04/24/08 - Oregon Rep David Wu Endorses Obama!
04/23/08 - More Wal-Marts in Portland? Just Say No, Sho.
04/23/08 - How to Become a Well-Informed Voter?
04/22/08 - KGW Debate Reaction: Dozono Has Few Specifics & Would Re-Join the Joint Terrorism Task Force
04/21/08 - Sam Adams & Sho Dozono Fight It Out on KGW
04/21/08 - Down with Brown: Why I'm Supporting Kate Brown for Oregon Secretary of State
04/18/08 - Leading on Equality: Just Out Endorses Sam Adams and Jeff Merkley
04/17/08 - SEIU Cuts Kroger $120,000 Check
04/17/08 - Abortion as Art?
04/16/08 - Health Care that Can Never Be Taken Away
04/16/08 - Merkley, Novick, Neville: The KGW Debate
04/14/08 - National Blogs OpenLeft & MyDD pick up Novick-Bashes-Bloggers Story
04/12/08 - "Lock-Em-Up" Kevin Mannix Wants to Lock Us Up & Throw Away the Key
04/09/08 - Sam Adams vs. Sho Dozono: The Willamette Week Endorsement Interview Battle
04/09/08 - Middaugh Gets His $$$
04/08/08 - The Pig-Pile to Replace Sam Adams & Willamette Week's Endorsement Interview Video
04/07/08 - Wonky Fun at a Crowded Table: Willamette Week's Endorsement Videos
04/03/08 - Kroger Outguns MacPherson
04/02/08 - Sean Cruz's Son
04/01/08 - Shotgun Review: "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle"
03/31/08 - Cheer Up! Mondays Aren't So Bad
03/28/08 - Sho Dozono Stretches the Truth on Healthcare
03/27/08 - The NRSC's Laughable "Hit Site" and Its Pathetic Facebook Group
03/26/08 - The Portland Elections Traveling Road Show Comes to Your Neighborhood
03/25/08 - Are You Registered to Vote? Are You a Registered Democrat?
03/21/08 - Obama in Portland! Richardson Endorses!
03/19/08 - Jeff Merkley's Growing Endorsements
03/18/08 - Is Gordon Smith Skirting Anti-Robocall Laws?
03/17/08 - New Bike Boxes Debut in Portland!
03/13/08 - Steve Novick's Misleading E-Mail
03/12/08 - Middaugh's Money
03/11/08 - Blog Post on Metro's Urban/Rural Reserves Featured on BlueOregon
03/10/08 - Oregon SEIU's All-In for Merkley
03/10/08 - The Drugs in Our Drinking Water
03/07/08 - Freedom or Safety- Where Do We Draw the Line?
03/07/08 - After All the Hubbub, Obama Wins Texas?
03/05/08 - We Matter!
03/04/08 - Think However You Want, But Eat Locally
02/28/08 - The Power and Value of Volunteerism
02/27/08 - Sam Adams for Portland Mayor Kickoff Video
02/26/08 - Reminder: Sam Adams for Mayor Kickoff Tonight!
02/25/08 - OR-5: It's Schrader Time
02/21/08 - On Spacecraft and Walking Dead
02/20/08 - Jeff Merkley's Ascension
02/19/08 - New Rasmussen Poll: Smith in Big November Trouble
02/18/08 - Sam Adams Campaign Kickoff- Will You Be There?
02/15/08 - Who's Best On Healthcare? Not Obama or Clinton...
02/13/08 - WA-Gov, WA-Pres: Dino Rossi's Disgusting Silence
02/12/08 - Reed College Discovers Earliest Ginsberg Reading of "Howl"
02/11/08 - Los Angeles' Big Trouble
02/10/08 - Superdelegates?
02/07/08 - Planning Our Region's Future
02/06/08 - Check-Up: Measure 49
02/06/08 - "We Are the Change We Seek"
02/05/08 - Super-Dooper Tuesday & Life After Edwards
02/04/08 - Oregon Politics Triple-Play
02/01/08 - Portlanders for Change? Earl Blumenauer Endorses Barack Obama.
01/30/08 - Novick Ethics Follow-Up: The Big Picture.
01/30/08 - Clandestine Wikipedia Edits from Novick Campaign? Ethics Problems Anyone?
01/30/08 - Bye Bye, John Edwards. Thanks for Everything.
01/29/08 - Erik Sten's Remains
01/28/08 - State of the Union Liveblog
01/28/08 - Exciting Times: South Carolina & State of the Union
01/24/08 - Neighborhoods Rock with Sam Adams
01/23/08 - Transportation Wish List
01/22/08 - Guity Pleasures
01/21/08 - National PDA Newsletter Misrepresents Local Chapter Meeting; Obfuscation of Endorsement Problems Continues.
01/19/08 - Fake Endorsement Charade Continues; Threatens Legitimacy of New PDA Chapter
01/19/08 - Cheating, Voter Suppression by Clinton Campaign in NV? [Updated]
01/18/08 - Sam Adams' Strong Economic Record Helps Show Why He's Running for Mayor
01/17/08 - Tri-Met's Fareless Square Problem
01/16/08 - Green Streets. Safe Streets. Needed Repairs.
01/14/08 - Jeff Merkley Reports Q4 Numbers; Shows Why He Can Beat Smith.
01/11/08 - Jeff Merkley: A Progressive's Progressive
01/11/08 - Wear Orange Today- Close Down Guantánamo
01/10/08 - PDX-Council: Yes, But Can They Win A Bar-Fight?
01/10/08 - Bye Bye, Bill
01/09/08 - Hillary Clinton & Sexism: Another Shame on Mainstream Media.
01/08/08 - Two Down. 48 To Go.
01/08/08 - Change Change Change: New Hampshire
01/04/08 - Rebooting Democracy: Wonky Slugfest
01/03/08 - Portland-Based Firm Linked to Anti-Mormon Push-Poll; Their Clients Include Gordon Smith, City of Portland, Multnomah County, and Many More
01/03/08 - PDX-Council: What's Wrong With Portland?
01/03/08 - The Big, Stupid Iowa Problem
01/02/08 - Breaking PDX-Council: Sten to Step Down; Finn Enters Race [UPDATED]
12/28/07 - Death with Dignity
12/27/07 - Jeff Merkley on Bhutto Assassination
12/27/07 - Good, Bad, and Sad Tidings
12/21/07 - When is Government Regulation Good? When it Keeps People from DYING!
12/20/07 - PSU Goes Green, Focuses on Sustainability.
12/19/07 - Let Ron Paul Inspire Us!
12/18/07 - Oregon, It's Time: Abolish the Death Penalty.
12/18/07 - They Might Make Decent Presidents, But Do You Like Them?
12/17/07 - Backstabbing Joe Lieberman: Another Reason We Must Beat Smith
12/16/07 - Taps & Tester: Perspective
12/15/07 - Montana & Merkley
12/14/07 - Labor Endorsements Keep Rolling In: IFPTE Local 97 for Merkley.
12/13/07 - Mitchell Report Released: Steroids, Baseball, and Childhood Dreams
12/12/07 - Merkley Thoughts, News & Notes
12/12/07 - And Now, Back to Gathering Signatures and Collecting Monies
12/11/07 - Mike Huckabee's AIDS Problem
12/10/07 - Yet Another Reason Why Al Gore is Awesome
12/07/07 - 66 Years On: Remembering Pearl Harbor
12/07/07 - It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a Ron Paul BLIMP!
12/06/07 - What Happens if You're Secular? Romney Talks Mormonism.
12/05/07 - Teen Gunman in Omaha, NE Mall Kills Eight, Self.
12/04/07 - Westlund Campaign Coming to the Lucky Lab in SE Portland.
12/04/07 - Why Mike Huckabee is Bad for America
12/03/07 - Jeff Merkley and Environmental Policy, Part Two.
12/03/07 - Portland Holiday Ale Fest; or, All I Did This Weekend.
11/30/07 - Pre-Weekend Note: Proof of Citizenship to Vote?
11/30/07 - Oregonian: Giusto vs. Wheeler. Multnomah County Chair Pushes to Take Over Jails, Make Sheriff Appointed Position.
11/29/07 - Meth Mania! Meth Lab Bust @ SE 49th & Powell, and Notes on OR-AG Candidates & Meth.
11/29/07 - You've Gotta Want It: Sleazy Business
11/29/07 - Oregonian: Rojo de Steffey "99.9 percent" chance of Council Bid
11/28/07 - Torture: A Few Words with Reed Professor Darius Rejali
11/27/07 - Maria Rojo de Steffey for Portland City Council?
11/27/07 - Two Events Worth Noting: Tuesday Debate Club & Sean Cruz for Senate Kickoff
11/26/07 - Jeff Merkley and Environmental Policy
11/26/07 - Politics and a "Mid-Term" Retirement
11/26/07 - "Halo" Improvement Districts
11/23/07 - Happy Thanksgiving!
11/21/07 - Chavez Debacle Comes to a Screeching Halt: No Rename to Happen!
11/21/07 - "Structurally Deficient" Bridges
11/17/07 - RIP, Audrey McCall
11/16/07 - Saturday Liveblog with Jeff Merkley [UPDATE]
11/15/07 - Census-tastic: a New House Seat for Oregon?
11/15/07 - Cesar Chavez? Why not SW 4th, says City Council.
11/14/07 - Quick-Hit OR-AG: Kitzhaber Endorses Kroger
11/13/07 - What I Did Today, or Why Bud Clark is Awesome
11/12/07 - A Little Aside on Home Ownership and the Next Step
11/12/07 - The Problem with A Long Election Season
11/10/07 - Pictures from the Jeff Merkley Event
11/09/07 - Crunch Time: Burnside Bridge
11/08/07 - An Evening with Jeff Merkley
11/06/07 - Election Results Talk Thread (49 passes; 50 fails)
11/06/07 - Tonight's Implications- Measures 49 & 50
11/05/07 - Politics & Reed College- A Big Thank You!
11/05/07 - Adventures in Canvassing
11/02/07 - Why I Oppose the Death Penalty
10/31/07 - All Hallow's Eve & Measure 50
10/30/07 - The Oregon Bus Project's March to Election Day
10/29/07 - Politics, Child Sweatshop Labor, and the Gap
10/26/07 - In the News: Small-Town Paisley Recalls Three City Councilors for Advocating Development
10/26/07 - Mayor Potters Storms Out of Meeting; Chavez Debate Strangely Continues
10/24/07 - By the Numbers and by Groups: Gordon Smith's 3rd Quarter [UPDATE]
10/24/07 - Brendan Finn & the Portland City Council
10/22/07 - The Chemicals Within Us
10/21/07 - The Frontier, Cowboys, and Prairie Opportunities
10/18/07 - Coffee and Campaign Websites
10/17/07 - Some Adventures in Buying a Home
10/16/07 - Fake Disasters, Bloody Corpses, and Portland Zombie Walk 2007
10/15/07 - When Cops Attack (or, On Lawsuits)
10/08/07 - Anti-Gay Rights Push Fails & City Notes (and a PSA)
10/06/07 - No Roundup- Just Larry Craig
10/05/07 - Late Night Observations
10/05/07 - Updates around the City
10/03/07 - Sam Adams: I'm Running For Mayor
10/03/07 - Making Hay with Non-Issues
10/03/07 - Breaking: Portland to be Site of Fictional "Dirty Bomb" Test
10/02/07 - OR-AG Endorsements and a New Candidate in HD-47
09/28/07 - Sam Adams to Announce Upcoming Election Plans Next Wednesday, October 3
09/27/07 - One Man's Account of His Arrest at Blumenauer's Office
09/26/07 - Court in OR Rules Portion of Patriot Act Unconstitutional
09/26/07 - Erik Sten & East Portland- WWeek's Robin Hood Tale
09/25/07 - Live @ Rontoms for Debate Club/Measure 49 Debate
09/25/07 - $9.11 for Rudy
09/24/07 - Latest News from City Hall
09/23/07 - Jeff Merkley Portland Kickoff Video
09/23/07 - Oregon Bus Project: Debate Club & Measure 49
09/22/07 - Costs of War
09/22/07 - Saturday 9/22 Roundup
09/21/07 - Smears for Everyone! Bob Ball and the Second Smear
09/20/07 - Larry Craig Avoiding the House of His Lewdness
09/20/07 - My Brief Visit to the Oregon GOP
09/20/07 - Measure 50- Healthy *cough cough* Kids.
09/20/07 - John Kroger to run for Attorney General
09/19/07 - The Willamette Week and Sam Adams- or How Our Politics Got Ridiculous
09/18/07 - Roy Jay Out of Portland Mayoral Race
09/18/07 - On Political Smears and Sam Adams
09/17/07 - Live @ Jeff Merkley's Portland Kickoff
09/17/07 - Some Gritty Details of Measure 49
09/16/07 - The "Moral Center" of the Republican Party
09/15/07 - Saturday Political Roundup
09/14/07 - Why I Respect Steve Novick (even if I support Merkley)
09/14/07 - Merkley Campaign Portland Kickoff Update: Gov. Barbara Roberts and Commissioner Sam Adams to Host Event
09/14/07 - Live @ Tandem Coffee House
09/14/07 - Over One Million Dead in Iraq?
09/13/07 - John Edwards Responds to Bush Speech
09/13/07 - Jeff Merkley's Portland Senate Kickoff on Monday the 17th (and news about a big Merkley endorsement)
09/13/07 - No Dirty Tricks- A View on California and Presidential Politics (UPDATED)
09/12/07 - Frohnmayer runs for Senate; and I Rant about Why His Reasons are Dumb
09/12/07 - Wednesday's WWeek Takes Swipe at Merkley (UPDATED)
09/10/07 - Mayor Potter NOT RUNNING for re-election
09/10/07 - Who is Sam Adams?
09/09/07 - On Religion and Sundays, Football, Tennis, and Choices
09/07/07 - Mayor Potter to anounce re-election plans next Monday
09/07/07 - Why Sam Adams will be Portland's next Mayor
09/06/07 - Preparation for a long drive