Jill Thorn will represent AFSCME at the National Democratic Convention in Denver

When Democrats from across the United States gather in Denver in late August to formally nominate Barack Obama for President of the United States, there will be only one pledged Obama delegate from Oregon AFSCME: Jill Thorn.

Thorn, a member of Local 350 (City of Canby), is one of two people in the Oregon delegation with ties to Council 75. The only other Oregon AFSCME person going to Denver is longtime Council 75 Political Coordinator Mary Botkin, who was elected as a Hillary Clinton delegate.

Thorn, who fills an administrative assistant position in Canby’s planning department, is a relative newcomer to AFSCME. Her job in Canby became full-time only two years ago, and with that, an AFSCME-represented position. Previously, she worked for a company in Lake Oswego, and for a while she and her husband, Bob, had their own business.

You may also know Thorn as the former three-term Mayor of West Linn. Or as the current Chair of the Clackamas County Democrats. Or, you may think you know her as the state bureaucrat Jill Thorne. Jill Thorn has met Jill Thorne — “She’s a very nice lady,” Thorn says of the woman who recently retired as the Director of Oregon’s Public Employees Benefit Board (PEBB).

Here’s what you quickly learn about our Jill Thorn: she’s not afraid to speak her mind. As a 64-year-old white woman, you might tend to think she’d be a natural Clinton ally.
She’s quick to squash that idea.

“Nothing against Sen. Clinton, but when I looked at her campaign and envisioned a future with her in the White House, all I saw was more of the same,” said Thorn. “My generation has had its time. Barack Obama is part of the next generation, and that’s where we need to go.

“It was striking to me to watch the Iowa caucuses. That really set the tone for me,” she continued. “The Clinton supporters looked — I’m sorry — but they looked old and tired. The Obama supporters were young and excited. That’s the change that we need in this country.”

In her role as head of the Clackamas County Democrats, Thorn was also impressed with Obama’s campaign team.

“They called ahead, they met with us, they sought our input on everything from what issues were important to where they should place the local office,” said Thorn. “They were willing to form a working relationship, rather than to dictate everything themselves. I can tell you that doesn’t always happen.”

Thorn is also pleased to see Obama connecting with young voters.

“We were losing the 20-somethings in this country,” she says flatly. “Now, they’re excited. Statistically, if you get someone to vote with you four times when they’re in the 18-to-28 age range, you’ve got them for life. Obama is helping us build a solid base of Democratic voters in the future.”

And what about being the sole delegate to carry the Oregon AFSCME Obama banner in Denver?

“I’m surprised to be the only one, but I’m very proud,” she said. “I thought it was great that Council 75 showed some independence and endorsed Obama. It played into our Oregon pioneer spirit. I will represent our union proudly at the National Democratic Convention.”

Incidentally, AFSCME International will foot the bill for Thorn’s trip. The national union has a long-standing policy of paying the expenses for any member who’s elected to either major party’s national convention — Democrat or Republican.

And low and behold, what turns up on a PDX foodie blog today. . .

http://portlandfood.org/index.php?showtopic=7435

Weird, I say. Weird.

The most vivid memory I have about Clinton is being in Vegas, drinking at the MardiGras bar at the Orleans bar at 8am in the morning, and seeing him on the bar TV denouncing that he had had sex with “that woman”.

I don’t have any information about the picture; my dad simply dropped it in a blank email and shot it over to me. Usually there’s an Oregonian or Tidings clipping to go with it, but not this time. Next time he and I talk, I’ll ask him about it. He gets so excited when he retells some of Jill’s stories. I love it.

http://www.westlinnbook.blogspot.com