Hanford

Barack Obama picks up some superdelegates, but can't pick out the most contaminated nuclear site in the United States. Here are the Winners & Losers for May 23, 2008.  

Those activist judges are always disregarding the will of the voters and overturning our initiatives, right? Wrong. In slightly over a decade, courts have overturned voter-approved initiatives five times. In four of those cases, the legislature immediately stepped in and passed legislation to reinstate the will of the voters, thereby overruling the courts.

More PolitickerWA.com coverage: More fallout from Obama’s Hanford gaffe

When the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that Initiative 297, which blocks continued nuclear waste from being disposed at Hanford Nuclear Reservation, was unconstitutional, it affected more than just advocates of the Hanford situation. Because of the parties involved, the decision may have an impact on some of the state's political races, as well.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama created a minor media storm, very minor compared to Rev. Wright for instance, on Sunday in Pendleton, Oregon when he confessed at a campaign question and answer session that he was unaware of the problem with the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Cleaning up Hanford, which has required billions of dollars in federal funding and whose nuclear waste has the potential to dramatically impact the region if it escapes, is one of America's premier environmental issues.

A few days later, Washington Republicans continue to attempt to make Obama's foible a campaign issue here in the state. On Tuesday Washington State Republican Party Chair Luke Esser wrote a letter to supporters attempting to raise money on the issue.

Politics, especially when it comes to environmental issues, often crosses political boundaries. Such was the case Sunday in Pendleton, Ore. At a rally there, Barack Obama was asked about his policy regarding the Hanford Nuclear Reservation cleanup. Obama was stumped.

"Here's something that you will rarely hear from a politician, and that is that I'm not familiar with the Hanford site, so I don't know exactly what's going on there," he answered. "Now, having said that, I promise you I'll learn about it by the time I leave here on the ride back to the airport."