Sausage Links, attack-ad edition

Gov. Chris Gregoire unleashes her latest "hit" campaign on GOP challenger Dino Rossi today, primarily attacking Rossi's state Senate record. Now, of all outlets that would come to the defense of a Republican, the first place not to look would be a local left-leaning blog like Horse's Ass. But after yesterday's political circus surrounding Gregoire's previous ad, backhandedly comparing Rossi to TV mob boss Tony Soprano, Horse's Ass blogger David Goldstein rushes to Rossi's defense. ...

Eric Earling at Sound Politics, meanwhile, says Gregoire's criticism of Rossi's special interest supporters could be a bit hypocritical. ...

Ready, aim, fired: Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith continues to deviate from his Republican base after endorsing a legislative plan that would provide universal health care to all Americans. Along with Oregon Democrats, the state's Republicans are also miffed about Smith's across-the-aisle pandering, as well. ...

Ready, shoot, aim: The Yakima Herald-Republic says the justices got it right in yesterday's U.S. Supreme Court decision cementing the right to bear arms. The op-ed board at The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, however, says the decision still leaves some work to be done. ...

Take your mark, get set, vote: Sound Transit says voters are eager to cast their ballots for a bus-and-rail measure this fall. ...

Take your mark, get set, build: There are eight proposals in the running to replace, remove, and re-road the area currently dominated by the Alaskan Way Viaduct. ...

Spilling refuse: Other state decision-makers say restoring Puget Sound is priority number one. ...

Spilling oil: The Seattle Times op-ed board is pissed about the puny punitive damages doled from the Supreme Court for the Exxon Valdez oil spill. ...

For whom the toll bells: P-I columnist Joel Connelly says Seattle freeways will not be free much longer. ...

Freedom fries? In an attempt to make the Democratic National Convention in Denver as green as possible, the DNC will not serve fried foods. Each meal will include "at least three of the following colors: red, green, yellow, purple/blue and white." "No thank you" helpings are apparently mandatory. ...

Cell phone driving death watch: PEMCO insurance polled Washington residents about the upcoming "no chatting while driving" law with astonishing results. Most people don't like the law. Gee. Whiz. ...