Previously, we reported early rumors that Obama was considering former City of Portland transportation commissioner and now U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer or Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar (whose arguably the most important and revered politician to the national bike movement).

This morning I noticed a story on Traffic World (a transportation industry publication) that revealed more information about Obama's potential pick.

In addition to Blumenauer and Oberstar, Traffic World mentions Eugene's Peter DeFazio and several other names. The story also shares that it might be someone unexpected:

Transportation industry executives close to the Obama campaign, speaking on condition of anonymity, say it is more likely, however, that the incoming administration will seek to put a new stamp on the department through new appointments less familiar to Washington's political establishment.

Among those mentioned in the article is New York City's Transportation Commissioner Jeanette Sadik-Khan. Sadik-Khan has overseen several groundbreaking bike, pedestrian, and transit oriented projects in New York City. We recently reported on her recent visit to Portland (arranged by TriMet) and a video interview she did with Streetfilms.

-- Read the full story on TrafficWorld.com.

With 70% of the vote, Amanda Fritz, a neighborhood activist and Registered Nurse, has been elected to Portland City Council.

Ms. Fritz, who lost a bid for Commissioner in 2006, won a decisive victory over Charles Lewis and she is the first non-incumbent to win a council seat using Portland's public campaign funding system.

Fritz seems likely to be a very capable and effective commissioner. She's very detail-oriented, has a lot of experience on local issues, and she listens and actively tries to engage all perspectives.

I sat down with her back in May and she said one the most important ways she can help improve cycling in Portland is by helping bridge an anti-bike divide that sometimes bubbles up in our city.

Fritz admitted she's not a cyclist, but said that's what can make her effective;

"We have to recognize lots of different perspectives. I can help different people listen to each other and feel like they know there were heard. I’m not a biker and thats why I can be heard."

With a plan to be engaged and accountable to the community like no other commissioner, Fritz promised me that, if elected, she would coordinate a series of community discussions about key issues — with the bike/car divide being one of them.

That's a perspective perfectly aligned with Fritz's main mantra throughout her campaign; that she stands for "all 95 neighborhoods" in Portland (even those where bikes aren't a major part of the daily traffic mix).

With a history of being outspoken both in the many City Council meetings she's attended and on her blog, I hope Fritz doesn't stop sharing her strong opinions about issues.

In February of 2007, when the Oregonian published an editorial calling a bill that would have banned cell phones while driving "frivolous" and "trendy", Fritz called them "ridiculous". On her blog, she wrote (emphasis hers):

"Hang up and drive. The body of research on increased risk of accidents while talking on cell-phones is clear. The Oregonian's editorial asserting it doesn't really matter, denying the problem like a child whining "everyone's doing it", provides further evidence of the need for legislation. I believe Oregon should ban the use of both hand-held and speaker cell-phones while driving."

I didn't agree with Fritz's thoughts about the plan to re-use the Sauvie Island Bridge as a bike/ped only crossing of I-405 in Northwest Portland (she opposed it on grounds that there were other, more deserving projects the money could be spent on), but I admired that she took time to weigh the issue and that she shared her thoughts openly and responded to comments about it on her blog.

A Fritz volunteer delivering yard signs by bike.
(Photo: Robert Wilson)

During a debate with Charles Lewis back in September, Fritz said she would have voted "no" on the controversial Columbia River Crossing project. That stance would have made her the only commissioner to vote against the project. According to a report on the debate from the Portland Mercury, Charles Lewis asked her to explain her CRC vote:

"I would have voted no, because I think there needs to be more discussion," about the bridge plan and how it fits into the surrounding neighborhoods and how we're going to pay for it. "We need to make sure that the six pages of conditions [imposed by the city council] are met... there's a lot more work to do."

(Lewis, on the other hand, said he would have voted in favor of the CRC. The Mercury reported that he said, "it's a bottleneck that "has stifled our economy" and that he doesn't want to "turn down" $4.2 billion of "investment in our community.")

As for bicycling, Fritz may not be joining mayor-elect SamAdams, Commissioner Randy Leonard, or Commissioner Nick Fish for a bike ride any time soon, but it's definitely on her radar.

Fritz didn't get the endorsement of Bike. Walk. Vote. (she was up against some very bike-friendly candidates in the primary), but she says she's experienced what a bike-friendly city feels like and she "knows it can be done" in Portland.

Writing on her blog back in December 2007, Fritz recalled her experience living in Cambridge, England.

"Car drivers and bicycle riders watched out for and respected each other. We shared the roads. Car and truck drivers recognized that without bicycle commuters, there would be much more congestion. Bicycle riders obeyed traffic signs and wore reflective clothing...I've seen good bicycle and pedestrian facilities, experienced living in a city valuing and providing them. I know it can be done."

She wrote that, "we are far from that scenario in Portland today" and that on the campaign trail many of her neighbors in Southwest Portland said safe bikeways and sidewalks are their most pressing concern. "A Big Picture goal of addressing global warming," she wrote, "lacks meaning if kids can't walk to school, and folks can't bike to the local store."

Fritz might not know what it's like to bike on the streets of Portland on a daily basis. She doesn't worry about getting a photo-op with her bike and doesn't pretend to be "one of us". But maybe Fritz is a new kind of bike-friendly leader in Portland; one that transcends the "bike issue" and understands that we're in a post "bike-community" era.

Portlanders who care about biking are an increasingly large and diverse part of our population. I think it's much more important that we have a commissioner who will listen and consider what we as Portlanders, not as "cyclists", want.

Welcome to City Council Ms. Fritz. I look forward to working with you in the months and years to come.

- - - -

As for Charles Lewis, it's tough (especially as a publicly financed candidate) to get the level of name recognition needed to win your first election. I hope we see him run again and I wouldn't be surprised if he snagged a seat next time.

- Learn more about Amanda Fritz on her Issues page.

I'm sure you all know the the Big News, so I won't repeat it. But I would like to share a memory from Obama's visit to Portland back in May.

Addressing a crowd of over 70,000 at Waterfront Park (about 10% of whom arrived by bicycle), President-elect Obama urged America to take note of Portland's "bicycle lanes". Speaking about how to solve our energy problems, he said,

"...It's time that the entire country learned from what's happening right here in Portland with mass transit and bicycle lanes and funding alternative means of transportation."

That's the kind of solution that we need for America..."

Listen to the quote above from audio captured at the rally:
Download audio file (obamaBicycleLanes.mp3)
Download mp3 (40 seconds, 780kb)

How do you feel about the election tonight? I stepped onto my porch here in North Portland and could hear fireworks and screams of happiness all around my neighborhood. Any reports from election night parties?

I don't care how you get to a ballot box today, just do it.

If you haven't voted, make sure you swing by one of the ballot drop-off sites, get in line, or do whatever it takes to make it happen. And, while you're at it, drag your friends, co-workers and neighbors along with you.

While riding into work this morning, with thoughts about the future of our country, a billboard I've passed by for several weeks took on a whole new meaning...

There has been way too much discontent and division in our country for the last eight years. Let's hope that no matter what happens tonight, we can move forward into the future in a positive and hopeful way.

One last reminder. According to this story, there's a higher risk of serious traffic crashes on election day, so be extra careful out there.

Post election woes and victories. Guest Karl Rhode will discuss current pro-bicycle legislation, what passed, what didn't pass and what's coming down the bike lane.

9-10AM, Wednesday, November 5th
KBOO FM 90.7
Streamed live at KBOO.fm
Podcast here later that day

The party is at The Cleaners (next door to the Ace on SW 10th and Stark) and there will be free snacks, beer ("will be available"), and 10 flat-screen TVs showing "every possible channel of coverage".

Tickets are $15 and 100% of the cover charge (matched in full by the Ace Hotel) will go to the BTA (or any one of four other non-profits of your choosing).

Election Night Party
The Cleaners at Ace Hotel
8:00 pm
403 SW 10th Ave
21-and-over

For a list of other election night parties in Portland, check out CultureMob.

Politico published a story today about who might get cabinet-level appointments in a Barack Obama presidency (if he's elected on Tuesday night of course).

Politico reporter Ben Smith and ABC's Jonathan Karl (who used "well-positioned Democrats" as sources) have put two familiar names in the running for Obama's Transportation Secretary -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN).

Back in May we wondered out loud whether Blumenauer (who campaigned for Obama) might get the nod, but this is the first time I've heard Oberstar's name come up.

Stein and Karl say the names are "being widely discussed in Democratic circles."

Read more at Politico.com.

UPDATE: For more on Oberstar, read my story from Pro Walk/Pro Bike in September: Oberstar looks to history, future, during conference keynote

The Multnomah County branch of the Barack Obama campaign has a bike event planned following this Friday's presidential debate.

First, they'll host a viewing party of the debate at the Laurelhurst Theater in Northeast Portland.

Then, according to the lead organizer from Obama's campaign in Multnomah County Erin Devaney, they'll meet up outside the theater for a "Cyclist Voter Registration Pub Crawl".

Devaney says the plan is to "ride around various eastside bars on our bikes and register people to vote."

For more on the event, check out BarackObama.com.

"These two images (below) have been floating around the right wing blogosphere under the shrieky, all-caps headline, "THIS IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW."

One of the websites is To The Point News ("The oasis for rational conservatives"). Here's how they presented the story last week:

"Harley Girl"

"Schwinn Guy"

Underscoring the perception of toughness and wimpiness that these two photos are meant to reinforce, a commenter on To The Point News, proposes we decide our next President by an arm wrestling match between Palin and Obama. "Winner takes all," he/she writes, "And to make it somewhat fair, Barack can use both arms."

UPDATE, 2:28pm: Upon further consideration, I moved this post from the Front Page to Page Two -- Editor.

"Mayor Elect Sam Adams Endorses Amanda Fritz

Amanda is passionate about doing good things for our city--- and has a history of doing so. I want good people on the city council. She is my choice,� said Mayor Elect Sam Adams today as he endorsed Amanda Fritz for the Portland City Council.

As the election season gains full steam, Fritz welcomed the endorsement of Adams, “We have a lot to accomplish in Portland. And what we do in all 95 neighborhoods of our city will help build environmental sustainability and progressive social leadership in Oregon.�

The endorsement adds to the huge and ever-growing list of leaders in Portland (List: http://www.amandafritzforcitycouncil.com/supporters) Adams and others watched her 20 years of advocacy for children, neighborhoods, social justice and working in the community. Fritz is known for her detailed and well-researched approach to the issues of Portland. For the mental health nurse, skill with detail is no surprise. There is continual praise for her commitment to equity and justice in prioritizing City spending and actions. Her determined compassion gained fans for many years.

All summer Fritz attended dozens of neighborhood meetings, events, and gatherings to listen and talk with Portlanders about what they see now and what they want to see in the city and their neighborhoods.

The public campaign finance system allowed her to concentrate on the people of Portland, rather than spending days raising money for the campaign. Said Fritz: “A real campaign on the sidewalks and the streets of Portland brought me directly to the issues, ideas and promises of our city.�

“We are all in this together,� a theme of her campaign placed Fritz with Portlanders, like Sam Adams, determined to make our city a great place to live with good jobs, great schools, comfortable housing, safe streets, fresh air and clean water, and healthy happy lives."