Second in command

When I was in college, I had a work-study job working for the funniest man in the world. He called all of us student workers "lackeys." If you worked in his shop long enough, you might get promoted to "chief lackey." I moved on before I achieved that honor.

I think of that boss often, and he came to mind again as I saw that Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, who so far has resisted joining the crowd formally running for governor, has a new deputy. Her name is Lisa Udland and she's been in the state Justice Department for going on 20 years.

When first I read that, I thought, "Hey, this might be the next attorney general. Better check her out," but then I reconsidered. Udland's predecessor on the job, Fred Boss, was the deputy AG for eight years, and until his retirement was announced, I don't think I ever heard of him. Maybe it's not a position for people with political ambitions. It seems to be quite behind the-scenes.