U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon has dies

Long-time U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon has died at the age of 89. The Republican's political career spanned five decades. Salem Correspondent Chris Lehman reports:

Hatfield served 30 years in the U-S Senate and before that was the youngest person ever elected governor in Oregon. As chair of the Senate appropriations committee, Hatfield was popular for steering federal dollars toward his home state. But Hatfield was perhaps best known for his staunch opposition to the Vietnam War. Oregon's other long-time Republican Senator Bob Packwood says Hatfield's opposition to the war stemmed from his time in the Navy during World War Two.

Bob Packwood: "Mark did not talk about it much. Who knows why? It's just personal. And nobody ever pried. It was very clear that the power and devastation of World War II seriously affected his thinking."

Hatfield had been in poor health for months. He died Sunday evening in Portland. I'm Chris Lehman reporting.

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