Kitzhaber became an overwhelming political liability to his own party, to such a degree that his opponents weren't the ones calling for this resignation. To claim that he's somehow the innocent victim of a spurious younger woman only underscores how unsuited he was to remain in office.

His own party's leaders realized he'd become a huge impediment and, armed with insider information not available to voters a few months earlier, showed him the door. His crime was making himself expendable, especially to a staunch loyalist like Peter Courtney. That spoke volumes.

A Facebook page is the perfect denouement for Kitzhaber's legacy -- all the hollow calories of popularity with no real nutritional substance.