Edited sentence: Five contentious special legislative sessions in 2002 seemed to illustrate the futility of the stalemate.He earned the nickname "Doctor No" from critics who pointed to his record number of vetoes.His critics lamented his perceived failure to engage legislators in a dialogue about how to fix the state budget.In spite of his many policy initiatives, much of Kitzhaber's tenure as governor was spent on the defensive with the Republican controlled legislature.In the midst of the turmoil, Kitzhaber's supporters claimed that he was making a stand on principles.It was eroded further by gridlock between the executive and legislative branches.Kitzhaber engaged in numerous skirmishes with anti-tax activist Bill Sizemore and with members of the Republican majority in the legislature over the appropriate role and size of state government.Kitzhaber's popularity fell as Oregon's economy declined in the final years of his administration