Ohio 2nd Blog

More analysis and discussion on the CNN piece over at The Dean of Cincinnati.

• OpTruth Blog
  Blog for Iraqi vets group Operation Truth
• Take it to Karl
  American Service Men and Women Mad at Karl Rove (via LicoPac)

There’s a rising wave of American’s tired of the same old responses from our leaders in Washington. If you are looking for action you couldn’t have come to a better place than Ohio’s 2nd. Welcome to the front lines.

Paul hackett was also discussed yesterday @ 3:30 PM on CNN’s Inside Politics: (more…)

Not that you can ever tell with things over @ The Blower, but I did find this part of Thursday’s edition interesting:

That “super ultra secret” meeting held in Batavia Tuesday evening where officials from the Ohio GOP from Columbus, the Republican National Committee in Washington, and the White House all flew in and convened at GOP Headquarters in Batavia to plot the strategy where Her Meaness will bury Paul Hackett and send him back to active duty in Iraq for a long, long time. We’re told the GOP elders not only want to beat Hackett in August, but smash the DemocRAT Party regionally into oblivion for another 12 years to secure the seat in Congress.

Maybe if we’re lucky Howard Dean will send the Hackett campaign a nice fruit basket. OK… sorry about that. I promised myself that I would stop with the DNC cracks. Love love love… that’s my new motto.

CNN has the video up now.
Click on “Special Election Focuses on Iraqi War“.

Paul came off very well. President Bush speaking up on Iraq strangely seems to be helping Hackett. Now when they are looking for a contrasting voice, there he is.

One thing that’s interesting about the piece is that Vice-President Cheney complains about monday morning quarterbacks. That’s one thing about Hackett… when it comes to Iraq, Paul Hackett actually is a quarterback. (more…)

Some rapid response from the Hackett for Congress campaign:

HACKETT CALLS FOR ACTION, NOT LIP SERVICE IN IRAQ

OHIO – Paul Hackett, 43, is a U.S. Marine Corps Major who volunteered to go to Iraq and is now a candidate for Congress in Ohio. He is the first Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom to seek a Congressional bid, and returning from Iraq on March 18th of this year after a standard Marine Corps tour, he is the most credible person in the political arena to comment on how to complete the mission there.

“No more lip service,” demands Hackett. “We need a specific plan to complete the mission in Iraq. My plan is simple: Match each Iraqi unit to an American unit. They will eat together, sleep together, train together and fight together. Our Americans will be a constant example of how professional soldiers conduct themselves. By making this commitment we can successfully exit Iraq once the roughly 140,000 Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) are adequately trained and skilled enough to defend their government,” Hackett stated. I was in Iraq three months ago and we were teaching Iraqi soldiers by assigning four American advisors to a battalion of Iraqis. The advisors are qualified, but there are not enough of them. You would not send your kid to a school where 500 students learn from only four teachers.”

“I volunteered to serve and to go to Iraq. I have no regrets. I know the reality of the situation there. The Iraqi people are grateful that we eliminated their brutal dictator. They are capable of running their own government and building a democracy. It won’t look like ours; nor should it. In order for them to succeed, we must not withdraw our troops before the Iraqis are ready to stand on their own,” said Hackett. “We must make the commitment and fulfill our responsibility. However our leaders cannot paint a rosy picture and expect us to believe it. This war is costing billions of tax dollars and countless American lives. Let’s train the Iraqi soldiers properly and do it now. I don’t want my sons and daughter to have to go fight this war in 20 years,” Hackett finished.

Major Paul Hackett rejoined the Select Marine Corps Reserve with the 4th Civil Affairs Group on July 23rd, 2004, and Participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom II, 1st Marine Division, in Ramadi, Iraq. He also participated in the invasion of Fallujah, in charge of the Fallujah Liaison Team. He was also proud to play a role in the Iraqi Elections on January 30, 2005.

The White House requested television time tonight to reassure Americans that political progress is being made in Iraq despite the unrelenting violence there and that it has specific plans to ensure military victory.

Paul Hackett is the first Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran to run for Congress, returning from Iraq on March 18th of the year, and he is the most credible person in the political arena to respond.

Yesterday CNN interviewed Paul, and earlier today the piece played on “Inside Politics”. Although the airing is unconfirmed, we expect some part of Paul’s interview to follow the President’s remarks at 8:00pm EST on CNN.

David Woodruff
Campaign Manager
Hackett for Congress

The Paul Hackett campaign is looking for volunteers over the next two weeks to help identify 20,000 supporters. You don’t need to live in the 2nd district to help. You can do this at one of there three campaign offices, or from home. For more information email, phone (513-735-4310), or sign up on their website www.hackettforcongress.com.

Donald Rumsfeld says the insurgency in Iraq could last 5 to 12 years. Is our government supplying the troops with the basic equipment that they need? No. Is your Congressional representative going to do anything about it? You tell me.