Ohio 2nd Blog

David Goodman, author of the recent Mother Jones covers story on Hackett, has an update on TomPaine.com. In it he’s got a lot of nice things to say about Hackett. There is one paragraph that I want to talk about:

The Brown-Hackett face-off has sparked a furious and often personal debate among liberal bloggers about which candidate is more deserving of backing. The argument goes that Brown, a veteran progressive legislator (he was a leader in the unsuccessful fight against CAFTA earlier this year), has a proven liberal voting record and as such should be rewarded with dollars and votes. Hackett supporters counter that their guy is a progressive populist who appeals beyond the Democratic base and win in places like conservative southern Ohio—and thus take the state. The two sides are relentlessly slinging mud at each other, eagerly misquoting and misrepresenting the other’s candidate in a time-honored ritual of liberal self-immolation. The result is that at best, the netroots will divide its support between the candidates during the primary. That may give an initial edge to Brown, who has $2 million in his campaign war chest. But Hackett relishes the fight as an outsider and underdog, and has parlayed this before to overcome long odds.

I, for one, am deliberately avoiding attacking Sherrod Brown. I don’t feel that there is ever a need to misquote or misrepresent. I honestly don’t see the need to attack Brown at all. However, when someone misquotes and misrepresents I make my presence felt. My problem is with them, not with Sherrod Brown. Now who knows what will happen with he steps into the ring… but for now there’s no point.

If you want to know why I support Paul Hackett, listen to Paul Hackett. Either you get it or you don’t, and if you don’t, I can’t help you.

The Warren County Board of Elections is in urgent need of Democrats to work the polls on Tuesday November 8, 2005 from 6:30am-7:30pm. The compensation is $85. Training is available.

If you are able to work, please call the Board of Elections at 513-695-1358 and ask for Vicki Sullivan asap.

Thank you, Barbara Sizemore, Chair WCDP

Very interesting discussion about the Hackett/Brown Senate primary over @ Ezra Klein’s blog. Includes a special appearance by Sherrod Brown superfan David Sirota regurgitating his same Hackett attack points.

Reuters: The House Agriculture Committee on Friday voted to cut food stamps by $844 million. The move would effect approximately 300,000 Americans. This vote came hours after a USDA report was released that concluded that some 38.2 million Americans “were food insecure” in 2004, an increase of nearly 2 million from the previous year. Congressman Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) pointed out that 40,000 children would lose free school meals because of one of the provisions in the legislation.

Congresswoman Jean Schmidt, the newest member of the committee, voted for the cut.

ADDED: This story out from The Blade gives a good contrast:

The Ohio business leaders and lobbyists who steered at least $4.1 million to President Bush’s re-election campaign last year collected more than $1.2 billion in taxpayer dollars for their companies and clients, a Blade investigation shows.

The fund-raisers who helped deliver the battleground state - and ultimately the 2004 presidential election - also received choice appointments from state and federal officials. The posts included an ambassadorship to Germany and a seat on the Ohio State University board of trustees.

Others made millions from unbid contracts varying from supplying ball bearings to the military or office furniture for federal agencies. _(more…)

Nice return on their investment.

Strange how you don’t hear Jean Schmidt complaining about no-bid contracts any more.

Plunderbund has audio of Hackett on Friday’s Ed Schultz show. This picture is from the event:

Democracy Guy transcribing The Youngstown Vindicator:

Ryan, who represents most of Mahoning and Trumbull counties, is keeping his word and supporting Hackett - who he calls “a hell of a candidate” - despite his close friendship with Brown. Ryan said his conversation with Brown about supporting Hackett wasn’t terribly pleasant, and he’s in a “sticky” situation…”We needed a good candidate, and we found a really good candidate,” Ryan said of Hackett. “If Sherrod got in before, I would have been the first one behind him. Just because it got complicated and tough, you still keep your word.”

This is very good news for Hackett supporters.

AP > PERSPECTIVE: Consultant says Mahoning typical of Ohio campaign

AKRON, Ohio - A new study found that John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign bullied its way into a traditional Democratic stronghold and ignored local party officials and their knowledge of the area.

The study, prepared for a conference on the election at the University of Akron this month, contends the Kerry campaign brought in outsiders to run the Mahoning County campaign, staged poorly organized events and angered union leaders.

The campaign also suffered from its inability to coordinate activities with outside groups such as America Coming Together and labor unions, the study found. Those relationships are off-limits under federal legislation passed since the 2000 election. _(more…)

This is something that I’ve heard echoed throughout the state. Rather than acting defensively to this Ohio Democrat leaders need to use the criticism to learn from their mistakes. If that is something that they are incapable of doing, then they need to be replaced.

(via D.U. || Democracy Guy)

U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure:

Washington, D.C. - The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure today approved several measures including its recommendation for complying with the budget reconciliation, a bill to provide emergency authority to the General Services Administration in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and legislation to reauthorize the Long Island Sound program and programs to improve coastal water quality.

The Committee also approved the appointment of U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) to the Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines and the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment… _(more…)

Phoenix Woman @ DKos has the details.

Hackett (D) 44% DeWine* (R) 36%

Hackett (D) 42% McEwen (R) 37%

From Roll Call:

In a show of solidarity with the one and only Hammer, many GOP Members donned little gold hammer lapel pins and began hammering away at each other on the House floor. Fine, the last part didn’t actually happen, but they did wear their pins to the floor for votes to show some love for Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas). Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) is responsible for hammermania. He bought more than 100 of the lapel pins and handed them out. “Tom DeLay is an outstanding man and a great Republican leader,” he told HOH. “By wearing this pin we wish to demonstrate our unified support of Mr. DeLay and the high esteem in which we hold him.”

Congresswoman Jean Schmidt has been sighted as one of the members wearing the pins. Schmidt has been a passionate supporter of Tom Delay.

As one of the recipients of Delay’s tainted largesse the Congresswoman received a letter from The Campaign for America’s Future asking her to “contribute the same amount of money you received from ARMPAC to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund. We have enclosed an envelope for your convenience.” Schmidt was one of the twenty-six lawmakers that received the maximum contribution allowed from Rep. DeLay’s political action committee this election cycle.