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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2008 > February
February 2008
The battle of the “3 a.m.” ads
Hillary Clinton’s newest political ad is not airing in Ohio, but only in Texas so far. According to the Associated Press, the ad, with its visuals of sleeping children, prompted an immediate denunciation Friday from Obama, who said it’s meant to scare people.
Clinton adviser Howard Wolfson contended the ad “speaks to what people really know in their hearts” about his candidate’s experience and, by inference, her opponent’s lack of it. “This is a legitimate matter for a presidential campaign,” he said.
In response, the Obama campaign released an new ad on Friday.
New Obama mailer…
It’s the final push here in Ohio, and the fight’s come down to NAFTA.
The Obama campaign this week sent out a new mailer on trade, accusing Clinton of flip-flopping on the issue.
Clinton, meanwhile, has disputed that she ever supported the trade agreement. During the Feb. 26 debate between her and Obama in Cleveland, she described herself as a “critic of NAFTA from the very beginning.”
“I didn’t have a public position on it because I was part of the administration,” she said. “But when I started running for the Senate, I have been a critic.”
She said some areas have benefitted from NAFTA, such as Texas, but said others - such as upstate New York and Ohio - have not.
She said if elected, she would have a trade time-out and spend part of that time trying to fix NAFTA to include core labor and environmental standards in the agreement. And she said she’d work to make the agreement more enforceable.
4 million Ohio voters expected to cast ballots
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner made lots of changes to prepare for the March 4 primary but one practice she has yet to vanquish is “sleep-overs” where poll workers in some counties are allowed to pick up voting machines on Friday and keep them until election day.
In recent years, a poll worker in Licking County had a machine at home, figured he wouldn’t have time to vote on election day, so he opened the machine and voted, she said. He got caught.
Brunner’s office has instituted a strict chain of custody procedure for all voting machines, which are now sealed with tape with serial numbers. Tampering with a voting machine is a felony, she noted. She hopes to eliminate sleep overs by the November election.
Brunner predicted voter turn out on Tuesday would hit 52 percent — about 4 million voters. She said about 10- to 20-percent of the votes would be cast by absentee ballot.
“The interest is so great in this election because of the particular candidates involved,” she said. “We’re seeing people vote who have never voted in a primary.”
Brunner’s office ordered county boards of elections to have paper ballots on hand in case voters preferred paper over electronic touch-screen machines.
“It’s up to individual preference. I myself will be asking for a paper ballot. I had an experience in the last election where my electronic ballot was different than another ballot in the precinct for the same race. I am more comfortable with a paper ballot,” Brunner said.
Brunner said the secretary of state’s office has improved communications with county boards of elections, distributed four million cards for poll workers to give to voters who want to comment about their voting experience, improved maintenance of the statewide voter registration database, and beefed up the web site to accommodate more than 60 million anticipated hits during the March primary.
She declined to predict whether timely results would be available in Cuyahoga County, where touch-screen machines have been recently replaced along with the board of elections members and top staff.
When asked what advice she has for voters on Tuesday, Brunner said, “Give yourself plenty of time to vote in case there are lines. We’re working hard to ensure there are not. Learn about the candidates and issues so you can make an informed decision.”
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Ohio’s most senior, most junior Republican House members back McCain
Reps. Ralph Regula and Bob Latta - the dean and the rookie of Ohio’s Republican congressional delegation, respectively - both announced their support for Sen. John McCain for president Friday, Feb. 29.
“While the Democrats offer veiled hope and empty promises, John McCain has the knowledge and experience necessary to lead our great country through challenging times,” Regula, R-Navarre, said in a statement released by the McCain campaign. “John McCain is the only candidate who is prepared to serve as commander in chief on his first day in the Oval Office.”
Earlier this week, Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville, announced his support. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester, has also endorsed McCain.
Regula represents the 16th Congressional District in northeast Ohio. Latta, R-Bowling Green, represents the 5th Congressional District in northwest Ohio.
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Eye on Ohio: “Plan” ad for Obama
Obama ad talks about his economic plan
THE AD: “Plan,” 30 seconds.
WHERE TO SEE IT: Began airing Wednesday, Feb. 27, on Ohio television stations.
SCRIPT:
Obama: “All across America, people are working harder than ever. Doing the best they can.
“But, for decades now, as Wall Street has prospered, most Americans have been running in place because the deck has been stacked against them. We need to change Washington. Put it back on the side of people again.
“My economic plan cuts taxes for workers, helps small businesses create jobs and makes college more affordable.
“I’m Barack Obama, and I approved this message because to lift our nation, we need real change.”
VIDEO:
The color video starts with quick scenes of factory workers, and settles on a homey view of a four-member family in front of a modest house with an American flag. Obama appears in a tight shot making his campaign pitch and then the picture quickly drifts to Obama in a workplace.
A term paper-style folder is a crisp backdrop to graphics that repeat parts of his script.
ANALYSIS:
Sen. Obama is driving home his theme of change. He’s touching on voters’ fears about Ohio’s limping economy. Though the details are skimpy, Obama moves past some of his earlier campaign rhetoric.
Viewers will have to go to campaign statements to see that he seeks to create a $4,000 tax credit for college tuition. And he expects to streamline college aid applications by dropping the dreaded FAFSA form — that’s the Free Application for Federal Student Aid that keeps parents up all night.
Obama also plans to push for a $1,000 tax cut for working families.
For job creation, his plan includes federal tax credits for training, research and other initiatives. And, he pushes “green” industries.
David Sartin is a reporter at The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer. E-mail: dsartin@plaind.com.
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Eye on Ohio: “Fighter” ad for Clinton
Ohio Governor speaks out for Hillary
THE AD: “Fighter,” 30 seconds.
WHERE TO SEE IT: Began airing Thursday, Feb. 28, on Ohio television stations.
SCRIPT:
Gov. Ted Strickland: “We need a president who, first of all, is going to be a fighter. That’s the way I see Hillary Clinton. Hillary’s always been an advocate for the middle class.
“She’s got great plans to create new jobs in every part of Ohio. I think she’s a person of deep faith.
“I think she’s a person who has devoted her life to caring about other people — making sure that America works for everyone, not just the privileged few.
“She’s fighting for us. And that’s the kind of president we need.”
Hillary Clinton: “I’m Hillary Clinton and I approved this message.”
VIDEO:
Opens with a shot of a serious-looking Gov. Ted Strickland wearing a white shirt and tie, but no jacket. As he begins to speak, the video switches to shots of Hillary Clinton in various settings — speaking at a rally, shaking hands with voters, listening intently as people talk to her. It ends with a shot of Strickland and Clinton together signing autographs at a campaign rally.
ANALYSIS:
The commercial is a straight-forward attempt to see if Strickland can transfer his popularity to Clinton before the March 4 primary. Strickland has a job approval rating of 56 percent in Ohio, and he is highly regarded by Ohio Democrats.
In that sense, the commercial may resonate more with younger voters than a Clinton commercial that featured John Glenn backing her.
None of the facts in the commercial are controversial. Strickland speaks of Clinton as a fighter, yet the images display a warm side of Clinton. She is shown smiling and hugging voters. Could the commercial be a preview of coming attractions?
If Strickland’s endorsement carries Clinton past Barack Obama in Ohio and re-ignites her campaign, the Ohio governor could shoot to the top of the vice presidential list.
But a word of caution: Endorsements don’t always carry a punch in primaries. In 1984, Gov. Richard F. Celeste enthusiastically supported former Vice President Walter Mondale in the Ohio Democratic primary. Mondale still lost the state to Colorado Sen. Gary Hart.
Jack Torry is a reporter for The Columbus Dispatch. E-mail: jtorry@dispatch.com.
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Huckabee still in
While Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are getting all press attention and big crowds, Republicans seem set on John McCain as the nominee. Yet, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee told reporters in a conference call Thursday, Feb. 28, that he’s hanging on in the Republican nomination race until 1,191 delegates are pledged to one candidate.
“You guys are missing a good race,” Huckabee chided reporters.
He also again extended his invitation to McCain to debate him.
Huckabee took a swipe at his opponent and his signature McCain-Feingold campaign finance law.
“He wrote these laws…I think it’s one of the worst things to ever happen to American politics is the McCain-Feingold campaign finance (law). It has created more problems that it has solved and it may very well be that the law that he pushed comes back to bite him,” Huckabee said.
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Kennedys court Catholic support for Clinton
Two members of the Kennedy family supporting Hillary Clinton for president are urging Ohio Catholics to back the New York senator in her race for the Democratic presidential nomination against Barack Obama, the Illinois senator.
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. made their pitch in an “Open Letter to Ohio Catholics” being distributed by e-mail, said Eric McFadden, Ohio Faith Outreach Director for the Clinton campaign. Their father was the late Robert F. Kennedy. Their uncle, Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, supports Obama.
The letter says that Clinton, a Methodist, has drawn Catholic support in “record numbers” and stresses her “commitment to and work on behalf of others.”
Here’s the text of the letter:
Catholics across America have turned out in record numbers to cast their votes for Hillary Clinton. In primary after primary, we have witnessed support for Hillary from thousands of lay Catholics, clergy and our beloved women religious. Political pundits have offered various explanations for this phenomenon, but we believe the answer lies with the recognition by Catholic voters of her long commitment to and work on behalf of others.
Hillary’s commitment to the common good parallels Catholic social teaching and work on behalf of women, children, the ill and the destitute has been a life long pursuit. Her Methodist faith, like our Catholic faith has not only sustained her throughout her life, it has also compelled her to find solutions to everyday problems. Hillary is a person of action. Throughout her adult life she has used her time and talents to advocate for others.
Hillary Clinton understands the issues facing working families all across the country. Whether it is the nation-wide mortgage crisis that has resulted in more than 150,000 foreclosures in Ohio , the ever rising cost of fuel, or the fact that more than one million people in Ohio have no health insurance, Hillary has offered concrete proposals to overcome these problems. Never afraid of hard work, she is someone who listens, learns and then acts to improve conditions and solve problems.
Catholics have a partner in Hillary Clinton, one who will work to advance the common good of all Ohioans and all Americans. Her record and experience promoting peace and social justice, respecting the dignity of the individual, family life, human rights, concern for the poor and the dignity of work is well documented. With Hillary Clinton Catholics know they will have a President who understands that the well being of the working family is a cornerstone of American values.
Yours,
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Eye on Ohio: “Quiet” ad for Obama
Obama ad talks about energy
THE AD: “Quiet,” 30 seconds.
WHERE TO SEE IT: Began airing Wednesday, Feb. 27, on Ohio television stations.
SCRIPT:
I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message. I don’t accept that we should be still sending $800 million dollars a day, part of it to hostile nations because of our addiction to foreign oil, and in the bargain we’re melting the polar ice caps. I went to Detroit to insist that we have to increase fuel efficiency standards. Now, I have to admit, the room got kind of quiet. We can’t just tell people what they want to hear. We need to tell them what they need to hear. We need to tell them the truth.
VIDEO:
The ad flashes a black and white picture of Obama, then cuts to him talking, clad in a dress shirt and red and white tie, to a medium-sized crowd. It shows a close-up of a woman in the crowd, then flashes back to Obama before cutting to a screen that lists components of Obama’s energy plan: Reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050; invest $150 billion in clean energy and create a Green Job Corps. Then it cuts back to Obama addressing the crowd. It closes by displaying a blue screen urging people to vote Tuesday and giving them information about early voting.
ANALYSIS:
This ad is really about two things: Sure, it’s about global warming and energy - issues that don’t really poll high in the Buckeye State - but it also aims to paint Obama as a tough-talker who is willing to tell uncomfortable truths - something that appeals to supporters of front-running Republican candidate Sen. John McCain, ironically. Obama’s energy and global warming position is not that disparate from Sen. Hillary Clinton’s - both call for a cap-and-trade system that would cut carbon emissions by 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050. Both have also called for additional investment in clean energy technologies, though Obama calls for a $150 billion investment over 10 years while Clinton calls for a $50 billion strategic energy fund to invest in alternative energy.
Both also call for increasing fuel economy standards, albeit by slightly different standards. And both would aim for 25 percent of electricity being used in the U.S. to come from renewable sources by 2025.
Jessica Wehrman is a reporter at The Dayton Daily News.
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Turner: Yup, I’m with McCain, too
Rep. Mike Turner Wednesday formally endorsed Sen. John McCain for president, issuing a statement out of his office saying he believed that front-runner for the Republican nomination would be the most effective leader on both fiscal and national security issues.
“In his 25 years in Congress, Sen. McCain has worked to reduce federal spending and lower taxes,” Turner, R-Centerville, said. ” The senator’s vow to permanently reduce the taxes which are burdening American families while cutting rising federal spending is the right approach to our budget process. I am proud to support Senator John McCain for President.”
Turner is the second Miami Valley congressman to endorse: House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester, backed McCain last week.
As Dayton goes - so goes McLin
At her annual state of the city address today, Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin said she will wait to see how the city of Dayton votes on March 4 before giving her support to a Democratic candidate.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/mplayer/election 2008/68826
“This is one time I can sit back and let the people tell me exactly what they want,” said McLin, also a superdelegate to the Democratic Convention in Denver.
In comparing Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, McLin said. “Either one, I think, would make a great president.
Clinton holds summit
By Laura A. Bischoff Staff Writer
ZANESVILLE — While Sen. Hillary Clinton advertised her roundtable on Wednesday as an “Economic Solutions Summit” it seemed short on solutions and heavy on sad stories: home foreclosures, the loss of manufacturing jobs, a broken health care system and staggering college tuition costs.
But most of the 15 panel members - business leaders, governors, union members and others — agreed Clinton is the best candidate to address these troubles.
“I’ve known you for 15 years but I wouldn’t support you if I didn’t think you’re the best candidate for Ohio,” Gov. Ted Strickland said, telling Clinton that the state needs jobs, help from the federal government, and universal health care.
Clinton promised to close tax loopholes that benefit companies moving jobs overseas, reinvest in the manufacturing sector, put a moratorium on home foreclosures, and create 5 million “green collar” jobs in the clean energy industry.
“I think we’ve got some great opportunities here. We hear a lot about the problems and they are serious but I believe for every problem there is at least one solution,” Clinton said. “We just have to start acting like Americans again, and roll up our sleeves and actually solve our problems. No more whining, no more finger pointing. Let’s get to work.”
Clinton assembled plenty of horse power for the Zanesville summit: two governors, two lieutenant governors, former Sen. John Glenn, labor leaders and business executives, as well as Robert Landry and Beth Dlabay of Dayton who told their story of losing their East Dayton home to foreclosure on Christmas Eve.
Clinton said she invited the Daytonians to put a face on the staggering numbers: 150,000 home foreclosures in Ohio last year and 13,000 notices sent out in January. “We just needed someone to be there for us. We felt lost,” said Landry, 43, a postal worker. He added that he found help from the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center.
Zanesville was the first stop on a two-day tour of Appalachia Ohio for Clinton. At times, the hour and 40 minute forum felt like a Clinton informercial. At one point, it even got to be too much for Clinton.
“We’re going to put a moratorium on compliments,” she said.
Meanwhile, Sen. Barack Obama appeared at a campaign rally at Ohio State University’s St. John’s Arena with nearly 8,000 people.
Ohio Poll: Obama more likely to beat McCain in November
A poll released this morning of Ohio voters found that if the general election were held today, Democrat Sen. Barack Obama would be more likely to eke out the narrowest of victories over Republican Sen. John McCain than Sen. Hillary Clinton would.
In a poll with plus or minus three percent margin of error, Obama beat McCain 48 to 47 percent.
Clinton didn’t fare as well in a match-up against McCain, the poll found: She received 47 percent of the vote to McCain’s 51 percent.
The results of the Ohio Poll, sponsored by the University of Cincinnati, predict that Ohio’s 20 electoral votes will be hotly contested in November, with the state again looking like a crucial swing state.
Women, the poll found, overwhelmingly backed Clinton or Obama, while men were more likely to support McCain.
In Southwest Ohio, the poll found, voters overwhelmingly preferred McCain to Obama or Clinton: McCain received 51 percent to Obama’s 45 percent in the region and he received 55 percent to Clinton’s 44 percent in southwest Ohio.
The poll of 1,049 registered voters from around the state was taken Feb. 21 through Feb. 24. It has a three percent margin of error.
Live from Cleveland, the Debate
11:15 p.m.
In the “spin room” after the debate, supporters of the candidates each said they thought their’s “won” the debate.
Ohio Treasurer Richard Cordray , who has endorsed Obama, said the debate showed how close the candidates are in their positions. Cordray said the tone of the debate also showed “there’s clearly an underlying respect for one another.”
But he said he is partial to Obama and his performance in the debate. “I think he is uniquely poised to bring the change we need,” said Cordray.
Obama has the style of leadership needed to solve the nation’s problems, he said.
Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland supports Clinton and said he was particularly impressed with her strong defense of her universal health care plan and that she spoke very specifically about what she would do as president.
“We are ahead in Ohio. I think her performance tonight will keep her ahead in Ohio,” said Strickland.
He said his strong friendship with Clinton will help Ohio if she is president because he will be able to simply pick up the phone and call her.
10:36 p.m.
How could 90 minutes have passed so quickly? The debate drew to a surprisingly civil close considering how close the race is and how high the stakes are for the candidates.
10:34 p.m.
The moderator asked each to answer what is the fundamental question the other candidate should answer for voters as to whether they would be a worthy nominee.
“She would be worthy as a nominee,” Obama said. “I think I would be better, otherwise I wouldn’t be running,” said Obama, continuing the two candidates tendency to mix a little positive with a little not so positive about their opponent.
Clinton did the same.
“There isn’t any doubt that, you know, both of us feel strongly about our country, that we bring enormous energy and commitment to this race and would bring that to the general election and to the White House” said Clinton.
“Its been an honor to campaign. I still intend to do everything I can to win, but it has been an honor because it has been a campaign that is history making.”
10:29 p.m.
Sen. Clinton had her chance to show her stuff on foreign policy with thoughtful remarks on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would really relinquish power when a new hand-picked successor becomes president.
“This is a clever but transparent way for Putin to hold onto power,” Clinton said. “It’s imperative that we begin to have a more realistic and effective strategy toward Russia.”
When asked if she knew who would replace Putin she then had trouble pronouncing the guy’s name.
“Yes,” said Clinton, stumbling over the name Medvedev. “Whatever,” she said with a laugh.
10:10 p.m.
Lest people think Obama believes he can wish the country to good fortune, he came right out and said it: “I am absolutely clear that hope is not enough.”
But the only way to make change is to mobilize the American people, he said.
“If the American people are activated, that is how change is going to happen,” Obama said.
And lest they think he asked for Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan’s recent endorsement. Obama said, “It is not support I sought.”
“I can’t say to somebody that he can’t say that he thinks I’m a good guy. I’ve been very clear in my denunciations of him and his past comments.”
10 p.m.
They returned from a commercial break with NBC mistakenly playing a Clinton speech when they meant to play an Obama one.
Everyone had a laugh and Obama went right into saying special interests dominate Washington, with the implication that longtime Washington insiders like Clinton can’t be as effective as him because of it.
He said he hears the stories of regular Americans and “you realize nobody has been listening to them.”
“I’m not interested in talk, I’m not interested in speeches,” said Obama, contending that he would not be running if he didn’t intend to make positive political changes.
Clinton placed blame on the White House and members of Congress who went along with laws that hurt regular people.
“I know it takes a fighter. It takes somebody who will go toe to toe with the special interests,” Clinton said. “The special interests are not going to give up without a fight.”
9:47 p.m.
There’s a lot of gesturing going on here. There might be a pretty good YouTube mash up video of the two candidates using their hands to make their points, without of course pointing their fingers directly. Because that would be rude.
And everyone’s being pretty polite right now.
Even if they are comparing each other to Republicans.
9:40
It took 35 minutes but Obama just took his shot at Clinton’s vote authorizing the Iraq war, arguing that that is what her level of “experience” got the country.
“On the critical issues that actually matter, I believe my judgment has been sound,” said Obama.
Clinton was asked if she was implying the country would be “taking a chance” if they elected Obama and made him commander-in-chief.
She hit back, managing to combine her frequent criticism that he’s all speech no substance with a reminder that Obama had voted to fund the war once he was in the Senate.
“Many people made speeches against the war then,” said Clinton, referring to Obama’s remarks in his 2004 campaign for the U.S. Senate.
“I was one of the most vocal opponents of the war,” said Obama, saying that his votes for funding came after the U.S. was already in a war that it should not have ever begun.
“Sen. Clinton often says she is ready on day on,” Obama. “But, in fact, she was ready to give in to George Bush on day one on this critical issue.”
9:30 p.m.
Obama not only accused Clinton of supporting the North American Free Trade Agreement, he even implied she was not initially for strong labor or environmental standards in those trade pacts.
“I think Sen. Clinton has shifted positions on this and believes we should have strong labor standards and environmental standards,” Obama said.
Clinton didn’t bite, as Tim Russert pulled out several published quotes from Clinton saying positive things about NAFTA in the past.
He asked, “Will you as president say, we are out of NAFTA in 6 months?”
“No. I will say we will opt out of NAFTA unless we renegotiate it,” Clinton said.
She said she’s been consistent in what she has said. Clinton contends NAFTA has been successful in some parts of the country and not successful in others, including Ohio.
Russert quoted published reports calling Obama “consistently ambivalent” on NAFTA.
Obama said he strongly opposed NAFTA but he did believe that trade deals could be beneficial to the United States. But like Clinton, he said, the United States should threaten to opt out of the deals unless stronger standards are put in place.
“What I want to be is an advocate on behalf of workers,” Obama said.
9:20 p.m.
Clinton once again likens Obama to the Republicans, as she did in Cincinnati, this time when contrasting her health care plan with his.
Obama defended his plan - mentioning that former Pres. Bill Clinton’s secretary of labor says positive things about his plan.
“We still don’t know how Sen. Clinton intends to enforce a mandate,” Obama said.
The moderator tried to move on but Clinton insisted on explaining her plan for a mandate, saying not making it mandatory would be as if Franklin Roosevelt had said “let’s make Social Security voluntary.”
Obama then took his turn forcing the debate to stay on health care, and said the experts Clinton cites say there is no difference between their plans.
Already they’re interrupting each other.
“Well a 16-minute discussion on health care is certainly a start,” said moderator Brian Williams, turning the discussion to NAFTA.
Hillary then complained that she always gets the first question and implied that last weekend’s Saturday Night Life skit implying that the media favor Obama was accurate and perhaps someone should get him “a pillow.”
9:07 p.m.
The debate opened and went straight to the point, with moderator Brian Williams playing clips of Clinton shaking hands with Obama at the previous debate in Austin and then saying “shame on you” to Obama during her visit to Cincinnati on Saturday. Clinton said Obama was putting out false and misleading information and she then began talking about her plan to achieve quality, affordable health care. Williams jumped then to the Drudge Report photograph of Obama in traditional African garb, including a turban, during his visit to Africa. He asked if it came from her campaign. “So far as I know it did not,” said Clinton, saying she did not condone that sort of behavior in her campaign.
8:45 p.m.
The big moment is nearly here and the candidates just walked in the door on this snowy Tuesday night in Cleveland.
In 15 minutes Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama will face off before the crowd of nearly 1,600 at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center in a debate that’s become a make-or-break for Clinton in the Democratic presidential primary.
Clinton’s one-time double-digit lead over Obama in Ohio trickled to four points in a poll released this week.
“If she loses Ohio or even if it’s close in Ohio and she loses Texas, it’s over. There’s no coming back for her,” said Christopher Duncan, chairman of the political science department at the University of Dayton. “She’ll have lost from east to west, from north to south.”
No time to rest
Sen. Barack Obama isn’t expected to be done with the Democratic debate at Cleveland State University until sometime after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, but with the Ohio primary campaign in its final week, he won’t be stopping for the night just yet.
After the debate with Sen. Hillary Clinton, Obama will go to a Cleveland area company and meet with workers who are members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt. The union endorsed him on Wednesday.
President Clinton in Dayton area on Thursday
Former President Bill Clinton will have a rally for his wife, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, on Thursday, Feb. 28. The event will be at Stebbins High School, 1900 Harshman Road in Riverside. The event is free and open to the public.
Portman backs McCain; Cunningham provokes apology
This from the Associated Press:
CINCINNATI (AP) — Republican John McCain quickly denounced the comments of a radio talk show host who while warming up a campaign crowd referred repeatedly to Barack Hussein Obama and called the Democratic presidential candidate a “hack, Chicago-style” politician.
Hussein is Obama’s middle name, but talk show host Bill Cunningham used it three times as he addressed the crowd before the likely Republican nominee’s appearance. “Now we have a hack, Chicago-style Daley politician who is picturing himself as change. When he gets done with you, all you’re going to have in your pocket is change,” Cunningham said as the audience laughed.
The time will come, Cunningham added, when the liberal-leaning media will “peel the bark off Barack Hussein Obama” and tell the truth about his relationship with indicted fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko and how Obama got “sweetheart deals” in Chicago. McCain wasn’t on stage or, he says, in the building when Cunningham made the comments, but he quickly distanced himself from the radio talk show host after finishing his speech. McCain spoke to a couple hundred people at Memorial Hall in downtown Cincinnati.
“I apologize for it,” McCain told reporters, addressing the issue before they had a chance to ask the Arizona senator about Cunningham’s comments. “I did not know about these remarks, but I take responsibility for them. I repudiate them,” he said. “My entire campaign I have treated Senator Obama and Senator (Hillary Rodham) Clinton with respect. I will continue to do that throughout this campaign.”
McCain called both Democrats “honorable Americans” and said, “I want to dissociate myself with any disparaging remarks that may have been said about them.” Asked whether the use of Obama’s middle name — the same as former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein — is proper, McCain said: “No, it is not. Any comment that is disparaging of either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama is totally inappropriate.”
McCain said he didn’t know who decided to allow Cunningham to speak but said he was sure it was in coordination with his campaign. He said he didn’t hear the comments and has never met Cunningham, but “I will certainly make sure that nothing like that happens again.”
Responding to McCain’s apology, Obama spokesman Bill Burton said, “It is a sign that if there is a McCain-Obama general election, it can be intensely competitive but the candidates will attempt to keep it respectful and focused on issues.”
Last fall, McCain faced criticism for initially not repudiating a voter in South Carolina who called Clinton a “bitch.” McCain chuckled in response to the voter’s question, but didn’t embrace the epithet. A few minutes later, he said he respected Clinton, a New York senator and colleague.
Aside from using Obama’s middle name, Cunningham also mocked the Illinois senator’s foreign policy statements about his willingness to meet with the leaders of rogue nations. He said he envisions a future in which “the great prophet from Chicago takes the stand and the world leaders who want to kill us will simply be singing Kumbaya together around the table with Barack Obama.”
At one point, Cunningham compared Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Madeleine Albright, whom he said “looks like death warmed over.” He also commented on the difference between former Ohio Rep. Rob Portman, whose wife is named Jane, and Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay member of Congress. “Jane’s the main difference. But that’s a different story,” Cunningham said. As Cunningham finished, Portman, who is mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate, took the microphone to introduce McCain.
“Willie, you’re out of control again. So, what else is new? But we love him,” Portman said. “But I’ve got to tell you, Bill Cunningham lending his voice to this campaign is extremely important. He did it in 2000, he did it in 2004. It was crucial to victory then and it’s even more important this year with his bigger radio audience. So, Bill Cunningham, thank you for lending your voice.”
Speaking to reporters later alongside McCain, Portman said: “I was backstage so I didn’t hear everything he said. Bill Cunningham is a radio talk show host who is often controversial so it does not surprise me that he was controversial.” He added: “That’s, I guess, how he makes his living.”
Redfern: “This is no longer a ‘red’ state”
Ohio Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern briefed reporters gathered in Cleveland for the Democratic presidential debate on the Democrats’ plan to win Ohio in this year’s presidential election.
“This is no longer a ‘red’ state,” Refern, a state representative from Catawba Island, said Tuesday, Feb. 26. “It never was.”
Redfern said Ohio is a “moderate” state. Democrats will run an 88-county operation and not focus solely on Democratic strongholds, he said.
John Hagner, targeting director for the Ohio Democratic Party, said the Democrats even will go after votes in exurban Republican strongholds such as Butler and Warren counties.
While the Democratic candidate for president won’t carry those counties, Democrats can pick up votes by targeting individuals on issues such as stem cell research and the economy, Hagner said.
Doug Kelly, executive director for the Ohio Democratic Party, said a goal is to “not let them (Republicans) off the canvas” after big GOP losses in 2006.
Kelly also said Democrats expect a turnout as large as 2 million in their March 4 presidential primary, far higher than the 1.28 million turnout in 2004.
“There’s very little precedent” for a primary like this year’s with Ohio playing a key role in determining the party’s nominee, said Kelly.
Kevin DeWine, deputy director of the Ohio Republican Party, disagreed with Redfern.
“We have consistently heard from the Democrats a mantra that includes more spending, higher taxes and more government control over people’ lives. Ohioans will reject those ideas, like they have in years past,” DeWine said in an e-mail
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Boehner to have back surgery
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester, will have back surgery Friday morning at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Md., his office announced Tuesday.
His recovery will prevent him from attending the 17th Annual Farm Forum in his district on Saturday, March 1, but he is expected to resume his full schedule next week. The farm forum will go on as planned, but without Boehner in attendance.
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Former OSU basketball star Oden endorses Obama
Greg Oden, star of Ohio State’s 2006-2007 Big Ten championship and national runnerup basketball team, has endorsed Barack Obama for president, Obama’s campaign announced today, Feb. 26.
Oden now is on the roster of the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA.
Oden, a first-time voter and number one pick in last year’s NBA draft, released this statement through the Obama campaign:
“Like a lot of young people, I’ve been drawn to Sen. Obama’s campaign and the potential he has for our country. Obama gives Americans, especially young voters like me, a sense of hope in politics. He makes us feel like we can come together for the good of our country. Topics like education, and health care are very important to me and I agree with Senator Obama’s views on these issues.”
The campaign said that Oden would work with the campaign to reach out to young voters in Ohio and in other states still waiting to have primaries, including Indiana where he was a high school basketball star.
Incidentally, Obama has been known to play some pickup basketball games.
“Greg Oden meant a lot to the state of Ohio, and we’re proud to have his endorsement,” Obama Ohio Director Paul Tewes said.
Debate watch party in Kettering for Clinton supporters
Local Hillary Clinton supporters are having a debate watch party tonight, Feb. 26, at 8:30 at Pepito’s, 3618 Wilmington Pike in Kettering.
Dodd endorses Obama; Clinton to hold town meeting
U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., who dropped his own bid for the White House last month after a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses, today, Feb. 26 endorsed Barack Obama for president.
Dodd’s endorsement came at a news conference at a Cleveland hotel as Obama and Hillary Clinton prepared for tonight’s Democratic debate in the snow-covered city.
Clinton was to hold a town meeting at noon in Lorain, west of Cleveland, before the 9 p.m. debate at Cleveland State University.
FactCheck.org - Clinton and Obama both misleading
Now it’s Hillary Clinton’s turn to be fact-checked.
FactCheck.org, the truth-seeking Web site, previously found a Barack Obama mailer to Ohio voters misleading in its criticism of Clinton’s position on NAFTA.
Clinton put our her own mailer criticizing Obama on NAFTA and guess what?
FactCheck.org says the Clinton mailer “gives less than the whole truth.”
Maybe Clinton and Obama can sort it all out when they debate on Tuesday, Feb. 26 in Cleveland as their campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination heats up.
Here’s the new FactCheck.org analysis:
Clinton Edits ‘The Truth’ February 25, 2008 A Clinton mailer quotes Obama’s praise for free trade, but it omits his criticisms. Summary Hillary Clinton, stung by an Obama mailer that painted her as a supporter of the North American Free Trade agreement, is responding in kind with a barrage of postcards saying, “Ohio needs to know the truth about Obama’s position on Protecting American Workers and NAFTA.” But the mailer gives less than the whole truth.
It quotes two news reports of Obama praising NAFTA, but it fails to mention that both are from the same event and leaves out his calls for “fair trade” and increased enforcement - and his criticism of trade agreements negotiated “on behalf of multinational companies instead of workers and communities.” Analysis The Clinton campaign said its new mailer to Ohio voters is meant to counter an earlier Obama mailing that quotes Clinton as praising NAFTA. “In a campaign when you are attacked unfairly it is incumbent on you to set the record straight, and that’s what we’re doing in the mail,” Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson told reporters on a conference call Feb. 25.
Retaliation in Kind
We found the Obama mailer to be misleading in our Feb. 24 article. Here we judge that Clinton is retaliating in kind, with a somewhat misleading mailer of her own.
The mailer says, “Ohio needs to know the truth,” and adds, “It’s all on the Record.” But it quotes the record selectively to misrepresent Obama’s position.
The quotes come from two news accounts, one from The Associated Press and another from the Herald & Review of Decatur, Ill. What’s not said is that they are both reporting on the same 2004 campaign event in Shirley, Ill., when Obama was running against Republican nominee Alan Keyes for the U.S. Senate. And both are quoted selectively, omitting Obama’s criticisms of NAFTA.
The mailer quotes The AP account as saying, “Obama said the United States should continue to work with the World Trade Organization and pursue deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement.” That’s accurate as far as it goes, but what’s left out is that Obama also said the U.S. needs to be more aggressive in protecting American interests and the interests of “workers and communities.” Here’s the pertinent section, in full:
Associated Press, Sept. 8, 2004: [Obama] said the United States should continue to work with the World Trade Organization and pursue deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, but the country must be more aggressive about protecting American interests.
"We don't want to set off trade wars. What we want to make sure of is that our farmers are treated fairly," Obama said. "The problem in a lot of our trade agreements is that the administration tends to negotiate on behalf of multinational companies instead of workers and communities."
The Decatur newspaper reported on the same event the following day. The Clinton mailer quotes this part of the article: “Obama said the United States benefits enormously from exports under the WTO and NAFTA.” But here’s what it left out:
Herald & Review, Sept. 9, 2004: [Obama] said, at the same time, there must be recognition that the global economy has shifted, and that the United States is no longer the dominant economy.
"We have competition in world trade," Obama said. "When China devalues its currency 40 percent, we need to bring a complaint before the WTO just as other nations complain about us. If we are to be competitive over the long term, we need free trade but also fair trade."
We agree with Clinton that any voter “needs to know the truth.” We just think it should be the whole truth.
-by Brooks Jackson Sources Christopher Wills. “Senate candidates speak on farm, trade issues.” The Associated Press, 8 Sept. 2004.
Ron Ingram. “Obama, Keyes court farmers - U.S. Senate candidates face-off - on agriculture issues near Shirley,” Herald & Review (Decatur, Ill.) 9 Sept. 2004. Related Articles Obama Mailings ‘False’? Clinton says Democrats should be “outraged.” You be the judge. Clinton-Obama Pillow Fight The Democratic front-runners meet in a civil and mostly error-free debate. They’ve Got You Covered? Obama and Clinton ads both claim all Americans would be covered by their health plans. Clinton’s would come close. Monday Night Quibbles No statements made of whole cloth, but some factual embroidery by Clinton and Obama.
Clinton strikes back on NAFTA
Hillary Clinton has struck back on NAFTA - the North American Free Trade Agreement - an issue that has prompted some of the harshest exchanges to date between her and Barack Obama.
She has started making robo-calls to Ohio voters criticizing NAFTA and defending her record. Her campaign also is sending out mailers to voters explaining her position on NAFTA and pointing out what her campaign considers Obama’s inconsistencies on the touchy subject.
Last Saturday in Cincinnati Clinton called mailers that the Obama campaign sent out on Clinton’s NAFTA position “false and discredited.”
The Obama campaign responded to the Clinton calls and mailings with statements from some of Obama’s labor supporters, including Bruce Raynor, general president of UNITE.
“This idea that Barack Obama’s position on NAFTA isn’t clear is nonsense. It’s been clear. It’s also clear that the Clinton Administration was not only the architect of the NAFTA agreement, but the Clinton Administration shoved it down the throat of Democrats in Congress and passed it,” Raynor said.
Here’s the script of the Clinton call:
“Senator Obama has sent out attack mailers that distort my record on NAFTA, but I believe Ohio deserves the truth.
“NAFTA has hurt Ohio families and I have a plan to fix it. My opponent does not. I will call a timeout on any new trade deals and make sure the ones we have are protecting American workers. I’ll eliminate tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas, and invest in creating good jobs right here in Ohio.
“Ohio needs solutions, not distortions. With your support on March 4th, we can jump start the economy and get Ohio back to work.”
Mo’ Poll
Hours after two polls released Monday show Sen. Hillary Clinton with at least an eight-point lead in Ohio, a third firm put Sen. Barack Obama within four points of catching up with Clinton in the state.
Public Policy Polling, a Raleigh, N.C.-based polling firm that does automated phone surveys, surveyed 600 likely Democratic Ohio primary voters and 430 likely Ohio Republican primary voters on Feb. 23 and Feb. 24. They gave Clinton a 50 percent lead to Obama’s 46 percent lead. They attribute Obama’s strong showing to the “virtual certainty” that Sen. John McCain will be nominated on the Republican side, and said his strong showing means more independents and Republicans will be voting Democratic on March 4.
“Hillary Clinton is in big trouble,” said Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling. “The race is trending heavily toward Obama and time is on his side with another eight days before the voting.”
On the Republican side, the poll found McCain leads former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee 55 percent to 30 percent.
Congressional ads for 3rd district race
Three Democrats, David Esrati, Jane Mitakides and Charles Sanders are running in The March 4 primary for the chance to take on U.S. Rep. Mike Turner in the November election for Congress.
Esrati has posted several political ads on his Web site, esrati.com. Mitakides launched her first TV ad this week. Sanders has an ad on his Web site.
Here’s a sampling.
Read more about the candidates at
http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/02/16/ddn021708congress3.html
Also check out their Web sites
http://www.charleswsanders.org/index.php
Cincinnati mayor backs Obama
Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory on Monday endorsed Democrat Barack Obama at a campaign rally with 13,000 supporters at University of Cincinnati’s Fifth Third Arena.
Mallory, a former state senator, said he sees parallels between Obama’s quest for the presidency and his own campaign for mayor when people told him he didn’t have enough experience.
Mallory is a super delegate — a party luminary whose support at the Democratic National Convention is worthy of one delegate vote. The Democratic nominee will need 2,025 delegate votes to take the nomination, and the race for delegates is tight, with Obama holding a slight lead. Superdelegates are not required under party rules to back whomever voters back in primaries and caucuses, but can throw their support behind whomever they want.
Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman endorsed Obama in October.