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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2008 > September > 29
Monday, September 29, 2008
Big donations roll into AG’s race
Democrat Rich Cordray and Republican Mike Crites are both getting big checks from individual contributors willing to back their campaigns to become Ohio attorney general, according to a study by Ohio Citizen Action on Monday, Sept. 29.
Between Jan. 1, 2007 and Aug. 31, 2008, the average individual contribution to Cordray was $703, compared with $975 for Crites, the study said. Of the 1,207 individual contributions to Cordray, only 187 were for $50 or less. Crites, who started fund-raising Aug. 11, received seven contributions of $50 or less out of 42 contributions from individuals.
At the other end of the spectrum, Cordray received 38 contributions from individuals of $5,000 or more, Crites received three contributions of $5,000 or more, and Owens received one.
Cordray, who is state treasurer, has raised $1.9 million while Crites has raised $88,561 between Jan. 1, 2007 and Aug. 31, 2008. Independent candidate Robert Owens received $20,140 in contributions.
To put this in context, Ohio Citizen Action contrasted it with other races. The Center for Responsive Politics found that Democrat Barack Obama raised half of his money in contributions of $200 or less while McCain raised a third of his from smaller contributions.
And the average contribution from individual donors to all Ohio candidates for statewide and legislative offices for the same time period was $293, Ohio Citizen Action found.
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McCain vows to clean up Wall Street “corruption”
BEXLEY - With Washington gripped by uncertainty over a proposed $700 billion bailout plan, Republican John McCain on Monday, Sept. 29, pledged as president to clean up the greed on Wall Street that led the nation into the current financial crisis.
“A vote for me will guarantee that the forces that have brought down our economy will be out of business,” he told a cheering crowd estimated at 9,000 at Capital University’s Capital Center. “I will end the corrupt practices on Wall Street and the back room deals in Washington DC. I will hold accountable those responsible for the oversight and protection of consumers, taxpayers and homeowners.”
McCain spoke before the House rejected the bailout plan.
McCain dismissed his Democratic opponent Barack Obama, as he had in their debate Friday, Sept. 26
“You see, when it comes to growing the economy and protecting you from the corruption of Wall Street and Washington, Senator Obama just doesn’t get it,” McCain said.
McCain was accompanied by his wife Cindy and his vice presidential running mate Sarah Palin, who was cheered wildly when she introduced McCain. Palin’s daughter Willow was with the group.
“Americans are tired of the old politics usual. That’s why we need to take the maverick of the Senate and put him in the house, the White House,” said Palin.
Palin was a big hit with the crowd.
“I love her,” said Sharon Wilson, a retired Columbus police officer from Grove City.
“She’s just like I am, a regular person,” said Wilson, 59.
Palin was a big hit with the crowd.
“I love her,” said Sharon Wilson, a retired Columbus police officer from Grove City.
“She’s just like I am, a regular person,” said Wilson, 59.
Groups opposed to McCain also were mobilized.
“John McCain has no clue about working families in Columbus,” Jennifer Farmer, spokeswoman for the Service Employees International Union, said in a press release.
With the widespread belief that the American financial markets are in crisis, and skyrocketing oil prices as a backdrop, several groups today declared that “enough-is-enough”. Following the September 26 debates, the groups, consisting of the Ohio Sierra Club, Progress Ohio, Ohio AFL-CIO and SEIU District 1199, remain convinced that McCain is “out-of-touch” with the issues facing working people. The groups were at Capital University today, offering McCain a textbook lesson on the impact of deregulation in the banking industry on working people in the heartland.
“John McCain has no clue about working families in Columbus” said Jennifer Farmer, Communications Director for the Service Employees International Union.
She and others in the Sierra Club and the Ohio AFL-CIO said McCain has sided with “big oil” and supported deregulating banking.
“We can’t afford another president who sides with Big Oil instead of American consumers,” Teresa McHugh of the Sierra Club said in the release.
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Dems highlight economic woes
Ohio Democrats released a study Monday, Sept. 29, that lays out economic hardship and job losses over the last eight years and places the blame on Republicans in Washington.
Since 2001, 1,087 factories and companies in Ohio have closed or had big layoffs, costing 180,264 jobs, or an average of 61 jobs lost each day for eight years, the report said. The study, titled Eight Years of Economic Paint, 2001-08, found that 83 of 88 counties have seen at least one company shutdown or layoff.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Youngstown, and Ohio AFL-CIO President Joe Rugola were expected to talk about the report during a 2 p.m. press call. They said in a press release that Republican John McCain has a 25-year track record of voting against working families while Democrat Barack Obama will be a “true friend” to workers.
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Fans arrive early for McCain-Palin rally
BEXLEY - Doors opened at 9 a.m., Sept. 29, for the McCain-Palin rally at Capital University in Bexley and the hundreds of people already lined up outside the Capital Center began streaming in.
Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, began warming up the crowd about 10:50 a.m. He got the biggest response when he asked what they thought of Sarah Palin, John McCain’s vice presidential running mate.
“Sarah, Sarah,” the crowd began chanting.
By 11:50 a.m, Doug Preisse, chairman of the Franklin County Republican Party, said the crowd had swelled to about 7,000 and the fire marshal had instructed official to not let in more people.
Michael Monnin, 46, originally from Dayton, was an early arrival. Monnin, currently unemployed, said he’s “moderately supportive” of McCain and Palin.
“Pro-life would be the big key,” said Monnin, who now lives in Pataskala, east of Columbus. He’s concerned, however, that sometimes McCain compromises too much.
“Don’t betray your DNA,” Monnin advised the Arizona senator. He would have liked to have seen economist Alan Keyes, former Secretary of State Colin Powell or former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson on the ticket.
Sharon Wilson, 59, a retired Columbus police officer, had no reservations.
“I’m a big supporter of John McCain,” said Wilson. “I like the fact that he fought for his country.”
Palin made the ticket even better.
“I love her,” said Wilson. “She’s just like I am, a regular person.”
Chris Christian, 17, of Circleville also got to the rally early, even though he won’t turn 18 in time to vote. He said McCain is the only candidate who can protect the country.
McCain and Palin were expected to speak about noon. It’s McCain’s first Ohio appearance since his debate on Friday, Sept. 26, with Democrat Barack Obama. Palin is to debate Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden on Thursday, Oct. 2.
