Reply #39: The problem is the article which implies that Kerry is saying he won

[karynnj]

Ohio - he didn't say that. Kerry is saying what he has said since the election. There was voter suppression. The RFKjr article is interesting in that it says that reasonable estimates of the votes lost to suppresion show that it could have made the difference. The problem is that these are votes not cast - you can't get them through a recount. Nothing in the electoral college process could deal with this type of problem.

What would lawyers sue for? Anything short of a new election wouldn't help. I can't imagine how you could have a suit, appeal it as needed and set up and have a second election (which might not even be legal)all before Jan 6 - That's only 2 months. These problems need to be eliminated before the election happens - and they are a disgrace. (Note: rather than a second election, the liklihood is that it would be determined by the Rep Ohio legislature.)

At any rate, Here's the letter- which is mischarcterized by the AP story:

Dear Karen,

Almost two years ago today, Ted Strickland and I stood together on a stage in Steubenville, Ohio and I heard Ted tell the crowd about the damage the Bush presidency and the Taft governorship had done to the state -- the unemployment, the jobs shipped overseas, and corruption at the top.

As I write to you today, Ted Strickland is offering Ohio a better choice in a campaign that our entire country is watching.

The choice couldn't be clearer.

On one side is Ted Strickland -- a good man admired by Democrats and Republicans alike. On the other side is his Republican opponent, Ken Blackwell, who has used his office to abuse our democracy and threaten basic voting rights.

Support Strickland. Beat Blackwell. Donate Now.

This isn't just rhetoric. In 2004, while serving as a co-chair of George W. Bush's 2004 Presidential campaign in Ohio, Secretary of State Blackwell oversaw the state's 2004 election. He used the power of his state office to try to intimidate Ohioans and suppress the Democratic vote. Is he ashamed of what he did? No -- he's emboldened by it.

Since 2004, he has twisted the election process even more, adding new voting regulations that have created confusion and controversy. His legacy as Secretary of State? Putting partisanship ahead of the electorate's fundamental right to vote. That's not just a reason not to promote him as Governor; it demands a grassroots mission to stop Ken Blackwell from getting a further grip on power in Ohio.

That is why I am asking you to act right now to help Ted Strickland wage an all-out effort in this tough race. It is a contest in which every member of the johnkerry.com community has a stake.

Support Strickland. Beat Blackwell. Donate Now.

In Congress, Ted has been an outstanding advocate for working men and women, children's health care, and veterans' rights. He has worked to bring good jobs to Ohio by fostering investments in technology, energy production, and economic development. And, while fighting to give our troops the equipment they need, Ted has been a steadfast opponent of the war in Iraq.

Ted knows the world beyond Washington -- he was a minister, a professor and a psychologist before he went to Congress.

Support Strickland. Beat Blackwell. Donate Now.

The Republicans who run Washington, DC know Ted is serious and have called in all their big guns to campaign against him. They know how important this race is for their future -- they think they need to win it to remain in power. Let's not let them have their way.

Sincerely,

John Kerry