Open letter to Ohio Duers. Please try to heal your rift

[CTyankee]

Yesterday I read a DU thread about the Hackett-Brown controversy until its very end when it was locked by a moderator. I was stunned by the vehemence on both sides and saddened to watch it happen, post by post.

To me, Ohio held out a special hope. I saw what happened in the near loss by Jean Schmidt to Paul Hackett and I was thrilled. Later, when she made an absolute fool of herself on the HOuse floor, I cheered. I followed Hackett's progress eagerly, rejoicing in having a real war hero give these craphead repubs a run for their money. Ohio was going to make a dramatic change, and how fitting it was given the voting machines!

Then, that happy dream fell apart. I don't know what exactly happened, and I can't vote in Ohio, but I can say that Ohio was a hope for me, a CT dem who is now working for Ned Lamont against Joe Lieberman in the 06 Senate race. We're going to take it all back, I thought, state by state. Ohio, especially Ohio, will take the lead. Oh god.

I am so depressed after having read that thread yesterday. I have a stepdaughter who lives and goes to graduate school in Cleveland. She is a very active dem and a rabbinical student. She's an inspiration for me, so I have a stake in Ohio. I want so much for us to win there!

Those who support either side in the Brown-Hackett debate are good people who believe in their candidate. It is difficult for me to know what to believe or not believe. I don't want to believe that there is a devil in this controversy.

Is there no way that Ohio dems can work this thing out? So much is at stake. I am truly not singling out Ohio but I am heartsick over this fight. It only helps the Republicans (which is why I believed wholeheartedly in Hackett's assertion that Rove was behind the "whispering campaign" against him). Can't we all hear them chortling now?

[OG Yankee Patriot]

1. YES PLEASE, OHIO, Keep Your Eye On the Ball

I couldn't agree more, the Hackett withdrawal posts held so much anger and vitriol it made me cringe in despair.
Yes, big-party politics suck.
Yes, the back-room dealings still go on.
Yes, national figures will exert influence in local races.
But, we are one of the big parties.
Dealing is a part of the process.
There are often big-picture issues unbeknownst to us.
I agree Hackett appeared to be a JFK-like breath of fresh air and a potentially viable candidate.
But let's be realistic. Novices are longshots at national office.
We can't do a damned thing unless we win.
Please, Buckeyes, convert your anger and disappointment into determination to work even HARDER for each of Ohio's critical races.
The stakes are far too high to waste time on being pissed for whatever reason, even valid ones.
Remember our objectives here - BROWN IN, BLACKWELL & SCHMIDT OUT.
Now STFU and get it DONE.

[jumpoffdaplanet]

2. Sounds like when we were told ---

To "get over it" in 2000, and 2004.

How does shutting up stop it from happening over and over.

Brown lies, and we lose Hackett, a great candidate.

Brown lies, and it's Hackett fault that donor were being pressured to stop giving.

I, for one, am tired of back room deals, and being told to shut up when we demand justice and prevention.




yeah, yeah, I know, shut up.

[CTyankee]

5. No, I don't ask anybody to "get over it"

I truly understand your stance on this. That is why it is so agonizing for me, another Democrat. I don't want any body to feel disenfranchised and certainly not "shut up." I want you to speak your mind. I want everyone to speak their mind. I want open discussion and a willingness to find a victory strategy in Ohio. That's all. That's it. Nothing more or less. Just find a victory strategy with whomever you or the other person has to find it. I don't care who wins in the Hackett-Brown debate. I think they are all good people and good Democrats. I just want them to sit down and talk and come to an agreement that helps Dems win in Ohio. Please.

[emulatorloo]

7. Personally I think it was Rove's doing or a Rove Repug Clone

Repug operative starts whispering campaign that Hackett is gonna get swiftboated

Repug operative starts whispering campaign that it is coming from Brown campaing, which gets Hackett Hacked Off

goal - get hackett out, smear brown, divide Dems hoping you'll go green or something. All Hail Returning Senator DeWine.

Stirring the pot in dem primaries is standard gop procedure.

[CTyankee]

10. Yeah, but

then why did Hackett originally pin the campaign on Rove and then publically back off and accuse Brown?

[emulatorloo]

11. because the "whispers" said Brown - whisperers can say whatever they want

EOM

[CTyankee]

13. You are saying that they said

Brown did it, Hackett believed it and went with that publicly. What evidence did the repub whisperers have to prove this with Hackett? He seemed like a pretty tough guy intellectualy to get past with stuff like this.

[emulatorloo]

15. I'm just speculating -- and not wanting to thread hijack --

because I really enjoyed your open letter =

At any rate, there have been some threads on DU w similar speculation . . . and an interesting post over at Daily Kos referenced in this DU thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=511070

<snip>

blm Fri Feb-24-06 02:11 PM

Hesiod post at kos is a MUST READ - he nails Hackett swiftboating to Rove

Remember when Rove tried to use Clark's camp as the rumor spreader about Kerry's nonexistent affair? Hesiod points out all the earmarks at his post.

I implore EVERYONE to read it.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/2/24/10920/4771

<snip>

[OzarkDem]

18. Not really n/t

Old news, time to move forward.

[OzarkDem]

17. Welcome to DU

If you live here in Ohio, I'd suggest the best remedy is to get out and start doing some grassroots organizing in your area.

Dems have a long list of good candidates running and we need all the help we can get.

:hi:

[mdmc]

3. that is a pretty shitty political scene

I hope we can pull it together.

[Lefty48197]

4. I think Paul Hackett should run for a House seat

he said he wouldn't because he had promised the previous candidate that he wouldn't run for the seat. I think we need that previous candidate to invite Hackett to run.

[IndianaGreen]

6. Tell Schumer and Reid to butt out of the states' voters

They are the ones that decided that Ohio primary voters should not be given a choice between Brown and Hackett.

[CTyankee]

8. That may be a really good strategy, for starters

Hackett may have generated more enthusiasm as he went along.

I am no enamored of Schumer and Reid so their judgement doesn't necessarily hold any water for me, one way or the other. It was just a little "too neat" for me that this story came out the way it did and I am suspicious of its release at this time. I am NOT saying this against Sherril Brown or in support of Paul Hackett. I am just saying I find it suspicious.

[OzarkDem]

19. There's nothing to be gained

from continuing to "stir the pot". Let's move forward, win some races and dissect this stuff in 2007. We need lots of help from Dems and can't afford to waste time on things we can't control right now.

Lets win races.

[MercutioATC]

26. YOU'RE decrying "stirring the pot"???

Oh, the irony...

[AtomicKitten]

9. I think some DU'ers should butt out of some discussions.

Particularly when all they do is beat the same dead horse. Everything is not DLC; in fact, many got the whole damn thing wrong. They are incensed over Hackett withdrawing, I repeat WITHDRAWING. HE was the one backed by the DLC, not Sherrod Brown. In fact, Sherrod Brown's voting record is infinitely more liberal/progressive than Hackett's one-issue platform of being anti-Iraq. Hell, who isn't anti-Iraq? I really like Hackett, I worked for Hackett, but he read the writing on the wall - he was losing in polling to Brown - and withdrew. Instead of throwing two good candidates at one job, Hackett should pull up his socks and run for the House. He will find all kinds of support if he does so.

I agree with the OP. Enough.

[IndianaGreen]

12. Even Howard Dean referred to the "skulduggery"

that took place to swiftboat Hackett.

There is a cancer infesting the Democratic Party and we are not going to deal with it if we behave like ostriches.

[CTyankee]

14. where does this "cancer" come from?

We should find it and look at it so that we can cure the body politic of it and win future races. We should NOT be engaged in attacks on other Democrats.

[OzarkDem]

21. Should we now?

Open every wound of every candidate who pulled out of a primary or didn't get a party endorsement right in the middle of one of the biggest election years in Ohio history?

Forget it, move on. We'll talk about it in 2007.

[OzarkDem]

20. Zzzzzzz n/t

[BootinUp]

23. I surmised the same thing

makes sense to me.

[OzarkDem]

16. We're ok, Sherrod Brown will win

He's an experienced, progressive candidate who has broad appeal to independent and swing voters. He's a former Secy of State in Ohio, has run statewide and knows how to run a good campaign. He's a long time friend of Ted Strickland, Congressman from southern Ohio, who is a favorite to win the governor's seat. They're campaigning together around the state.

He's already polling ahead of DeWine. We'll do fine. You can learn more about him and send him a donation if you like

http://www.sherrodbrown.com/

It won't be an easy race, as Rove has already targeted Ohio races in the midterm and has been very busy causing problems with his usual dirty tricks.

[Douglas Carpenter]

22. yes Sherrod is one of the most progressive members of the U.S. Congress

Sherrod Brown is one of the most progressive members of the U.S. Congress and a true grassroots democrat and Democrat.

Sherrod Brown bucked the Administration of his own party to fight furiously against NAFTA.

Sherrod Brown defied the tide and courageously fought and voted against the so-called Patriot Act.

Representative Brown fought and voted against the Iraq War Resolution

Sherrod Brown almost personally led the fight against CAFTA and the Bankruptcy Bill

Sherrod Brown helped pass the bill in Congress to provide Medicaid coverage to uninsured women diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer patients.


Brown Tops DeWine in New Poll
An Opinion Consultants poll finds Ohio voters favor Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) for the U.S. Senate over incumbent Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH), 43% to 38%

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2006/01/26/brown_tops_dewine_in_new_poll.html

Sherrod Brown is endorsed by PDA (Progressive Democrats of America) and is an outspoken member of the Progressive Caucus.

Representative Brown is at least as liberal as Sen. Kennedy or Sen. Feingold

courtesy of vote smart - link:

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=H3141103&type=category&category=Foreign%2BAid%2Band%2BPolicy%2BIssues&go.x=12&go.y=8

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Council on American-Islamic Relations 100 percent in 2005.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Peace Action 100 percent in 2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union 84 percent in 2003-2004.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 96 percent in 2005.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Arab American Institute 50 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the National Council of La Raza 100 percent in 2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Human Rights Campaign 77 percent in 2003-2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 90 percent in 2003-2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights 100 percent in 2003-2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the National Education Association 89 percent in 2003-2004.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers 100 percent in 2005.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Service Employees International Union 100 percent in 2005.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the United Auto Workers 93 percent in 2005.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Postal Workers Union 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the AFL-CIO 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the United Auto Workers 93 percent in 2004.

2004 On the votes that the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers considered to be the most important in 2004, Representative Brown voted their preferred position 88 percent of the time.

2004 On the votes that the Service Employees International Union considered to be the most important in 2004, Representative Brown voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Communications Workers of America 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers 100 percent in 2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees 100 percent in 2003-2004.

2003-2004 On the votes that the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers considered to be the most important in 2003-2004, Representative Brown voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Americans for Democratic Action 95 percent in 2004.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Wilderness Coalition 100 percent in 2005.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund 100 percent in 2005.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters 94 percent in 2003-2004.

2004 In 2004 National Organization for Women endorsed Representative Brown.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 100 percent in 2005.

[MercutioATC]

27. Always LOVE to see the gargantuan list that's been posted a zillion times.

:eyes:

[Nutmegger]

24. We do have to move on but must understand the underlying issues

about Hackett. The way it was handled was totally inappropriate and should not be allowed. Primaries are for the people to decided the right candidate for them. That's all I have to say about that.

I believe Brown would be successful though and I'm pleasantly surprised from what I've read about him.

BTW, GO NED LAMONT!!!

[CTyankee]

25. I'm feeling better

having read through all the posts to my thread. I had been thinking "what if this happened here in CT with Ned Lamont?" I have just signed up for his campaign, altho I live in heavy Joe country (the Westville section of New Haven where Joe used to live).

I am relieved to hear that Brown in ahead in the polls against DeWine. The Republicans have been so disgraceful in Ohio they don't deserve to be in office. I guess I saw the Hackett/Brown thing as ruining our good chance to really get Ohio to become blue, by dividing Dems.

I am still totally convinced that Rove is behind the swiftboating. If only we could expose this guy for the monster that he is!

[rockymountaindem]

28. Yeah, from all the hyperbole around here

you'd think democracy was dead and Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer killed it.