Governor Strickland to go all out for Hillary in Ohio

[Herman Munster]

http://thebellwetherdaily.blogspot.com/2008/02/ted-strickland-hillary-is-counting-on.html

Now, Ohio could be for all the marbles, or at least a huge sackful. Clinton must rely on Strickland's homestate clout -- he's one of the nation's most popular governors -- to hold Obama back. Indeed, he probably has become her best hope. The governor has campaigned for her in Iowa and South Carolina -- tuneups for the job at hand. Soon, he'll be turning up all over his own state singing her praises. He's not shy about supporting Hillary. When he endorsed her last November, he said:

"She is the strongest candidate that our party can put forth, and she is the candidate who can win the presidency."

And:

"These serious times call for a leader with Hillary Clinton's strength and experience. Hillary has what it takes to win Ohio and take back the White House in 2008. Her commitment to rebuilding the middle class and expanding opportunity for all Americans is exactly what this country needs."

Clinton and Strickland are going to be spending time in Ohio's urban counties. But insiders say they'll also be visiting plenty of small communites like Coshocton and Portsmouth, places where Strickland's support runs deep. Those rural and semi-rural Democrats could be the key for Hillary, who seems to be losing support among African Americans, who represent some 15% of the Democrat vote in Ohio. It is no secret that the governor -- who served in Congress representing a rural district and grew up in Scioto County in Appalachia -- has a strong base and emotional ties in rural and smalltown Ohio, where about 15% of the state's 11 million residents live.

[AX10]

1. She should also spend...

tomorrow in VA.
k/r

[Tennessee Gal]

2. Good news. Thanks for sharing.

[theHandpuppet]

3. Strickland can deliver a big chunk of SE Ohio

Bet on it. That's my home turf and they trust Ted.

[VolcanoJen]

10. With all due respect to Ted...

... and I adore him, do you really think Athens County is going to go for Clinton?

I think the big advantage Obama has in Ohio are the college students. And a cursory glance at the Spring Break calendar shows the only major Ohio school not in session the week of March 4th is University of Toledo.

I think this thing is just bigger than Ted, this year.

[theHandpuppet]

12. Nope, I'd bet that Athens (Ohio U.) will go for Obama

The college students will go for Barack, while the poor, the elderly, and the working class in Appalachian Ohio will go for Clinton.

[VolcanoJen]

14. I would say under normal circumstances, they'd split the way other states have.

But in the cities, I really see a move toward Obama among working-class service employees, a huge segment. And the thing about "Little Tuesday" is the momentum. I don't see Ohio voters as institutional Democrats in the southwest especially, and if Obama keeps up the momentum through the remaining February contests, I especially can't see Ohio voters repudiating that and rejecting him.

If anything, it'll be close. But despite Strickland's support, this state is no longer a Clinton lock.

[theHandpuppet]

17. This is where an endorsement from Edwards could make a big difference

Especially among blue collar workers.

[Botany]

4. The mayor of Columbus, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and dems from ....

.... Cincinnati have all come out for Obama.

[theHandpuppet]

6. I hate to break this to you...

But the CPD is a right wing rag. Getting their endorsement isn't exacly something I would crow about.

[Botany]

7. I know that but it is better to have "it" than not to have "it"

:bounce:

[theHandpuppet]

9. Is it?

Is it really? Think about it.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

5. Cuyahoga County is ripe for election rigging

Cuyahoga has been the center of election problems each year,
and this year may be even worse.

The SOS Brunner has ignored the advice of experts and activists and has ordered that
the county switch to paper ballots (that part is good, but read on)

but the ballots WON'T be counted at the polling places.

Instead, Brunner has it set up so that half way through the day, the ballots will be picked up
and transported to the county office and the counting will begin.

At the end of the day there will be another pick up, and more ballots will take a little
trip (away from the public eye) and to the county office to finish the counting.

This leaves the election wide open for fraud during the "travel" time.

Cuyahoga is a large county, has a population of about 1.3 million.

[theHandpuppet]

8. At least Blackwell is gone

So there's at least a better chance that voting will go smoother this year. Still, there's got to be a better way.

[OzarkDem]

11. Brunner is taking special precautions there

She's a loyal Dem, very trustworthy.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

19. we know she is a Dem, but computer scientist, DEM activists etc

have strongly criticized Brunner's mis guided efforts to haul the ballots off of the premises
(the polling places) in mid day to the county location.

Ballots should be counted at the polling places for security reasons.

Another horrible idea Brunner tried to mandate but was thwarted was her plan
to eliminate 90% of all polling places in Cuyahoga County and some others.

She was going to replace them with mega precincts, and almost everyone or perhaps
every voter would have a different polling place in Nov.

Being a Dem doesn't make it ok, having good intentions doesn't make a bad idea good.

[bvar22]

13. Deja Vu?

Didn't the Governor of Ohio promise to deliver his states votes to Bush in 2004?
Didn't he make good on that promise?

What's Up with Ohio?

[Nashyra]

15. Visiting Ohio

Leaving for columbus Ohio on the 26th of March to go visit granddaughters. I'm sure we will have some fun on a campaign detail.

[theHandpuppet]

16. Are you insinuating...

That Ted Strickland, a good man and a loyal Democrat, is another Bob Taft and that Jennifer Brunner is just another Ken Blackwell?

You want a war you GOT ONE. Bring it on.

[Botany]

18. No

That was Wally O'Dell ceo of Diebold.

[OzarkDem]

20. 2006 - New governor - a Dem

Whole new ball game.

Ted Strickland, a former Congressman from the Appalachian area of Ohio and a Democrat, is Ohio's new governor since being elected in 2006. He's a popular governor, well liked even in traditionally red counties in Ohio. He committed to Sen. Clinton early on. He's committed to cleaning up the mess the GOP made in Ohio, so is not considering a run for VP (a rumor the GOP tried to start to get him out of Ohio, and give them a new shot).

In 2004, the GOP had controlled Ohio government for the previous 10 years. So they had time to assemble a great system for stealing votes. That system is being dismantled by Dem SoS Jennifer Bruner. Its tough going, she is being attacked regularly by the GOP and the GOP controlled news media (Plain Dealer) who are fighting to undo election reform. They went ballistic when she required Cuyahoga County get rid of its Diebold touch screen machines and go to regular paper ballots.