Complex mix behind Hackett's withdrawal

[Algorem]

Political newcomer ill at ease with process

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/114025579369310.xml&coll=2

Saturday, February 18, 2006
Elizabeth Auster
Plain Dealer Bureau
Washington

...Interviews with people familiar with his campaign suggest that Hackett's team was struggling not only with outside pressures from Democrats eager to avoid a primary, but also from internal tensions stemming partly from Hackett's personality and his newness to the grueling pressures of running a hotly contested, high-profile Senate race...

While most candidates share that feeling, people familiar with Hackett's campaign say he was especially resistant to efforts by aides to get him to use one of the most efficient but unpleasant fund raising techniques: sitting at the phone for hours, calling friends, relatives, and strangers to ask for money. Tension over the problem led in January to the departure of his finance director.

Hackett, who prized his independent streak and proudly called it a family trait - he voted twice for Ross Perot for president and championed gun rights as well as gay rights - also chafed at having his schedule set by aides. On the weekend before he bowed out, aides say, he stunned his staff by refusing at the last minute to attend certain events - including appearances at several black churches - that had apparently been put on his schedule over his objections...


He referred a reporter to Clermont County Democratic chairman David Lane, who said Friday that he has "seen no proof that a Democrat" was behind the rumors...

[MrBenchley]

1. "You won't have Paul Hackett to kick around any more."

Perhaps the most graceless excuse for a campaign failure since Nixon in 1962.

[moobu2]

2. Damn and I used to like Paul Hackett

I mean Hackett made the decision to get into a primary with someone who had a much better organization and much more money. He was warned beforehand that running would hurt everyone, but he insisted on running anyway. When it was obvious he wouldn’t win he throws a paranoid sounding fit.

[bklyncowgirl]

3. Hackett was a talented but inexperienced candidate who needed help.

Talented outsiders are like racehorses, high maintenance, requiring a great deal of care and feeding and training.

The end result, however, should be worth it. The party leaders preferred to help his opponent. What I find reprehensible is that the party begged Hackett to run after Sherrod Brown said he would not run. After Brown changed his mind they then changed their minds and backed Brown--or did they encourage Brown to get back in bacause Hackett was too high maintenance.

Also, if the Democrats didn't put out the Hackett war crimes rumors, who did. Was this a Rove preemptive strike against a candidate who had the potential to catch fire with angry blue collar voters?

[RBInMaine]

4. Frankness and plain talk is good, but there has to be balance.

All things must have their limits and stay in balance. What I saw of Paul Hackett on the one hand was a refreshing, backboned,
plain-speaking tough talker who stood by what he said. On the other hand, it has come to my attention that he could also be something of a "loose cannon" who went a bit over the top (i.e. "R's are with a bunch of religious wackos." or something like that can backfire bigtime.), and, in addition, didn't always have solid command of the issues. It can't just be about image and tough talk. People want someone who knows the issues and policy very well too.
You must have both, and you also have to be willing to do things in a campaign with regard to fundraising, etc. that perhaps Hackett wasn't comfortable with. There must be balance between clear, plain talk and coming off as unsteady and hyperbolic. Do that and you risk making yourself look merely like a novelty candidate and not a serious candidate. I think he did a great job last summer against "Mean Jean Schmidt" and perhaps should have run against her again rather than aiming as high as the Senate right now. And if he's so turned off over the realities of politics that he's cutting and running out of politics altogether, then maybe he shouldn't have gotten into the game in the first place. It's a blood sport that takes a very strong stomach, and it's not for everyone. Ultimately it was his decision to leave whether or not there was any "pressure" to do so. From what I understand, the "pressure" was to run for the Congressional seat instead because the party thought that would be the better move in the long run and the best chance to take out Mean Jean. In that sense, they were honoring Hackett's perceived ability to take out Schmidt in a re-match. Now we must go forward and help Sherrod Brown, a very good candidate, take out Dewine. What's done is done. Let's move on and train the fire on Dewine and the R's!

[bluestateguy]

5. I'll forget about this if Sherrod Brown wins

But so help me, if he loses, I will post the most sneering, obnoxious "I told you so" post here that I can dream up.

[Kagemusha]

6. Funny how all of a sudden no one ever knew Hackett.

I'll keep saying it: I can't see how any of the "Fighting Dems" Kos likes to push are going to succeed in the Democratic Party. There's no charge leveled against Hackett that can't be applied to any non-"professional" politician and ex-veteran. Now that he's no longer useful, he's a selfish bastard for even considering running. No surprise to me.

No question he was not the greatest politician. But to make the next step and slam him as a bad man too, gratuitously, gleefully, "I told you so"-ly, that may not be the classiest of approaches. I would not use "politics is a hard messy business" as an excuse.

On the other hand, Hackett's done. He's out. His fate no longer matters to the electoral picture that has national implications. I wish people would stop spitting on his grave, but he's done and it'd be good to move on without the spitting.

[Algorem]

11. His campaign staffers seem to have gotten to know him pretty well.

[greenohio]

7. And the white wash continues. Now he's inexperienced and his

personality caused internal tensions. Whatever.

[Algorem]

10. yah,whatever,let's not hear what really happened,let's just continue to

trash the Democratic Party.

[yurbud]

15. "upsets the staff" used to sink Cal Sec of State who took on Diebold

GOP attacked, Dems stood back and let them chase him out of office, and Arnold got to pick his replacement.

[greenohio]

8. Hey admins...question?

Why does an article from the republican mouth piece, PD, stay in latest breaking but an article by Mother Jones get booted?

http://www.motherjones.com/news/update/2006/02/hackett_drops_out.html

[roseBudd]

9. I knew when I saw him on Bill Maher how easily his words would be used

against him. It was just an offhand sexual double entendre regarding gay rights meant to be funny, something to the effect "Bill I don't know you that well"

I knew how easily his words would be twisted.

[wordpix2]

12. it is very demeaning to phone or make in-person calls and beg for money

Unfortunately, that's what you have to do as a candidate b/c money's what is needed in a campaign and it's KILLING our democracy.

[Captain Hilts]

13. Why doesn't he run against Schmidt again? nt

[Ken Burch]

14. As I understood it, he promised not to

And now, there is another strong Democratic candidate in that race.

To me, the biggest mistake Hackett made was in attacking Sherrod Brown FROM THE RIGHT. If he had stayed in and Brown had defeated him(which was a likely if not probable result)those attacks would have been used in Dewine attack ads all through the fall.