Yes friends, there's good and bad in here but hopefully things will improve. Many thanks to WW II Vet for compiling this brief history.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY PROBLEMSBy WW II Vet, Columbus, Ohio
DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR RESIGNS On Wednesday, November 23, 2005 (the day before Thanksgiving), Ohio Democratic Party Chair Dennis White announced his early resignation, to become effective December 1, 2005. Ohio governor candidate U. S. Congressman Ted Strickland immediately thanked White for his service, and announced his own choice for a new Chair - Ohio House Minority Leader Chris Redfern - who had recently endorsed Strickland for Ohio governor.
PAUL HACKETT FOR U. S. SENATE 2006 After Sherrod Brown refused for months to challenge Mike DeWine in 2006 for his Ohio Senate seat, Democratic leaders turned to Marine Major Paul Hackett, who had recently run an outstanding campaign that had gained him national recognition as a rising star in the party. But, no sooner had Hackett agreed to be the standard bearer, Sherrod Brown changed his mind, and said he would run against DeWine. By this time, Hackett had hired campaign staff, purchased a large bus, and already gained a loyal following. Hackett would officially declare on October 24, 2005. On December 16, 2005, the United Auto Workers, Ohio’s largest unaffiliated labor union, endorsed Paul Hackett, while the Cleveland AFL-CIO backed Brown.
Brown had been warned on Sunday, October 9, 2005, by concerned Democrats, at the Blackwell Hotel meeting of Upper Arlington Progressive Action, about splitting the Democratic Party with an unnecessary primary, endangering his own congressional seat, and draining precious resources.
He was asked specifically at the Upper Arlington meeting to explain why he would challenge Hackett after having his chance to run and for months claiming he was not interested.
BROWN IGNORED ALL WARNINGS “The Hackett/Brown situation” was discussed, at length October 5-12, 2005, on Brown’s website, GrowOhio.org, covering many pages. It began with “Now, Sherrod Brown has changed his mind. While it is of course well within his right to change his mind, this is causing a great deal of discussion and some hard feelings in different corners of he internet. This isn’t the way to defeat DeWine. A difficult primary will only serve to diminish funds needed to defeat DeWine.”
Some points made were: (1) avoid a primary; (2) Brown should wait and try for a Senate seat in 2010; (3) people are very angry about what Brown is doing; (4) Brown is giving up his valuable House Seniority; (5) Brown missed his opportunity to run; 6) Brown is giving ammunition to the right wing press; (7) the Democrats need unity above all; (8) Hackett inspires, makes people want to win; (9) Hackett is a Iraq veteran; (10) Hacket is hot and we should capitalize on that; (11) this is a dangerous time for a primary; (12) Brown is causing disruption in a party already weak: (13) Brown’s actions have angered me greatly; (14) Brown should help Hackett win; (15) Hackett is from SW Ohio which is a big plus.
A straw poll done by DailyKos, right after Brown announced he was reconsidering a run for DeWine’s senate seat, showed Major Paul Hackett leading Brown – 86% to 13% - a seventy point advantage. Kos added, “And with all apologies to Brown, who is one of the greats in the House, but this isn’t cool. He bows out, waits for Hackett to gear up, and then floats a trial balloon about getting back in? Brown must’ve known about Hackett’s decision to run, hence this trial balloon is sabotage.”
The Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Washington reporters – Stephen Koff and Elizabeth Auster - wrote, on Friday, October 6, 2005, concerning Brown’s “on-and-off flirtation that’s lasted for months…But before Brown, 52, can talk about his own work on health care, trade, Social Security and the environment, he’ll have to deal with a clumsy situation. Brown announced his intentions just three days after another Democrat, Paul Hackett of suburban Cincinnati, got into the Senate race. Hackett decided to run after Brown announced in August that he would stay in the U. S. House – a decision that, Brown said two weeks ago, he didn’t regret. The Hackett camp says it feels betrayed, since Brown, of Avon, assured Hackett face-to-face that he was not running.”
COALITION FOR “THE STATUS QUO” Ted Strickland, in the meantime, has teamed up to run with U. S. Congressman Sherrod Brown who, after more lengthy procrastination, finally on December 3, 2005, officially challenged Paul Hackett for Mike DeWine’s U. S. senate seat.
It is believed that Dennis White, Ted Strickland, Chris Redford, and Sherrod Brown timed a Thanksgiving move to catch everyone else unprepared so they could have their handpicked State Chair, with little opposition, in place by December 19, 2005 - the date of the Democratic Party’s holiday affair – for the ordained Coronation.
STATEWIDE FORUMS RECOMMENDED Fortunately, grassroots activists were also ready and able to quickly respond to the White resignation. On Monday, November 28, 2005, the Ohio Honest Elections Campaign called for a series of statewide forums to offer “Democracy For Democrats.” Forums would showcase those running for chair, give rank and file party members a chance to be involved, and thereby develop an effective opposition party in the state of Ohio – so necessary for a healthy democracy and the good of all Ohio citizens.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY REJECTS DEMOCRACY The Party refused to sponsor any forums and insisted on the December 19 party schedule. This left only time for one forum to serve as a demonstration project. It would be sponsored by the Ohio Honest Elections Campaign, co-sponsored by Ohio Voter Fund, and held Tuesday, December 13, 2005, at the Columbus First Congregational Church on East Broad Street.
While the Sherrod Brown-Ted Strickland coalition, including old time Democratic loser-leaders, rejected the idea of statewide forums to elect a new chair, Paul Hackett enthusiastically endorsed the forums as a way to invigorate the party and give Democrats the best chance for winning in 2006, and thereafter.
SUCCESSFUL FORUM Despite snow and cold weather, this forum was well attended by concerned Democrats from all over the state. Most of the chair candidates were there - including Dennis Eckart, Susan Gwinn, Dennis Lieberman, Jane Mitakides, Chris Redfern, and Steven Reece.
Concerning the two front running candidates - Chris Redfern left early because he obviously felt that a scheduled party was more important then a job interview by constituents. This, no doubt, partly influenced informal blog polling which strongly favored Montgomery County Democratic Chair Dennis Lieberman for Ohio Democratic Chair. More important, Redfern was refusing to give up his Ohio legislative seat in order to be a full time Chair. Lieberman promised to relinquish his County Chair position and his legal practice.
DECEMBER 19, 2005 - THE OHIO DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHRISTMAS PARTY ELECTION Despite bitterly cold weather, old timers said this was the largest turnout they could remember. The vote for a new chair took place before the actual party.
Besides delegates, the room was jammed with special guests and delegate supporters, especially for the two leading candidates – Dennis Lieberman and Chris Redfern. Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin, who tried valiantly to preside over the meeting, was clearly at a huge disadvantage because the unruly audience consistently participated in the proceedings – cheering and booing on cue.
Obviously, the Ted Strickland-Sherrod Brown coalition (including the old-guard of loser-leaders) had everything prearranged for Redfern’s election. In particular, they changed the rules from secret paper ballots to a stand up vote in order to follow through on widely reported pre-election intimidation of the delegates (to vote for their hand-picked Redfern).
When the vote tally confirmed Redfern’s election, he was duly sworn in, and read a prepared speech - calling for party unity, and promising he would be a full time chair, but actually as a part time chair since he will stay in the Ohio legislature, and even plans to run again.
Therefore, the Toledo Blade had a valid point in reporting that Republican Chair Bob Bennett was calling for Redfern’s resignation so that taxpayers will “not subsidize his new party job.” A December 24, 2005 Columbus Dispatch Editorial warned, “The Ohio Democratic Party boss shouldn’t try to handle two important jobs.”
The Cleveland Plain Dealer declared “the behind-the-scenes struggles have badly splintered the party…The party’s old-guard leaders, at the helm during years of miserable results at the polls, threw their weight behind Redfern. His campaign was orchestrated by Columbus labor leader Ron Malone, an informal adviser to Strickland. Lieberman drew his backing from the party’s minority leaders, some labor leaders and the big-city Democrats, including Tubbs Jones and Jimmy Dimora, chairman of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party.”
John McCarthy of the Associated Press wrote: “The Ohio Democratic Party elected a new chairman last week with the two challengers joining the victor on stage, their hands clasped in unity and the party faithful cheering. The scene, however, capped an hour-long shouting match more commonly found on trash TV.”
REACTIONS BY PARTY MEMBERS Initially stunned in disbelief, concerned activists quickly recovered, and have vowed at least three things: (1) to profit from the fiasco they witnessed; (2) to even more closely monitor those trying to keep the sorry status quo; and (3) work doubly hard to elect a full time Democratic Party Chair in May 2006 – one who will not further divide the party, who listens to the citizens, is all inclusive, and does not tolerate threats and intimidation.
THE BLOGS REPORT “It was a hell of a night at the corner of 4th and Main… The election room was packed for the coronation…” declared Psychobilly Democrat.
Buckeye Senate blog wrote: “The happiest man in Ohio today is Bob Bennett. What went on tonight and in the days leading up to the vote was nothing short of shameful. When Stephanie Tubbs Jones stands up and talks about intimidation (the room was dripping with it), threats against peoples jobs and bribery you know you are at an ODP event…”
Live from Dayton wrote: “Tonight the media, spectators, and ODP Central Committee witnessed first hand the personified problems of the ODP…”
SHERROD BROWN’S BIZARRE BEHAVIOR The following day, on December 20, 2005, Buckeye Senate wrote “Sherrod Brown Unplugged,” which set the stage for the day’s blogosphere, and for an indefinite time to come.
“Pounder” first referred to “reports that Sherrod Brown had berated a group of Columbus Activists… basically upset about their support for Hackett.”
Then he described his own hostile encounter with Brown and Brown’s wife, Connie Schultz, who were very unhappy with what he had been writing, because Brown believed “he is a lock and we should all be attacking the Republicans…”
A short time later, Pounder “noticed blogger Tim Russo [of Buckeye Politics] talking to Sherrod Brown – now when I say talking – I mean it in a very animated way, flapping his arms around like a Jerry Springer guest who just found out his wife had been screwing his best buddy. It was bizarre – especially as it drew more people around the ‘altercation’… I’ve never seen a candidate lose it like this in a public setting, let alone a Christmas Party.”
Congressman Brown was clearly unhappy with anyone supporting Paul Hackett for Senate. He was also concerned about a 1985 story surfacing which involved alleged drug dealing in his Secretary of State’s office. It seems that what abruptly ended his conversation with “Pounder” was when “he leaned into me and said in a hushed tone ‘Don’t spread rumors about drug abuse.’” Prior to this encounter, “drugs” had also been part of Brown’s conversation with the activists when he expressed concern that bloggers were spreading the story.
This was particularly strange because the 1985 story had already surfaced, on October 9, 2005, when The Columbus Dispatch senior editor, Joe Hallett, referred to when Hamilton County Commissioner Bob Taft, in a heated debate with Sherrod Brown on October 23, 1990, asked “Where were you when drugs were being sold in your office?”
While Brown was berating people, just across the room, Paul Hackett was constantly surrounded by admiring fans wanting to shake his hand, and described in Buckeye Politics, as being “something of a rock star.”
I WAS AT THE CHRISTMAS PARTY Comments on Pounder’s Buckeye Senate report referred to Sherrod Brown going after an 84 year old World War II veteran. I’ll admit to being an “octogenarian,” and a Women’s Army Corps veteran; also to having talked previously to Sherrod Brown and Connie Schultz, at the October 9, 2005 Upper Arlington Progressive Action meeting. I tried to warn them then about spitting the Democratic Party when we had such an excellent chance of winning the 2006 Senate race with Paul Hackett as our candidate. Hackett was already outpolling Mike DeWine – 44.2% to 35.9% - on a Zogby Interactive Poll.
At the Christmas Party, when I found Sherrod Brown giving a friend of mine a heated lecture on why he should not support Paul Hackett, I naturally joined the conversation. But, in no way did I attack, assault, or even touch the Congressman, as was erroneously reported on the blogs. And, I definitely did not have any picture taken with him.
The only thing I did was remind him of the warning “to not split the party,” which he had received at the Upper Arlington Progressive Action fall meeting, and now it had happened. Over and over, he angrily declared that he did not split the party, and I replied “Yes, you did because Hackett was in first!” Needless to say, our encounter was very brief.
As already stated, Brown had numerous chances to run for DeWine’s senate seat before Paul Hackett was recruited, and turned them all down until Hackett said he would run. Then Brown suddenly jumped in. Now we are faced with an unnecessary, costly, and damaging primary.
THE BROWN CAMP DENIES WHAT HAPPENED As soon as news of Brown’s angry behavior spread around the blogs, there were counter claims that Buckeye Senate and Buckeye Politics had made it all up. Comments for Brown offered distorted versions - claiming other individuals had been present at reported encounters, knew they was not true, they did not happen; Sherrod Brown was always calm, respectful, collected at all times; he had been faced with “a barrage of curse words,” etc., etc. Buckeye Senate and Buckeye Politics were even threatened with “creative” ways to shut them down.
ACTUAL THREATS For examples, on December 21, 2005, at 8:05 AM, “thisblogishorseshit” threatened in a comment on Buckeye Senate to “file a law suit or something, I dunno, I’ll get creative.” When warned by Ohio 2nd blog, “Dude, you really don’t want to be threatening the staff here. Really…trust me… you really really don’t,” “thisblogishorseshit” replied at 8:20 AM, “I’m not threatening the staff. I’m trying to get you shut down. Perfectly legitimate. And I’m going to. It’s my goal for the holiday season.” There were other threats, including family members.
BUCKEYE SENATE UNCOVERS BROWN CAMPAIGN'S INVOLVEMENT By December 27, 2005, Buckeye Senate, with the help of the blog host, was able to uncover particularly significant information linking Brown’s online outreach director, Philip De Villis, with using the Brown campaign’s own email Philip@sherrodbrown.com and posting erroneous information on many blogs.
Also, it was found by tracking IP addresses of the posts that numerous identities of responders (including “thisblogishorsehit”) were being used by one person from the Brown campaign - trying in every way possible to cover up Brown’s angry behavior, at the same time discrediting and threatening those who reported on it.
While Brown supporters valiantly continue to try and change the subject, Sherrod Brown has surely backed himself into a tight corner, and does not seem to know how to get out of it.
CHARACTER IS ALL IMPORTANT Buckeye Senate sums up the significance of what happened at the Christmas Party, why the blogs continue to report on it, and why it does not go away:
“Finally, being a US Senator is about leadership and part of that is how you allow your staff to conduct themselves, if this sorry episode is any guide, then leadership is something sorely lacking in Sherrod Brown - did he authorize his staff to engage in this activity? Meet the Bloggers just got a whole lot more interesting.”
SHERROD BROWN CANCELLED “MEET THE BLOGGERS” Brown was scheduled to meet with the Ohio blogs at Talkies, a coffee shop in Ohio City, on January 14, 2006. On January 9, 2006, Brown spokesman Philip De Vellis, announced in a voice mail to George Nemeth of Meet the Bloggers, that “he doesn’t want to sit down with critic Tim Russo after what happened at the ODP Christmas Party.” At the same time Russo’s blog Buckeye Politics was abruptly shut down until further notice.
Needless to say, this caused much consternation on the blogosphere and made what happened at the Christmas Party gain even more importance. Psychobilly Democrat recalled saying “this story had the longest legs ever? Like Pinocchio’s nose...”
THE STORY REACHES THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA AS SATIRE On Thursday, January 12, 2006, The Dayton Daily News reported “Dayton Rallies Behind Buckeyepolitics.net”
Residents of Dayton showed their overwhelming support for the missing blog, Buckeypolitics.net, and its author, Tim Russo, throughout the city on Wednesday.
…
On Tuesday, Community leaders Rhine McClin, Charles Curran, Vicki Pegg, and Debborah Lieberman gathered to plan a memorial to honor Buckeyepolitics longstanding gift to the community. “We just felt it was appropriate. Buckeyepolitics has given us so much, we needed to give something back,” proclaimed a statement released by Curran’s office.
Roughly 5,000 people showed up at Courthouse square on Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the gift they had received. Local resident Joyel Plump said, “No matter how many tears I give, it’s just not going t can you do. I just pray.”
There were pictures of children holding candles and a sign saying “Godbless Buckeyepoliteics.net” and scores of people with a very large sign proclaiming “Dayton SUPPORTS RUSSO – Dayton SUPPORTS BUCKEYEPOLITICS.” *wink*
TIM RUSSO REPORTS On January 12, 2006, Brewed Fresh Daily blog, Tim wrote that he attended “the candlelight vigil in Dayton disguised as a giant chicken which allowed me to conceal my open weeping…Tito, hand me a tissue….” The post linked to the picture of Sherrod Brown as an enormous chicken which Buckeye Politics had posted following Brown’s refusal to meet with the bloggers. Russo added:
"Buckeye Politics and I have parted ways.. nor are we defending legal threats from any quarter other than from a bunch of anonymous paid Sherrod Brown staff. It’s a business decision. I’m retreating from blogging to lick my wounds and wait for my inevitable Pulitzer, which I will then use as a club with which to bludgeon other bloggers whom I despise, seems to be quite a useful tactic."
Russo ended by throwing his complete support for Paul Hackett for Senate. All this leaves tantalizing questions to be pursued regarding the Brown campaign’s ultimate involvement in Russo’s leaving the blogosphere, and creating a new folk hero..
HOTLINE’S BLOGOMETER REPORTS On January 13, 2006, there was a rather lengthy report, entitled “Endtroducing A Buckeye For an Eye.” It began “Until this week, lively-to-read and widely-read Cleveland-based gadfly Tim Russo ran the Democratic leaning site Buckeye Politics for Oh-based blog entrepreneur Gerando Orlando.” Then it mentions the December 19th Democratic Party and tells about how Russsell “Pounder” Hughlock traced threatening posts against two bloggers to the Brown campaign. When contacted by the Hotline Blogometer, Phil DeVillis denied making the posts but admitted that someone did. There has not been an investigation. The Hotline Blogometer was not able to find out any more concerning Tim Russo’s sudden departure from the blogosphere.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH TEAM MEETS PAUL HACKETT Joe Hallett, senior editor of the Dispatch, hit a home run on January 15, 2006, when he wrote “Candid candidate: Hackett calls ‘em like he sees ‘em.” Ohio Honest Elections Campaign website, and several blogs, quoted the article with positive comments.
Brilliant at Breakfast blog wrote “You’ve got to LOVE this guy,” and emphasized “Washington Democratic hacks, take note: THIS is what we want in a candidate,” re-printed Hallett’s column, and described “reading about Paul Hackett is like giving a drop of water to someone who’s crawled through the desert for days.”
The blog concluded with “The problem is, given how Washington Democrats have completely sold us down the river and show no signs of wanting to be an opposition party again, why on earth should we believe that Brown would be a significant improvement over Mike DeWine?”
This should be added: Like Illinois Senator Barack Obama, Democratic Party rising star Major Paul Hackett, with intelligence and grace, excites Democrats, Republicans, and Independents - while relating to their real problems. If Party leaders ignore his potential, then they will soon be added to the endangered species list.
