I'm gonna need a moment.

Governor Sarah Palin in the most recent issue of Runner's World...


You're welcome.

Even more Gibbs...

This guy is the best thing Obama ever gave Republicans. Thanks, Mr. President.

Building off of my last post, here is the press openly giggling at Gibbs trying to deflect the assertion that Obama is backing off his 'no taxes for those making under 250k' pledge.



How serious of a promise was it? Check out 3BP's own video to find out (now at almost 12,000 hits!).

It's not fair to judge the stimulus already.

Or so your liberal friends say.

Do yourself a favor, next time you hear that, show them this...



New national job numbers come out Thursday.

Don't say I never did anything for ya.

Whoops.

So it looks like I missed quite an eventful day.

My apologies to my readers that are used to 4-5 updates a day. My real life took over in the form of all-day meetings up in the metropolis that is Baltimore.

Look for some minor updates tonight and I'll be back full force tomorrow.

If there is one thing you do today...

...it should be this.*

Today is the deadline for statewide candidates in Ohio to collect contributions that will be included in their respective financial disclosure report.

If you have a spare $10, or maybe a $1500 hanging around that was supposed to be for a flatscreen that just won't quite work in your new condo, now is the time to send it to someone that really can turn Ohio around: John Kasich.

Money is a necessary evil in every political campaign. Without it, even the most worthy of causes can fail. Don't let that happen.

Click this link and make a difference.


If you've already contributed, take 5 minutes and forward this link along to your friends and family.

It's worth it.

* - Ok, maybe eating, drinking, getting some work done and saying hi to your kids is up there too...but this is pretty damn close.

That's how you make an entrance.

The folks over at the Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee e-mailed me the following video.

I'll give them this, they know how to get noticed.

Props.

The bottom rung.

Everybody wants a hero.

In desperate times, when no one has come to save you, it's only natural to cling to the first shred of hope that you see.

A propensity for change while the world crumbles around you encourages an individual to search for the bottom rung of the ladder that heads up.

And that's what Mitt Romney is.

The bottom rung.

Romney is a prominent Party figure right now in a political environment with a major leadership vacuum. Thanks to his self-promotion, he's one of the easiest and accessible leaders for the GOP. But that doesn't mean he's the right one.

The constant fawning for Romney that I've seen from GOP activists and bloggers nationwide has left quite a bad taste in my mouth.

Make no mistake. The race for the 2012 GOP nomination is already on and Romney's team has done a good job keeping him in the news and encouraging the perception of him as the Party's only hope for 2012. Something more apparent after reading today's Politico:

But GOP observers say that Romney’s stock is rising for two other important reasons — the political climate and his own deft moves since losing the nomination.

After the national security-dominated Bush years, the recession has brought the importance of economic issues into sharp focus.

Following a primary spent trying to navigate the politics of Iraq and a vigorous — and sometimes cringe-inducing — courtship of social conservatives, the issue matrix now favors Romney’s background as a turnaround specialist.

Many like to knock Obama for what they see as the perennial campaign. In reality, it's Romney's team that has made it much more blatant, at least to those that keep a close eye on politics.

And I don't blame him. His team has done a great job doing just enough to keep him in the news and preparing for his eventual redeployment.

But the political activists that praise these moves ignore something far more important.

His record.

There are three reasons I will never support Mitt Romney in a GOP primary:

1. Romneycare - As was written about yet again in yesterday's Boston Globe, Romney's single major policy achievement during his time as Governor has been a colossal failure. It spends way too much and does way too little. In reality, it's as far from fiscal conservatism as a Republican could get. If one is running for President after serving as Governor, especially on a plank of fiscal conservatism, having this on your record should alone be a disqualifier. On top of it all, a Rasmussen poll that came out yesterday showed only 10% of Massachusetts residents believe Romney's plan has improved health care in the state. Ouch.
   


2. Romney's gratuitous politically motivated flip-flops on abortion - First off, this criticism isn't about being pro-life or pro-choice. It's about principle. When running for Senate, then Governor, Romney promised to "preserve and protect a woman's right to choose." When he knew he'd be running for President, he conveniently changed his mind. Some accept his explanation. I don't. It's much too obvious to see it as anything less than it was - a flip flop on a major issue for the sole reason of helping his chances to win the nomination.
   
   Some say the flip-flop is nothing others haven't done. A classic Romney-supporter defense is to claim Reagan once was pro-choice. That, to put it lightly, is intellectually dishonest. Read this post to get background on just how wrong it is to claim Reagan was once just as pro-choice as Romney.
   
   Now, if Romney had been pro-choice back during his college or corporate raider days and had evolved his position over the years, fine. But to ignore the timing of his "evolution" requires a particularly large set of blinders. Accepting Romney's complete lack of principle on this issue means accepting the worst in our political leaders, and I just can't get past that.
   


3. 2008 - Mitt Romney had every possible advantage in last year's primary; vast cash advantage, the best political staff money could buy, and a field with no clear frontrunner. And yet, he still found a way to lose. Why? He couldn't connect. If we ignore the great hair and tan, all we have left is a stiff who couldn't effectively communicate his message to the base. And we're supposed to think someone who couldn't do that, with all those advantages, would be able to effectively communicate with swing voters? No way. No how.
   

GOP fiscal conservatives can do far better than Mitt Romney. Let's hope Party activists give their primary voters a chance to see what else is out there.

"Coshocton" isn't just a fun word to say...

...it's also the hometown of the latest newspaper to rip Ohio's Governor a new one.

Here are a few highlights, but make sure you read the whole thing:

I'll tell you one thing, but do another. Gov. Ted Strickland should consider that as a slogan for his re-election campaign. It may not work in his favor, but at least it would be forthright.

[...]

Then there are our taxes. Strickland said higher fees equate to higher taxes. He also said he wouldn't raise our taxes and he didn't. Want to guess what happened to various state agency user fees?

We did not - and do not - expect Strickland to work miracles. Times are tough. Ohioans know that - we live it every day. However it would be nice if a politician, somewhere and at sometime, would keep his word.

I know we're a long way off from 2010 newspaper endorsements, but I'm starting to wonder if any major Ohio newspapers will even consider supporting Ted Strickland.

88-0.

That's how County GOP leaders voted in determining whether to endorse John Kasich for Governor.

Missing the point.

From ONN via Ohio Politics Online:

Sources have confirmed to Capitol Square host John Fortney that an interim seven-day budget bill will be introduced at the Ohio Senate.

The budget talks broke down this weekend when Senate President Republican Bill Harris told Gov. Ted Strickland he could not support video slots at Ohio’s horse tracks as part of the budget.

I also learned via Dix Newspapers that Strickland is trying to use a 2007 vote by Harris for Instant Gaming at racetracks as a tool to paint the Senate President as a hypocrite.

But that is moot.

Despite whatever distractions Strickland's team tries to use, there is no refuting the fact that Strickland could enact his gambling proposal by executive order, just as he did to bring Keno to Ohio.

Governor Strickland, despite all your proclamations of the past two years, and in defiance of the will of the people, if you want gambling in Ohio, go ahead.

You can end this budget negotiation right now.

It's your choice.

The reversal.

Sotomayor's infamous "white firefighters" decision was reversed 5-4.

This may excite some GOP activists into thinking this will provide the ammo necessary to stop Sotomayor's Senate approval.

It's not.

But it can be utilized as yet another tool to cast doubt upon Obama's decisionmaking.

Make it a serious line of questioning during her hearing. Let it be the story of the day.

Then let it go.

Cap and Trade: The Video

Some of my Virginian readers may recognize this guy. It's the same one that did the (locally) famous 'Arlington Rap' (now at over 600k views...yeesh).

This time he goes a bit political and lays out Cap and Trade for those that need it sung to them.

We're #1 - part 2

Here's the video from the CNN piece that played over the weekend and we discussed here late last week declaring Ohio the key to the national GOP comeback.

No pressure, John.



Via Kasich's blog

This.

Sometimes Earned Media > Paid Media

Thank you, Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Cowards.

I think I'd be hard-pressed to find a regular reader of this blog that doesn't understand the pure ineptitude behind the cap and trade/national energy tax legislation that was passed by the US House of Representatives today.

Already a lot of anger is bubbling among GOP activists regarding the eight Republicans that voted yea. And rightly so.

But this post isn't about that.

It's about who had the courage to speak their mind to their constituents, and who wants to pretend it didn't happen.

In reality, there may be a number of reasons why each of the Members voted with the majority, and I'm happy to listen to their reasoning.

If only they'd provide it.

I took a look at each of the 8's websites to determine what rationalization they provided to their constituents. This is what I found:

Mary Bono Mack - Nothing.

Mike Castle - Provided a 1,154 word statement explaining his rationalization. I disagree with him, but props for standing up and showing why you stand the way you do. But I'm also a bit biased. During my time on the Hill I worked with him quite a bit on education issues. It's hard to find a better guy. I'm willing to give him a pass this one time.

Mark Kirk - Squat. Grow a pair.

Frank Lobiondo - A press release touting the benefits for New Jersey. And he's right. Under this legislation they make out like bandits.

Leonard Lance - Nuttin'. But he does condemn the President's silence on Iran. Oh, sweet irony.

John McHugh - Zero. But four out of his first six press releases are about federal money going to his district, so that says something right there.

Dave Reichert - Press release. His home state of Washington is only 2nd to California in financial benefits from the legislation. Once again, hard to say no.

Chris Smith (NJ) - Nothing. Even though we know about the financial windfall for NJ. You wuss.

To those that refuse to even acknowledge the vote happened, I pity your constituents.

To those that had the guts to explain their vote, thank you for at least making that effort. You sacrificed principle for the financial benefit of the District - a much more difficult decision to make than many give credit for.

And Mike Castle, you laid out an exhaustive defense of your vote. I still disagree, but I can't help it, I still love ya.

I know. I'm a sucker.

Some issue must be taken with Minority Whip Eric Cantor. Losing this vote thanks to Republican defectors is never a good thing.

Finally, I'd hate to end this post without giving some props to Minority Leader Boehner. Pulling out the full text of the 300 page amendment and starting the first House filibuster ever was a work of genius. It may not have worked, but it was great theater.

Five paragraphs that say nothing.

Strickland has put out a statement directed at the tens of thousands that are protesting the Governor's decision to slash the funding of Ohio's libraries.

My framework to balance the state budget includes a reduction in state aid to libraries in order to minimize the impact of $2.43 billion in spending reductions that will impact services for our most vulnerable, especially children, the elderly and disabled. These cuts will help to address the $3.2 billion budget gap without raising taxes on Ohio families and blah blah blobbity blah.......

Honestly, Strickland could have just released this picture and said the same thing.

We're #1

According to CNN's chief national political correspondent, Ohio is "the proving ground" for the national GOP.

Want to win nationally? Then we need to show we can win the Governor's race and win the Senate race.

The way to do that is two-fold: Contribute whatever money you can to the candidates and help out at the grassroots level.

Get involved. Go to kasichforohio.com!



You damn well better bet we'll see this headline in fundraising letters to come. Do what you can before the June 30th fundraising deadline!

This is more like it.

Ohio Reps. Jay Hottinger and Cheryl Grossman are proposing legislation to cut taxes in Ohio with the elimination of the death tax.



This is the kind of macro idea that is necessary to institute the macro-level change Ohio needs. If House Republicans can force a vote, it can put Ohio Dems in quite a bind for the 2010 election.

On a sidenote, I give props to the ORP for embracing youtube in an attempt to work its way into new media outreach. However, while they've done a few of these 'get a state legislator to talk about policy' pieces, Hottinger is the first person that actually seemed comfortable in front of the static camera. It wouldn't take much to make the piece a bit more viewer-friendly. For example, simple utilization of graphics to highlight specific points would be helpful. Also, give the viewer a task at the end of the video. Provide a number to reach their Represenative to voice their support, or an e-mail or website. New media outreach is about interacting with the public, not just talking at them.

Want your head to explode?

I'm sure many of you have Democrat friends that love to go on and on about their Party finally bringing dignity back to government. About having the adults in power again. About running our government the right way.

Well, next time you hear that, send them this piece from NRO:

The stink surrounding the Pelosi-Waxman-Markey cap-and-tax bill has become vomit-inducing overnight. Representative Waxman has decided to replace the 1091-page bill with a 300-page bill that will be debated for no longer than three hours today. So your elected representatives will have virtually no time to debate the merits of an economy-spanning bill they will not have had time to read. Speaker Pelosi and her sidekick Waxman are displaying nothing more than complete contempt for the democratic process.

God, I love this woman.

Yesterday, Sen. John Kerry made the statement that he wished Sarah Palin had been the Governor that had disappeared.

Sarah's response?

"When he said it he looked so frustrated. He looked so sad. I just wanted to reach out to the TV and say, 'John Kerry, why the long face?'"

Zing!

Stat of the Day

Number of press releases from Governor Strickland in the past two months that discuss Shaquille O'Neal coming to the Cleveland Cavaliers - 1

Number of press releases from Governor Strickland in the past two months that address creating jobs in Ohio - 1

Kasich, Strickland & Guns - Setting the Record Straight

Yesterday evening I received the following e-mail from State Representative Ron Maag from Ohio. It's a helluva read into the reality about the gun issue in Ohio and who is on what side.


In 2008, we as gun advocates were sold a false bill of goods, as Governor Ted Strickland campaigned for then candidate Barack Obama in Ohio. Strickland made a promise to all gun owners in Ohio that they could be assured that Obama would be strong on gun rights if elected President. “If you are a hunter or a gun owner, you have nothing to fear from Barack Obama,” said Strickland (Columbus Dispatch, 10/10/2008). “You spread the word – Ted Strickland said so,” he added.

In 2010, we have a duty as defenders of the second amendment to hold Strickland accountable for his promise, and for his role in helping to elect a President who does not share our values on gun rights.

The real Obama record on guns:

• Obama: “…assault weapons have only one purpose, to kill people. I think it is a scandal that this president did not authorize a renewal of the assault weapons ban.”
• Obama: “I am consistently on record and will continue to be on record as opposing concealed carry.”
• In 2000, Senator Obama cosponsored a bill to limit handgun purchases to one per month.
• He voted against letting people violate local weapons bans in cases of self-defense.
  

While we can hope that the President never acts according to his true colors on gun rights, we must remember that promises were made by our current governor – promises that now look like the standard political pandering that we have come to expect from him, and from countless politicians who, at election time, give lip service to gun rights in search of our support.

Governor Strickland is the embodiment of this type of opportunistic political posturing, as evidenced by this 2006 Dayton Daily News editorial column:

All of which is little bit funny to somebody who remembers how Strickland's strict anti-control position emerged. By Strickland's own account, it emerged in some measure in a meeting with this newspaper's editorial board. It was 1992. Strickland, having failed to get elected to Congress in three tries, the most recent being 1980, was running in a newly created district. In the campaign, gun control inevitably came up, and Strickland said that, while he didn't personally have any problem with gun control, he felt that his would-be constituents in rural Ohio did. And he thought he should honor their views. This wasn't the first time he had expressed himself on gun control. The Republicans eventually surfaced a Strickland quote from 1976: "I personally do not like guns and I do not own a gun." [Editorial by Martin Gottlieb, Dayton Daily News, 5/17/06]

I am a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, an NRA certified pistol instructor and a concealed carry instructor. I am also a State Representative in the Ohio General Assembly, serving the 35th House District, comprised of parts of Warren and Hamilton counties. Accordingly, I can recognize better than most when a candidate for elected office is playing politics with the gun issue, and when they are a friend to our cause.

John Kasich is such a friend.

John is a gun owner and strong supporter of the Second Amendment. He understands the concerns of Americans who own a gun for self-defense, as well as the issues impacting hunters and sportsmen. During his time in Congress, he was regularly endorsed and financially supported by the NRA, and has stated publicly that he has “probably agreed more with the NRA than my wife has agreed with me.”

John understands that people have a right to defend themselves, their families, and their property, whether it’s concealed carry or the home Castle Doctrine. Most importantly, his record on guns should be judged on the totality of his career – not simply by his vote on the 1994 crime bill.

He recognizes that the assault weapon ban was bad policy and has stated so publicly. As a guest host on The O’Reilly Factor in 2005, John said, “I actually voted to limit some guns. I voted to ban the assault weapons. You know what I've concluded after that? Banning all these guns and passing all these laws isn't going to fix it.” While addressing a gang concern during that same show, John added, “…don’t blame the gun, blame the problem.”

While it remains a while off, the 2010 election will be critical to Ohio second amendment supporters, and all of us recognize that at any moment and with a simple stroke of the pen, the White House could significantly impede our ability to bear arms. As Ted Strickland was complicit in electing a President who threatens our values and our rights, we therefore owe it to ourselves and our cause to give John Kasich a serious look for governor.

State Representative Ron Maag, House District 35

In his own words.

Great new video from Eric Cantor that nails Obama and Pelosi on the National Energy Tax....i.e. Cap and Trade. Let's hope it isn't too late.

Close, but no cigar.

Kevin over at Ohio Politics Online has up a post this morning discussing GOP Ohio Treasurer candidate Josh Mandel's proposal for fixing Ohio's "brain drain" problem.

From Mandel:

Part of the answer is to reform Ohio’s tax code. For the past year, I’ve been working across party lines with Rep. Jay Goyal (D-Mansfield) on legislation that would offer college graduates who pledge to live in Ohio an income tax credit of up to $3,000 per year for up to ten years.

Kevin goes on to ask a poll question about whether this is needed to stop the brain drain, or whether it's simply a gimmick.

My answer? It's both.

Mandel is right. Sort of.

As I mentioned back on June 16th, Ohio needs a major revision of the tax code. But not necessarily in the way Mandel proposes. While I'm all for cutting taxes, there is a much bigger fish to fry. Our business tax climate is the 47th worst in the nation. That climate has been primarily responsible for damaging the state's economy, making jobs go elsewhere, and motivating Ohio's young people to leave.

What Mandel's plan does is provide an extra 3k to young Ohioans that stick around. So the question for Ohio's young people is this: IF I get a job in Ohio, will it pay me enough to make accepting the tax credit worth it?

See, that's the problem. Thanks to the tax climate there simply aren't jobs for Ohioans. And on top if it, jobs out of state may very well pay better than the Ohio job the young person settles for, thereby making the 3k tax credit moot.

The question for Ohio's leaders is this: How do we create a market for young people in Ohio?

To create that market, you need to create jobs that are attractive to young people.

To create those jobs, you need to fix the business tax climate.

Close, Rep. Mandel. But not quite.

Today is the day.

It's time to put our money where our mouths are.

Please take 5 minutes out of your schedule today and go to http://kasichforohio.com and contribute $25(or more!) to John's campaign in solemn commemoration of the 25-year high in Ohio's unemployment rate.

Also, once you've donated, please tweet and/or make your facebook status message: "I donated $25 on the 25th to support John Kasich. You can do the same at http://kasichforohio.com"

With the financial reporting deadline fast approaching, it's important for John to get a great start. With your help we can make that happen!

Let's send a message that Ohioans are standing together to bring A New Day to Ohio.

Thanks again for your support!

Librarians. Your worst nightmare.

If you're on facebook, chances are you or a number of your friends have recently joined a group called Save Ohio Libraries.

Why is it likely? Well, because they have 20,564 members.

And what has been their focus of late?

Fighting Ted Strickland and the $200 million in cuts he made to the budgets of Ohio libraries.

They are rallying at the Ohio Statehouse tomorrow at 11:30am. Should be quite a sight.

Watch out for this guy. I hear he's pissed.

The Sanford-Strickland Connection

SC Gov. Mark Sanford had an illicit affair.

Jerry Springer had an illicit affair.

Jerry Springer's gubernatorial theme was "We're Gonna Turn This State Around".

Ted Strickland's 2006 gubernatorial theme was "Turnaround Ohio".

Ohio, don't let Ohio be disgraced the way Mark Sanford has disgraced South Carolina.


Jerry Springer Campaign Ad - Watch more Funny Videos

This absolutely ludicrous connection was brought to you by 3BP.

Seth Bringman is a bad liar.

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

The Ohio Democratic Party is offering its own stimulus deal to generate ticket sales for its big gala Saturday night at the Ohio State Fairgrounds.

Some party members received an offer in the form of automated phone call from state party executive director Doug Kelly: half-price tickets to the Saturday's event. Kelly refers to the offer as the party's "stimulus special."

Does this mean the party is having a tough time filling its typically sold-out annual affair?

No way, says spokesman Seth Bringman.

He said ticket sales going well. The discounted tickets are for additional seating being added specifically for party volunteers and activists that worked on the presidential campaign in 2008 and who might not be able to afford the $150 ticket price.

Anyone else smell that?

As you've seen before on 3BP, I'm shocked Strickland is having problems getting people to their fundraiser with as charismatic an invitation as this:

So what's it mean?

Obviously, Sanford is no longer a contender for 2012. Sooooo we can take him off the list of 2012 contenders I created back in March.

Duh.

So the question becomes, who benefits most? In order to answer that we need to clarify what Sanford's absence brings to the table.

Sanford never had a large following at a national level. Political activists nationwide were aware of him and he had good buzz, but he hadn't yet developed a large number of followers like Palin, Romney or Huckabee that would simply transfer to another candidate. Instead, Sanford was going to be the candidate that needed to work hard in the early primary states to introduce himself and his record, and before today, it would have been an easy sale.

So Sanford's absence into the primary season will provide an opportunity for a southern-based conservative, at a social and fiscal level, to gain traction.

Based primarily on his southern roots, Huckabee will likely be the name you'll see in most post-Sanford analyses. But I'd disagree.

Huck has peaked. Sure, he'll have his large group of devotees that carry over from 2008, but I see no way for him to expand his appeal beyond what it was in last year's primary. While he's been plenty visible, he hasn't been able to expound on his record to make him more attractive to fiscal conservatives. Furthermore, if Palin runs she will take a good chunk of Huckabee's base with her.

Instead, it will take someone with the record, gravitas, and skills necessary to effectively and efficiently introduce themselves to the voters of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

And that person is Haley Barbour.

During his tenure as Governor of Mississippi he has developed a balanced record of fiscal responsibility and social conservatism. He's shown his ability to handle emergencies with his management of two hurricane disasters. And his time as Chairman of the RNC during the '94 revolution tells you that he's got the know-how and aggressiveness necessary for a run. His lobbying past is a challenge, but Barbour is the type of politician that could brush that aside.

He's soon heading to New Hampshire and Iowa in what many are saying is his first trial run.

Obviously.

Now if we can only keep him out of South America.

UPDATE: Johnny Drama just informed me that it was just announced that Barbour is taking over the Republican Governor's Association.

Clearly, my timing is impeccable. Ha.

3BP's reaction to the Mark Sanford press conference

This is about right.

Also, surprising props goes out to CNN. Their coverage of Iran so far today has far outweighed that of Fox.

That'll take a bite.

Powerline blog put together this graphic representing the costs/benefits to consumers if the Waxmen-Markey/Cap & Trade/National Energy Tax bill is passed.

Sorry, Ohio.

[click to enlarge]

Sanford was in Argentina.

Weird.

I'm all for a well-deserved rest, but as a potential GOP presidential candidate, I'd have hoped Sanford would at least have the political acumen to understand how things would be perceived.

Ah well.

In other news, at least we now know where Ted Strickland was for the first two years of his term.



h/t: JD

Even more ineptitude.

And the 3BP drumbeat against Coughlin continues.

As you recall from yesterday, Coughlin released an e-mail to supporters and the press claiming John Kasich maintained the same stance on gambling as Ted Strickland. His reasoning was a stretch at best, claiming that since two volunteers of Kasich's have the gambling industry as clients, then Kasich must have the same stance.

Yep, it's hard to get much more intellectually dishonest than that.

But it does.

It turns out State Senator Kevin Coughlin's proclamation of having a principled stance against gambling is, to borrow a term from Colonel Sherman T. Potter, horsehockey.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you SB 125, the Instant Racing Systems Act, passed May 23rd, 2007 by the Ohio Senate.

Authorizes live horse racing permit holders to conduct pari-mutual wagering at their place, track, or enclosure on horse races that are telecast via an instant racing system.

Kevin Coughlin voted "yes".

So not only is Kevin Coughlin intellectually dishonest. And not only do his attacks fail to make news. But he's a hypocrite on top of it all.

Now quit wasting our time, Senator. We have bigger fish to fry.

Finally, I want to address those in the Ohio blogosphere who may be clamoring for Kasich to attack Strickland. As I discussed yesterday, Strickland is drowning right now in criticism from those that normally are a Democrat's greatest allies....unions, children's advocacy groups and even libraries!

There are articles and editorials in newspapers across Ohio this week criticizing the Governor for his choices on gambling. Kasich entering the fray right now would only distract from this laser-like focused negativity on Strickland. The fact is there is a finite amount of space in the Columbus Dispatch, Plain Dealer, Cincy Examiner, and on and on. Let Strickland take his lumps from his allies. Those punches are much more legitimate to the voting public than those from an opposing candidate.

Kasich will have his time to attack Strickland, but doing so right now would only distract from the assault he's currently facing.

UPDATE: The Dispatch proves my point today. Kasich attacking Strickland would only distract from this story.

An Open Letter to Kevin Coughlin

Dear State Senator Coughlin,

You're an idiot.

Seriously.

For the second straight week your campaign for Governor has attacked the Ohio GOP gubernatorial frontrunner. This time using strange and odd connections to prove an intellectually dishonest conclusion.

Your e-mail this week equivocates Kasich's stance on gambling to Strickland's based on the clients of lobbyists not officially on the Kasich campaign staff.

Reading it makes it sound as stupid as it really is.

You also claim Kasich's silence on the issue as more evidence of your conclusion.

[facepalm]

Have you seen the papers, Senator? Have you noticed how Strickland is being ripped apart by editorial staff, preachers and librarians?

Kasich inserting himself into the debate at this point would be downright silly. He should stay out of it and let Strickland take the heat.

If he's asked, he'll answer. Don't force the focus away from Strickland just so you can try to get your licks in against Kasich.

Now some may defend Coughlin by saying he's just doing what he thinks he must do to win the primary.

Newsflash: Coughlin won't win the primary. And if he does, it won't be by tearing down Kasich.

Do yourself a favor, Senator. Click on this link. In it you'll see all the news that your two attacks on Kasich have brought you.

See that? Nothing. Squat. Zilch.

What's the first story? It's one about you proposing a sale of the Ohio Lottery and a leasing of the Ohio turnpike. Without getting into the policy, it's a positive story for you and it got your name in the news. It worked.

All you're doing is hurting yourself by attempting to damage the future GOP nominee for Governor. If Kasich wins, do you think donors will want to see their name on your contributors list if you ever want to run for anything else down the road?

No way. No how.

You want to go down in a ball of flames? Fine. But do your Party a favor and attack the real enemy, Ted Strickland.

Idiot.

Love,
DJ Tablesauce


Here's a youtube of Kevin Coughlin's campaign:

Hole #2

It wasn't enough to dig Ohio's economic hole deeper and deeper thanks to his inaction.

Instead, Governor Strickland decided to dig a second hole for himself to jump into.

And that hole was his decision to solve Ohio's economic crisis with spending cuts and most importantly, state-sponsored gambling.

For months, Strickland has said he wouldn't raise taxes on Ohioans, like the past five Governors have done and like newspapers across Ohio advocated. Why? Strickland was trying to cover his hide for the 2010 election. He was scared of being painted as Tax Hike Ted by the Kasich campaign, ORP and obnoxious bloggers. [DJ note: If your first name starts with T, don't get into politics]

It's a fair concern to have. Obviously, Republicans would happily go after a Governor that raised taxes. It's a tactic we've seen in election after election. Voters expect it. It's nothing new.

Instead of raising taxes, he chose massive spending cuts and gambling.

Bad move, Ted.

Already we are seeing attacks on the Governor from all sides.....except Republicans.

For example, the Dem-friendly Children's groups:

Unions like the SEIU are ticked:

District 1199 urges the public to contact the Ohio Governor, House Speaker and Senate President and urge them to pursue a balanced, fiscally responsible approach to this budget crisis, one that includes revenue increases beyond gambling and doesn't sacrifice the services needed the most.

The clergy...


Hell, even the libraries...


And a couple great quotes from major newspapers around Ohio:

Ohioans understand their state is in a financial crisis. In time, they will grasp the true cost of their future being diminished for political expediency.

and...

I don't know whether the governor uses numbers books as he sets about running the state. But his approach to governing seems as ragged and helter-skelter as a degenerate lottery player clutching a dream book.

Oomph.

Nothing like turning your allies against ya, eh?

And all that after the weekend's poll highlighting Strickland's drastic drop in popularity and statistical tie with John Kasich.

So now do you think Strickland wishes he could have raised taxes?

Stay classy, Kevin Coughlin

Gubernatorial candidate Kevin Coughlin released a hit piece this morning connecting John Kasich to Ted Strickland on gambling. While I'll have more on this later, I did just learn something particularly disturbing.

Kevin Coughlin sent the e-mail hit piece out while at the funeral service for State Senator Robert Schuler.

Unbelievable.

UPDATE from another source:

"I heard the same thing from a friend that was at the funeral. Said [Coughlin] stepped out on the phone outside and five minutes later I got the e-mail from the Coughlin campaign on my blackberry."

Garnering a 2nd look.

Today, Mike Huckabee announced his endorsement of Florida Senate hopeful Marco Rubio.

As we've discussed before on 3BP, the Rubio/Crist primary best exemplifies the most prevalent fight in the GOP today, moderation versus traditional conservatism, with a focus on fiscal conservatism.

Make no mistake, Huckabee's endorsement didn't come out of thin air. In fact, last year Rubio took his turn to endorse Huckabee in the middle of the Presidential primaries. Back then, many barely noticed. But now when Huck, the candidate many fiscal conservatives disowned during the primaries, endorsed the conservative hero that Rubio has become, Huckabee may see some wind blow into his sails.

If Rubio wins the primary versus Crist (and that's a big if), he will instantly become a GOP celebrity. Up against an NRSC endorsement and much of the GOP establishment, he will become the new, fresh face of conservatism that has brought them back from the brink.

And he'll support Mike Huckabee in the 2012 primaries.

And if that happens, conservatism's celebrity will force many to make a choice - reevaluate Huckabee or lessen Rubio by ignoring his endorsement.

Ha.

I'm told this was spotted at an office in Columbus:

Gambling away Ohio's future...

...one flip-flop at a time.

New 3BP contributor Johnny Drama has put together one helluva video highlighting the extreme rhetoric from both sides of Governor Strickland's mouth. Check it out, and forward along.

Ignoring the celebrity.

This afternoon I noticed some new numbers from 2008's most reliable pollster, Scott Rasmussen.

Every so often he conducts a poll gauging whom the public trusts more on certain issues, and how important those issues are to each individual.

I compiled the results below into one spreadsheet, with the issues listed in order of importance to voters, and the Party most trusted with those issues along with the margin of support.

For example, the economy is the number one issue among respondents, and they trusted Republicans by 6 more points than Democrats.

As you can see, Republicans win 4 of the top 5, and the one issue Democrats win isn't even currently part of the national dialogue. I'm also willing to bet that Health Care number will be dropping pretty soon, too. And Abortion is tied? I'll take it.

Now what does this mean right now for Republican candidates?

Quite a bit, actually.

2010 will be about two things. A referendum on Obama and the acceptability of the alternative, in other words, the quality of GOP candidates.

Winning the trust of voters on these issues is vital to winning the referendum. The good thing for Republicans is that this referendum won't be on Obama the Candidate, but Obama and the Issues. That means that despite his celebrity status, winning the issue will be what matters.

As for the quality of GOP candidates, the line of solid recruits keeps growing and growing with word today that Rep. Mike Castle of Delaware will challenge Beau Biden for VP Biden's former Senate seat.

The Republican Party is dead? I think not.

Keep fighting the good fight.

Neda.

If you haven't heard of her by now, read this.

676 posts later...

It's been just over one year since I began this blog with the intention to provide insight and analysis, with a hint of smart-ass, on national and Ohio politics. Honestly, I never thought it was going to last this long. After all, this was just supposed to be a hobby, and it still is. Fortunately, with the help of my co-conspirators and enthusiastic readers that lend me a hand now and then, we're still going strong.

Since last June we've been named by the Washington Post as one of Ohio's best political blogs, had our youtube videos seen by 10s of thousands, been dragged into the world of Twitter, written 676 posts, and developed an audience of over 3300 regular readers.

I'm as surprised at that as you are.

In fact, just today a 3BP analysis was linked to by Red State and the National Review.

As always, never hesitate to e-mail if you have a commet, tip or question, and I always appreciate a good discussion on twitter.

Thanks goes out to all our readers and we hope you keep coming back for more.

Don't worry. Strickland hasn't seen anything yet.

The White House has casual Friday?

Obviously, this is a meeting in the Oval Office to determine the new Czar of Diversity.


But seriously, Mr. Summers, loafers with no socks? Really?

Also nice running shoes on the balding white guy. Oh sorry, I should specify...the second balding white guy on the left. Hope you wiped your shoes on the way in.

And that phone, what a wonderful invention it must be to warrant such a gaze of love and adoration.

h/t: The Forum

Join the 450.

As of this morning, the 25 on 25th grassroots movement has approximately 450 people committed to contributing $25 on June 25th to John Kasich's campaign in commemoration of the 25-year high in Ohio's unemployment.

Please take the time to help by signing up at 25on25th.com, make the below 25 on 25th picture your facebook profile picture, or tweet the 25on25th website.

As we head into the last 7 days of the first financial reporting period for the campaign, it's important that Kasich is able to send a message that he has the grassroots financial support to run an effective campaign.

There's lots of ammo out there to hit Strickland, but they need the money to buy the guns. With your help, we can make it happen.

Sign up today.

It's a race.

PPP is out with a new poll showing the Ohio governor's race in a statistical dead heat.

How big is this?

Well, in the last statewide poll conducted by Quinnipiac back in March, Ted Strickland held a 20 point lead over John Kasich.

And now, just 3 months, one campaign kickoff announcement, and 100,000 jobless Ohioans later, it's a dead heat.

There were some interesting numbers that stuck out as I read through the poll.

1) Ideological Breakdown vs. Party Breakdown

Responders identified themselves as 18% liberal, 48% moderate and 34% conservative.
When asked to identify with a Party, things broke down to 50% Democrat, 35% Republican and 15% other/independent.

So while there are almost twice as many conservatives as there are liberals, it's still much cooler to be a Democrat in Ohio. Thanks, Bob Taft.

2) The unknown.

Kasich's approval/disapproval numbers are nearly even at 31/30. Is that a reason to worry?

No. But why not? I'll tell you why not. Both numbers are low. That means he's not necessarily liked or unliked, he's simply unknown. A positive is that Kasich is +11 among Independents, and a whopping 43% don't know enough about him. That means that among a key voting bloc there is still lots to learn about Kasich. Democrats want you to hear about his time at Lehman Brothers. Kasich wants you to learn about how he was the chief architect of the nation's first balanced budget in nearly 30 years. But, as we mentioned last week, thanks goes out to the Ohio Dems for increasing Kasich's name ID and helping to introduce him as the gubernatorial candidate that wants to cut taxes. Thanks, Chairman Redfern! That kind of publicity is always welcome!

3) Strickland's GOTV problem.

38% of Democrats either aren't sure or disapprove of Ted Strickland. Kasich's numbers are relatively similar, but he's not the one that's been hiding under the Governor's desk since 2007. The fact is, a sitting Governor should be seriously worried about his ability to Get Out The Vote when after 30 months in office well over 1/3 of his own Party does not have a favorable view of him.

4) Independents.

Kasich wins Independents 54-33. If that keeps up, Kasich wins hands down.

5) The Obama Factor

Strickland wishes Obama was on the ballot on Nov2 in 2010. Obviously, he isn't. But that doesn't mean he won't play a factor in the race. The question is, how much of one? With numbers this bad, this early for Strickland, one has to wonder how much of a priority the Obama White House will place on the Ohio Governor's race. Sure, he'll likely come in for a fundraiser and a rally, but how much time will he spend in Ohio for a Governor that endorsed Hillary Clinton?

Remember, the midterm elections are everything for Obama. The President wants to maintain 60 votes in the Senate. He wants to keep the majority in the House. Brunner or Fisher will be getting his attention, not Strickland, and especially with numbers that continue to plummet faster than Ohio's unemployment rate.

6) Fundraising

The Kasich finance team will be hitting fundraising particularly hard this last week before the reporting deadline of June 30th. Nothing encourages contributions like good public poll numbers. Everyone that is signed up at KasichforOhio.com, you damn well better get an e-mail asking you to contribute. And if you don't, sign up at 25on25th.com and I'll personally make sure you get accosted for cash.

Now, we all must take these numbers with a grain of salt. PPP hasn't always been the most accurate of polling firms, but they are legitimate. Personally, I'll be keeping an eye out for the first Rasmussen poll on the race.

But no matter how you stack it, people like a winner, and Kasich is looking more and more like one.

56 minutes 'til Strickland Ticks Off Ohio

Ted Strickland has announced a press conference for 4pm this afternoon to discuss the Ohio budget.

Who has a press conference at 4pm on a Friday to avoid weekday news and take advantage of people not paying attention over the weekend?

Someone who knows they're gonna get hammered.

Good luck, Gov. We'll be watching.

UPDATE: Word is that he's going to endorse gambling as a way to help pay for the $3.2 billion gap in the budget.

The money quote?

Asked last month whether he could support such a proposal if it were brought to him as a way to raise additional money, for example, Strickland replied, "I don't expect it will be brought to be as part of a budget solution, but if it is, I will do everything I can to see that we can craft a budget without it."

The governor then pointed to an article in Governing magazine detailing how the addition of slot machines in Maryland last fall has not produced the amount of activity or revenue projected.

"They are finding I think what's likely to be a continuing trend that the promise put forth by gambling interests rarely holds up," Strickland said. "The amount of money that they promise rarely materialize(s), and so I do not think that Ohio should have expended gambling."

Apparently, Ted Strickland can't be trusted.

Define 'Everything'

The RNC has put out a damning video of the Dems and their plan to pay for health care reform.



Ouch.

Priorities.

On the day we learn that Ohio has dropped even deeper into an unemployment hole, Ted Strickland decides to tweet his first message in three days.

About home weatherization.

Seriously.

Not so fast, Ted.

Governor Strickland was giddy.

For a day.

Yesterday, Ted Strickland announced plans for the development for a Nuclear Power Plan in Piketon, Ohio.

Strickland said the effort will revitalize this region’s economy.

Duke Energy will manage the project as the alliance requests DOE funding for the project’s initial phase, including an early site permit.

Strickland said Ohio generates and uses more electricity than all but four other U.S. states and only 18 countries use more electricity than Ohio.

“This is the new beginning we have all been waiting for,” Strickland said.

No, it isn't.

From a story updated yesterday evening:

A lead energy company says there is no firm commitment to build a proposed nuclear power plant that politicians are hailing as a gateway to clean energy and a source of much needed jobs and revenue in rural Appalachia.

Duke Energy spokeswoman Rita Sipe in Charlotte, N.C., says the Thursday announcement of the proposal merely keeps open the option of a nuclear plant.

Oh, Ted. I know you're desperate for good news, but this is no way to go about it. It screams amateurism.

Maybe next time your staff can make an extra effort to confirm the story is actually true before agreeing to a grandiose announcement event.

Ted wants to talk about the "new day" we've been waiting for? Well, it looks like we're still about 18 months out.

On this test, 100% is an F.

Ohio's unemployment numbers for May were released this morning. And Ohio keeps circling the drain.

The 'holy crap!' statistic from today's news was that unemployment under Ted Strickland's Administration has doubled since he took office, from 5.3% in January of 2007 to 10.8% in May of 2009.

For the math disadvantaged, that's an increase of over 100%.

Does anyone believe things would have ever been this bad had Ted Strickland not been asleep at the wheel?

It had to be done.

Yeah, I know the Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat internet meme is a bit played out, but seeing as a quick youtube search didn't yield any decent results, I decided to make my own out of Obama's greatest gaffes.

Enjoy.

ODP: John Kasich will cut taxes

Today, the Ohio Democratic Party put out a release highlighting several Ohio papers inquiries about John Kasich's proposal to eventually phase out Ohio's income tax.

They included quotes from the Plain Dealer, Akron-Beacon Journal, the Columbus Dispatch and Dayton Daily News. A sample:

"Kasich said he would, in time, phase out Ohio's income tax, which accounts for more than 40 percent of the state's general fund. He did not provide details." [Dayton Daily News, 6/2/09]

Now, I won't go into the reasoning of how asinine it is to request details on a campaign proposal 17 months out from the election, but instead I'd like to not only thank the Ohio Democratic Party for highlighting John Kasich's proposal to lower the taxes of every Ohioan, but also for their extra effort to assist John with his name ID problem.

The last public poll Ohioans have seen was back in March from Quinnipiac. In the poll, John Kasich held onto a 21% approval rating, 6% disapproval rating.....and 71% did not know enough about him.

71%.

Right now, 17 months out, John Kasich's two biggest challenges are raising money and increasing name ID, not developing complex policy.

But now we have the Ohio Dems giving the Kasich campaign an in-kind contribution by introducing him to Ohioans as the tax-cutting gubernatorial candidate.

Hey Kasich team, make sure you put that on your finance forms.

Guffaw!

This week's The Other Paper, an independent publication based out of Columbus and widely read among the Ohio political establishment, had an article that had me choking on my breakfast. In it they highlight Matt Borges, a longtime GOP operative that back in 2004 faced a misdemeanor charge of restrictions on a public official.

Apparently, Borges volunteered to help set-up at John Kasich's announcement for Governor back on June 1st. And boy, did that piss off Democrats.

Anonymous e-mails sent to reporters and politicos have questioned Borges’s level of involvement, as well as Kasich’s use of someone who already was slapped for misdeeds for a public office.

[...]

“There are plenty of ways” to enlist the help of someone who the public may find of questionable character, said Chris Redfern, chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party.

Such a person can be paid through the party, or by political groups, he said.

“But we have plenty of talented people to rely on without employing those who pled guilty to abusing public office,” Redfern said.

[...]

In the well-choreographed dog-and-pony shows that are campaign kickoff events, isn’t it a bit risky to have a disgraced former public-office staffer guiding supporters to their chairs?

The Republicans say no.

So let me get this straight.

Democrats are complaining about a campaign volunteer who once was cited with a misdemeanor.

Seriously? You REALLY want to go there? Fine with me.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you THE OHIO DEMOCRATS!

• Jimmy DiMora - Cuyahoga County Democratic Chairman and County Commissioner who is the target of a federal corruption probe.

• Jennifer Brunner - Ohio Secretary of State and Senate candidate who illegally paid for Senate campaign items with funds from her Secretary of State campaign fund.

• Marc Dann- Former Ohio Attorney General who resigned in disgrace after massive misuse of state funds....and cheating on his wife.

• Dean DiPiero - Democrat Mayor paying Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern's wife thousands of dollars to "lobby" the Statehouse. This after then State Rep. DiPiero said in 2000 that he didn't need the help of lobbyists to wring money from the Republican-controlled state government for his hometown.

All that in just the past few months, and you want to complain about a campaign volunteer with a misdemeanor?

The Democrats named above aren't just political operatives charged with setting up a microphone or making sure people sit in the right spot. They are elected officials with whom voters had given their trust, and had it taken away.

Please, Ohio Democrats. Keep it up. This is a conversation we'd absolutely love to have.

Aquariums will save Ohio's economy.

Today, the 'Spatch reported the following:

Well, that'll solve Strickland's economy problem, eh?

3BP obtained a sneak peak at the proposed aquarium.

Well, that's bold.

US House Republicans are exhibiting a bit of optimism in launching a new site promoting Ohio Representative and Minority Leader John Boehner for Speaker of the House.

How optimistic? Well, when you're down 78 seats, that's a helluva hill to climb, especially when you consider the 1994 Republican Revolution gained 54 seats.

Not that this is a bad idea. The NRCC is capitalizing on anti-Obama/anti-Pelosi rage among its donor base and giving them an a specific goal in a Speaker Boehner.

Finally, it's a positive sign that Boehner is keeping the confidence of the House GOP. While there have been minor slips, like the alternative budget roll-out, overall he has kept the caucus in check.

Now let's make 1994 look like child's play.

Do it. You know you wanna.

As we've discussed before, it's looking more and more likely that Steve Stivers will challenge Mary Jo Kilroy in a rematch of the 2008 congressional race for Ohio's 15th district.

From yesterday's Hill newspaper:

Ohio Republicans keen on a big year could soon have another weapon in their arsenal, with former state Sen. Steve Stivers preparing for a rematch with Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (D).

Stivers has set a July 4 deadline for himself to make a final decision on the 2010 race, but local and national Republicans expect him to make a second straight run at the seat, and he’s made no secret of his desire to try again.

Obviously, nothing we didn't really know already. It was just an excuse to post this gem again.

Well, so much for that idea.

As 3BP contributor Chobemaster pointed out, it's a good thing Obama's carefully crafted statement prevented us from being accused of meddling in Iranian affairs.

I'll take that as a no?

Two days ago, President Obama spoke to the American Medical Association in an effort to sell them on his efforts for health care reform and to institute a public option.

As you can see in the wording from this resolution passed at the AMA's convention this morning, I think it's safe to say Obama was less than successful.



h/t: Thanks4yourtaxes

The Ohio Honor Flight

The Ohio Society of Washington DC is promoting an event to honor our nation's veterans - An Honor Flight. For those that have never heard of Honor Flights...

Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization created solely to honor America's veterans for all their sacrifices. We transport our heroes to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect at their memorials. Top priority is given to the senior veterans – World War II survivors, along with those other veterans who may be terminally ill.

An Honor Flight will be coming into Washington DC from Ohio Saturday morning.

You can bet 3BP will be there.

This flyer will give you more information.

Amateurs.

Iran photoshopped the Ahmadinejad rally to make it look bigger.

Also, I may be seeing things, but it looks like someone else familiar was tossed in for good measure.

Sending a message with math

Today, the 'Spatch has an article detailing Gov. Strickland's involvement in the all-important budget negotiations. As you all likely know, the Ohio budget has gone to conference and the Repubican Senate and Democratic House are trying to determine how to come up with the $3.2 billion in cuts that are necessary in order to balance the budget, as is required by the Ohio Constitution.

Gov. Strickland suggested cutting $2 billion.

For the math illiterate, that's $1.2 billion less than what is necessary.

Clearly, Strickland is sending a message to the legislature.

"Cut this, and then find another way.......to pay for the rest."

So Governor Strickland, what's it gonna be? Higher taxes? Gambling?

By failing to offer a solution, you are providing yet another symbolic, but meaningless gesture intended to cover your ass in hopes that you can avoid the political fallout that comes with a state falling apart at the seams.

Color me unsurprised.

Uh oh.

Reporting from Washington -- The Obama administration this week will propose the most significant new regulation of the financial industry since the Great Depression, including a new watchdog agency to look out for consumers' interests.

Under the plan, expected to be released Wednesday, the government would have new powers to seize key companies -- such as insurance giant American International Group Inc. -- whose failure jeopardizes the financial system. Currently, the government's authority to seize companies is mostly limited to banks.

Oh, screw you Fox.

Ya know, as much crap as we give channels like CNN, the fact this is even news this afternoon on Fox makes me want to dropkick Shephard Smith.

"Deeply troubled?"

Obama says he's "deeply troubled" by what's happening in Iran.

I'm not sure that "deeply troubled" adequately defines what I'm feeling after seeing videos like this one:



Further, Robert Gibbs today said, "the President is committed to direct engagement with the Iranian government."

Compare that statement with these uttered by Ronald Reagan in 1981 when faced with the Solidarity uprising in Poland:

We view the current situation in Poland in the gravest of terms, particularly the increasing use of force against an unarmed population and violations of the basic civil rights of the Polish people.

Violence invites violence and threatens to plunge Poland into chaos. We call upon all free people to join in urging the Government of Poland to reestablish conditions that will make constructive negotiations and compromise possible.

[...]

The people of Poland are giving us an imperishable example of courage and devotion to the values of freedom in the face of relentless opposition. Left to themselves, the Polish people would enjoy a new birth of freedom. But there are those who oppose the idea of freedom, who are intolerant of national independence, and hostile to the European values of democracy and the rule of law.

Two Decembers ago, freedom was lost in Afghanistan; this Christmas, it’s at stake in Poland. But the torch of liberty is hot. It warms those who hold it high. It burns those who try to extinguish it.

In 1990, Solidarity triumphed when Lech Walesa became Poland's first popularly elected leader.

h/t: Hotair.com