Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Ted Strickland is right.

But not about Kasich's record.

A couple days ago, Team Kasich decided to call him out on it. And it all stemmed from this...
The Strickland advisory about several campaign events over the weekend said: "At each stop, Strickland will contrast his record of creating jobs and protecting the rights of sportsmen and gun owners with Congressman John Kasich's record of supporting outsourcing and his 'F' rating from the National Rifle Association."
Why is that wrong? Because Kasich has received a B from the NRA. Sure, not ideal for 2nd amendment supporters, but definitely acceptable in light of Strickland's record of recruiting fiercely anti-gun Democrats like Lee Fisher and Yvette McGee Brown, actively working for Ohio House Democrats that have failed to make any headway on pro-2nd amendment legislation, and doing whatever he can to get Obama re-elected in 2012.
Strickland campaign officials "either knew that John Kasich has a 'B' rating from the NRA or have recklessly refused to check his true rating. Nonetheless respondents have chosen to falsely represent that John Kasich has an 'F' rating," says the complaint, filed by state Rep. Danny Bubp, a Republican from West Union, a life NRA member with an A+ rating.

"As a proud NRA member, I am outraged that Ted Strickland is lying about John Kasich's NRA rating," Bubp said in the complaint.

What was Strickland's response to all this? Well, first they didn't deny that Strickland's statement was a lie. But second, they said the following: "Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior."

Boy, did the Governor get that right.

And that's why Strickland is going to lose.

I hand it off to the American Spectator:
That's what has gotten Strickland in trouble in the first place: voters fear that another four years of his administration would mean more jobs leaving Ohio, a sluggish business climate, a decaying manufacturing sector, and an unemployment rate hovering around 10 percent.
You can read the rest of the article in the Spectator here. It's a great piece.

But I digress.

Back to this NRA stuff.

As we all know by now, the NRA hasn't totally sat on their hands this cycle in Ohio. They've sent direct mail to their members that endorses Strickland and highlights his grade.

In other words, 2nd amendment voters already know where Strickland stands by now. Where are they confused? Where Kasich stands. That's why Strickland's screw-up of lying about Kasich's record was a significant mistake. It enabled Team Kasich to get some earned media out there that has the potential to ease the minds of 2nd amendment supporters that have been fooled into thinking a Governor Kasich would be dangerous to their goals.

In fact, Kasich is a gun owner. He recruited a running mate who has an A rating with the NRA. He's going to be a partner with the new Republican majority in the statehouse. And he's going to do whatever he can to make sure President Obama doesn't get another four years.

Does Kasich's effort inform voters of Strickland's A rating? Sure. But people that care about NRA ratings already know about Strickland's grade by now. Now many of those same people know the NRA gave Kasich a B, not an F. Thanks to Ted Strickland, that's going to be news to them. And that doesn't help Strickland in his effort to damage Kasich's support on the right.

Ultimately, State Representative Seth Morgan nailed it in a tweet yesterday:


So true.

5 comments:

  1. Who is this Yvette McGee Brown you mention?

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  2. If Ted was so friendly to gun owners, he would have pressured Speaker Budish to move on the restaurant carry bill languishing in the Ohio House. If it ever got to the floor, it would pass overwhelmingly. But Budish sat on it, and "pro-gun" Strickland sat and did nothing.

    Ted has a good voting record on the 2A while in Congress, but hasn't done much to help (or harm) gun rights in Ohio as governor. Maybe thats why the NRA and BFA endorsements have had little impact on this race.

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  3. Strickland HAS urged Buddish (who was given the last day of the legislative session due to Senate GOP footdragging) to pass the restaurant carry bill when the legislature comes back into session.

    Kasich, on the other hand, has not said whether he supports that bill or believes it to be a legislative priority.

    Bytor, you're just lying on the gun issue. The fact is that Governor Strickland signed into law bills that reformed the CCW laws to make changes gun rights groups sought originally, and signed a law expanding the Castle Doctrine.

    John Kasich voted AGAINST repealing the assault weapons ban numerous times. He opposed efforts to repeal D.C. unconstitutional handgun ban. Ted Strickland voted the other way on these issues.

    Kasich has, in fact, been rated as an F on gun issues by the NRA. He has a lifetime ranking by the BFA of C-, putting him almost in Mike DeWine terrority.

    The only reason it might be an issue is that there are some conservatives who play lip service to gun rights when it's politicially advantageous for them to do so, but when it gets right down to it: they're Republicans first, Second Amendment voters second.

    The fact is that John Kasich has done more things in Congress against gun rights than Barack Obama has. When he ran for President, Kasich said he'd support making it illegal for anyone under 21 to own a gun.

    Not a single gun rights group supports John Kasich for Governor. There is no question which candidate has a better record on guns, that candidate is Ted Strickland.

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  4. Pretty sure Bob Taft used to claim the same thing about being a gun owner. He did crap for gun rights as governor except opposed them.

    Kasich=Taft on guns. There's a winning message for you, Keeling!

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  5. Ohio Elections Commission dismissed the complaint this morning. #FAIL

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