2nd District (OH) Primary Prattle (061305 #2)

Cleanup points before the pre-voting post:

DeWine Radio Attack Ad on Brinkman and Death Penalty

So now DeWine attacks Brinkman, using Joe Deters as cover. It instantly legitimizes Brinkman in the minds of many who may have still (erroneously, in my opinion) perceived him as second-tier. Even if it peels off a few pro-death penalty folks, it’s counterproductive in a major way.

Bob McEwen’s Unfocused Reagan-These Charges Are False-Munoz Endorsement Radio Ad

From optimism to attack to endorsement all in 60 seconds–The ad starts with quotes from the Gipper himself, and uses Reagan’s 11th Commandment (”Thou Shalt Not Speak Ill of Another Republican”) as an excuse to bash DeWine and Brinkman (more Brinkman legitimization), and wraps up with a hasty endorsement from Anthony Munoz on helium. It leaves your head spinning.

During the “charges” section, the ad says that the other two candidates’ charges are false but never says what the charges are. Isn’t the listener going to be wondering what in the world the ad is talking about, and why the charges can’t be mentioned, when a normal refutation would (duh) identify what is being refuted?

BizzyBlog also reminds readers of the Republican 12th Commandment created just for Bob: “The 11th Commandment is suspended when your opponent, who is really a former congressman, constantly calls himself ‘Congressman’ in direct violation of Ohio election law both in print and on TV and radio.”

That Enquirer Collection of Candidate Statements on June 5

I wish I had commented sooner on these. The Enquirer wanted to know what three issues each candidate would hope to concentrate on if they are elected.

Almost all the candidates didn’t stop at three. A couple of them went past six.

But Brinkman stopped at three short and sweet things he would work on (”Make the Bush tax cuts permanent; Strengthen the family by passing a national marriage amendment; Focus on Eastern Corridor/Transportation.”).

So I talked to someone about the candidates’ answers, and she said “Brinkman’s answers were ridiculously brief.” But wait, he was about the only one who followed instructions. So if that reaction was common, even though Brinkman did as he was told (and almost all the others didn’t), he probably got hurt, if only a teeny bit. Zheesh.

A Blast from the Past on McEwen’s Misuse of Staff for Campaign Purposes (surprise-not)

From the November 1993 Washington Monthly, where a former McEwen aide discusses some of his activities during the failed 1992 reelection attempt:

“After Congress lets out in mid-October, it’s amazing how many staffers show up in the district hammering in yard signs,” says J. Kevin Broughton, a former press aide to Rep. Bob McEwen of Ohio, a member who lost last fall. “It’s wrong, but incumbents have an incredible, unfair advantage.” Among Broughton’s most important assignments last summer, he recalls, was creating a newsletter lauding the boss, who faced a tough primary battle. “It was nothing but glorifying the incumbent, but we disguised it as informing constituents and sent out hundreds of thousands of copies as franked mail,” says Broughton.

The ethics manual notes that incumbents cannot use their frank for mass mailings within 60 days of a primary or general election.

Is there a word for “unimportant” stronger than “irrelevant”?

Barring a surprise in the next three hours, or something obvious that I am somehow missing, The Cincinnati Post is not endorsing a candidate in the Second District Primary on either side of the aisle.