The New ‘Turnaround Ohio’: Strickland Campaign Theme Hijacked, or Truth in Packaging?
This message merited an audible “Hmm…” in the BizzyBlog bunker when it arrived in the e-mail inbox (click on pic to see full text of e-mail):
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TURNAROUND OHIO?
Seems like I’ve heard that “somewhere” before….
Oops, that link didn’t work. That’s because it was changed to a generic Ted Strickland banner mere hours after this post at RAB and this one at BizzyBlog called out the governor for publicly dithering on education once safely in office (”School-funding fix need not be rushed, Strickland contends”). Only three months after his election and barely a month in office, Strickland indicated that education initiatives wouldn’t need to get into his first two-year budget, even though he had outlined over $350 million in “First Year Funding” (go to the bottom of this page that was saved from Strickland’s campaign web site before it went dark) during the gubernatorial campaign.
(Aside to Joe Hallett: Contrary to the snide assertion you made, and which you also attributed to Mrs. Sherrod Brown aka Connie “in lockstep” Schultz (”Little original reporting comes from political blogs.“), this was one of dozens of times Ohio’s center-right blogosphere has scooped the Columbus Dispatch and the rest of Ohio’s Old Media. So is this post. A longer list is available on request — that is, if you and others at your paper ever wish to stop being the mouthpiece for Ted’s ignorant economic posturing and his amateurish war-conduct second-guessing [here and here] and catch up with recent history and current events.)
Strickland’s Governor-elect site appears to have subsequently carried in the Turnaround Ohio and Learning for Life pages intact. Their conflict with what has been done since he took office remains.
Back to ProgressOhio and Turnaround Ohio — Are we to assume that they are acting with Ted’s consent by using that slogan in its campaign literature? If there is no objection by the Governor, should we then also assume that Ted really supports this economy-crippling power grab while publicly opposing it?
Just further proof that his plan was their plan and if he couldn’t get certain [similar] measures past the GA, then why not “lend” the name to the socialists (educational lobby)so they wouldn’t have to re-market the plan.
Comment by Rose — May 31, 2007 @ 4:57 pm
Re: your aside to Joe Hallett: hear, hear on the part about the other examples. you know, we should think about putting a simple blogsite that aggregates all the original reporting that goes on in the Ohio blogosphere. Would probably be enough, oh, for a few newspapers?
Comment by Jill — May 31, 2007 @ 5:16 pm
#2 Jill, point well taken. Unlike WLST, which does have stuff not seen elsewhere fairly often, I was particulary struck by Hallett’s naming BSB as a source of original news. If it’s there, I’ve missed it.
Comment by TBlumer — May 31, 2007 @ 6:44 pm
The reason it seems like there is no original content over at BSB is because Todd Hoffman, Ohio Democratic Party Online Communication Director, oversees and influences the content which Jerid Kurtz, Bryan Clark, modernesquire and others publish.
ODP Todd has administrative rights to BSB. I know because Todd banned me one late night when Jerid wasn’t around to do it for Todd.
Because the ODP failed at two official party blogs, they took over at BSB to turn the BSB front pagers into blind mouthpieces to spout off Todd Hoffman’s ODP press releases word-for-word.
Now young Jerid is uselessly tooling around New Hampshire because a few establishment Democrats held a fundraiser for him at the Short North Tavern in Columbus.
I’m sure that the presidential campaign staffers in New Hampshire have been handing-over plenty of press releases for Jerid to copy word-for-word into what he considers to be good BSB posts.
What a waste of a good blog. BSB was the #1 or #2 Ohio blog not very long ago (when Russell Hughlock moderated and front paged). Now, under Todd Hoffman, Bryan Clark, modernesquire and Jerid Kurtz’ stewardship, BSB is struggling to be listed in the top 20 (currently #18 at blognetnews.com/ohio)
http://www.blognetnews.com/Ohio/influence-index.php
Comment by Dave Hickman — May 31, 2007 @ 8:13 pm
#4, Well… I obviously cannot vouch for the accuracy of what you have said, but the BSB ranking tank definitely is a surprise. Another surprise is that RH would allow it, or not say something about it.
It does not say much when your best response to a substantive post about the hyped-up Food Stamp Challenge and its bogus math (from Jerid, made in a BSB comment, and of course not made here) is that I must hate poor people. Puh-leeze.
Perhaps Todd Hoffman will do for BSB what he did for OL&E. :–>
Comment by TBlumer — May 31, 2007 @ 8:48 pm
#1, if Strick doesn’t do something about it, I don’t know how you can reach any other conclusion.
Comment by TBlumer — May 31, 2007 @ 8:50 pm
#3, seriously? you do need to pay attention more. I was going to write up a Hallett response and give you kudos - got bored with it (and busy). You do some good stuff here for your cause - and alot original - but to not recognize that of the other side is kinda pathetic. I mean hell, the place is chock full of relevant original reporting or whatever right now. NH Project ring a bell? I don’t really get the “original reporting” argument anyway. It shows a complete and total misunderstanding about what blogs are. Why is that even a standard? It’s like saying The Dispatch isn’t a good newspaper because there’s not enough sarcastic commentary! Duh.
#5, I can vouch for the accuracy of that claptrap. It’s complete junk. It is funny that Dave will have to now say that Plunderbund is the second most influential blog in the state - despite his best efforts to down rate us. LOL. One a day Dave…only one a day!
Congrats on allowing Dave to comment. You are in rare company there. Maybe you can get him to convert fully. I’m sure we’d all LOVE that.
Ya’ll can reach Dave at his 132nd yahoo email address: philysteaknslease@hotmail.com. What fun!
PS: BFN “influence” rating is junk as well - about as relevant as a Dave Hickman comment.
Comment by Eric — May 31, 2007 @ 11:23 pm
#7, I guess I should amend my comment to say that I don’t see a lot of relevant news — and maybe I’m just doing a MEGO (my eyes glaze over) on the Dem party insider stuff. You seem to come up with more original stuff than all of BSB combined.
Speaking of MEGO - That’s how I’ve generally been about BlogNetNews, just because I haven’t figured out its ins and outs and don’t have the time to, or the desire (though maybe I should).
Comment by TBlumer — June 1, 2007 @ 1:02 am
[…] Later in the post, Columbuser.com is implicated. Matthews comments are timed rather well with other republican remarks against BSB throughout the Ohio ’sphere. It’s almost as if they’re - nooo - coordinated (gasp). […]
Pingback by Columbuser.com / Orchestrated response — June 1, 2007 @ 6:48 am
Just to clear up false statements that Jerid at BSB is trying to spin about me here:
http://www.buckeyestateblog.com/i_cant_understand_you_when_your_mouth_is_full
Jerid says to Matt Naugle:
“Oh? Matthew you agree with pro-drug reform, green party reject, radical Dave Hickman? Duly noted.”
I may or may not be considered “radical.” I guess that tag is relative to who you ask.
However, I have never been a supporter or activist for the Green Party. In fact, I stood against Kucinich 2004 Columbus Coordinator Greg Richey for allowing Greens to dominate Kucinich Meetups and official Kucinich Columbus campaign efforts (a well known and documented fact).
The false connection to the Green Party that Jerid is trying to spin about me originates from my volunteer grassroots organizational efforts for the Ohio Honest Elections Campaign (OHEC) and the Free Press. Just because OHEC, Green Party and Libertarian Party were part of the 2004 recount and other subsequent lawsuits, does not make me a Green. Neither does the fact that Free Press Editor Bob Fitrakis ran for Governor as a Green. I neither had connection to the Fitrakis for Governor campaign nor the Green Party.
In fact, my connection to politics started more through Meetups, including Democracy for America (DFA). See below for a statewide 250 member group that I help organize for Ohio Honest Elections as part of the DFA.
http://www.dfalink.com/group.php?id=759
I have never been a proponent for drug reform. In fact, I’ve stood against drug reformers for being too assertive at various events that I’ve been part of organizing.
One example that comes to mind was a confrontation I had with Brandy Zink at a 2005 forum for candidates who were running for the Ohio Democratic Party Chair position that was vacated by Denny White. It took a lot of my energy to keep Ms. Zink from dominating the Q&A and to keep her drug reform brochures from being dominant on literature tables that were set-up specifically for candidates to distribute their own campaign information. I did this as one of my volunteer organizer roles for the Ohio Honest Elections Campaign which hosted this ODP Chair candidates forum.
Ms. Zink currently is the Executive Director for the Ohio Patient Action Network which is coordinating with Progress Ohio regarding drug reform causes.
http://ohiopatientaction.org/
http://progressohio.org/page/group/OhioPatientNetwork
Just because Ms. Zink has been part of Ohio Honest Elections Campaign and Free Press activities, does not make me a proponent for drug reform. As he often does, Jerid Kurtz is spinning a false image of me for whatever reason. This is not the first time and it likely won’t be the last.
All I have to say to Eric Vessels is that I hope you are enjoying whatever you are voluntarily doing at Plunderbund blog after your questionable departure from the highly paid position you once held at Progress Ohio… BWWWWWWWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!
Comment by Dave Hickman — June 1, 2007 @ 9:34 am
#10, OK now, Eric and Jerid get to respond here if they want to. But after that, guys, please take it outside.
Comment by TBlumer — June 1, 2007 @ 10:11 am
Sorry you got Hickmaned Tom. I love that the only two who run this “questionable departure” bullshit is Dave and Matt Naugle. Makes ya wanna go “Hmmm”. I am enjoying what I’m voluntarily doing at PB. The second most influential political blog in Ohio I might add (snickers). You might not like to hear this Dave, but I’m making more now than I ever have. Eric’s fine. ;-)
Comment by Eric — June 1, 2007 @ 1:20 pm