Brown enters race for DeWine seat,strikes a nerve (Hackett 'betrayed'?)

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1128682669151650.xml&coll=2

Friday, October 07, 2005
Stephen Koff and Elizabeth Auster
Plain Dealer Reporters

Washington - U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, a leading Democratic critic of the Bush administration's handling of health care and trade, will run in 2006 for Republican U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine's seat...

The Hackett camp says it feels betrayed, since Brown, of Avon, assured Hackett face-to-face that he was not running...

Brown said he began reconsidering his decision after wrapping up the campaign in the House against the Central American Free Trade Agreement. Brown's broad coalition, including support from organized labor, lost in a late-July House vote that he says was full of back-room dealing and duplicity...

Democratic leaders in Washington now hope to stave off what Brautigam says could become intraparty warfare. Based on interviews, it appears they hope that Hackett can be persuaded to run for a different office, such as another try at winning Ohio's 2nd Congressional District in 2006...

[sasquatch]

1. Somebody tell Brown to just worry about Avon, and let Hackett be the guy

IMHO

[genius]

31. Brown's got a decent voting score +155

There is a possible 410 points on the chart. Brown is significantly better than Pelosi, who is below 100. There are some representatives who are below -250.

I don't know where Hackett stands on issues like trade or health care or war funding. I've been disappointed by so many representatives and senators that I need to know where each stands on the issues to know which is better to support.

Has anyone asked Dennis which candidate he thinks is better?

[OhioBlue]

43. Brown is a good congressman

the problem is his about face on the race. He hinted for Gov, he hinted for Senate, stated that he would not seek either seat in '06, gave his support to Hackett and now jumps in. Probably because he sees the polls and the continued tanking of the Republicans in Ohio. It is an opportunistic move and IMO shows a lack of integrity. Hackett was already getting a team mobilized, planning the official announcement, etc. Now, when he is drilling with his Reserve Unit, Brown pulls this. The Ohio Dems need to be unified going into the '06 elections and do not need this type of political misstep creating a division in the party.

[buff2]

2. Brown is a two faced creep

I wouldn't want him representing us in the senate.If he double crossed Hackett,what do you think he would do to US? I won't vote for him.I think what he did to Hackett is despicable.

[merwin]

3. * Putting on the tinfoil hat * Here's a thought:

Maybe someone (DLC?) doesn't like the idea of Hackett getting a Senate seat, considering Senators are so high and mighty, so they convinced Brown to run.

[me b zola]

23. I don't think that tin foil is necessary to consider that possibility

It was the same thing that I thought when I read the story. DLC? Maybe. This stinks to high heaven and we need to get this element out of the party. What many people who would defend the dlc may not understand is that this internal battle has nothing to do with moderate vs liberal. It is about power and those who wish to keep it away from its rightful owners, we the people.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

24. Tinfoil makes excellent Eyeglass Frames-tinfoil also fixes burned fuses-nt

[Zhade]

34. I need to go to the eye doctor - I thought you wrote "burned FETUSES".

*blinkblink*

[OKNancy]

25. I don't think so

The DLC doesn't like Brown. Brown is not DLC, in fact they were working against his positions on CAFTA.

From Kos:
It will be interesting to see if, just as the DLC viciously attacked Howard Dean, the DLC will try to make life harder for people like Ohio's popular Congressman Sherrod Brown (D), should he jump into the state's U.S. Senate race in 2006. Brown has been a leader in pushing for fair trade, and in whipping up opposition to CAFTA – an opposition the DLC tried to undercut last week.

---

I think it's nothing but an ego thing. May the best person win.

[Zhade]

35. Okay, I HATE HATE HATE the rightwing DLC...

...but is there any reason to suspect them? If there is, I'm all ears.

[merwin]

37. Just seems to me like the most likely group to not want a loose cannon

like Hackett in the Senate.

[mod mom]

41. Ohio Dem Party is corrupt and probably wants someone they know they can

control. Hackett will stir things up in OH. This is one state that defonitely needs stirring-up. I won't work for the Ohio Dems until Denny white, Chair of the OH dem Party is booted!

For those of you who haven't heard this story, there was a recent breakin at the OH DEM Party HQs in columbus, only it wasn't exactly a break-in. The thieves got into Denny Whites office through an open window and stole his computer + blackberry that has sensitive material. Hmmmh...an open window?

[mod mom]

54. Here is info on the ODP Break-in for those interested:

Article published Saturday, July 2, 2005

Ohio Democrats victims of break-in
Thieves grab computer from party headquaters in Columbus

By STEVE EDER and JAMES DREW
BLADE STAFF WRITERS


COLUMBUS — Thieves targeted the Ohio Democratic Party Headquarters this week, stealing a computer and a high-tech communications gadget belonging to party chairman Denny White.
Police said yesterday one or more burglars appeared to have climbed a wall Monday and crawled through an unlocked second-story window overnight at the party headquarters about three blocks from the Statehouse.
The break-in occurs at a time when the Ohio Republican Party is threatened by one of the largest scandals to hit the state’s government in decades.
Some Democrats also say the break-in is eerily similar to a burglary at the Lucas County Democratic Party Headquarters last fall, in which three computers were stolen.

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050702/NEWS03/50702005

[Prodemsouth]

4. If he is concerned about Ohio- why not run for Governor.

n/t

[Deep13]

11. Ted Strickland is our candidate for governor.

He's very good, but we need our A-Team running for Senate to take it back from the Rs.

[Prodemsouth]

17. Shows you how much I know. These were the worst post coming

from me. I thought Sherrod Brown was someone else. I will shut up about Ohio. I didn't know Strickland was running- good choice.

[Algorem]

5. Harry Reid and Democratic Party want Brown to run;Brown is great,too.

[Prodemsouth]

7. Self delete.

[Tiggeroshii]

62. The grassroots want Hackett.

Schumer wants Hackett, and I think it's already a given that Hackett's gonna out fundraise Brown in a heartbeat...

[Dr.Phool]

6. First of all

Sherrod Brown is nowhere close to being a DLCer. He's pretty much on the same page as Dennis Kucinich on everything.

Second, He's a seasoned congressman, with a lot of campaign experience, who stands a much better chance of getting rid of DeWine than Hackett. I'm sure Hackett's a great guy, but face reality.

[Prodemsouth]

9. Self delete.

Was think of someone else.

[Rowdyboy]

12. Dammit, will you stop with all those nasty facts!

You're spoiling a perfectly good hissy-fit! :sarcasm:

If the idea is to take down Dewine, doesn't it make sense to turn to someone with a record of winning statewide, a warchest of $2 million, and the support of what little Democratic organization exists in Ohio? Paul Hackett is a great guy (a bit conservative on issues but good overall) who can serve the people in any number of offices. Doesn't Ohio have a Lt Gov?

[Prodemsouth]

16. I thought this was a differnt Congressman - sorry I was think of

someone else - you were right to jump on my case. I didn't know what I was talking about.

[Thrasybulus]

13. Reality is that Brown handled the situation poorly.

Outside pressures probably caused Brown to change his mind but there will be a political cost among true believers on the war.

Reminds me of Eugene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy in 1968. Kennedy did not challenge LBJ/Vietnam until after McCarthy's near defeat of Johnson in the New Hampshire primary.

The young anti-war people worked tirelessly for McCarthy and against Kennedy in the primaries.

Brown, like Kennedy, is better connected, funded and organized. But Hackett may be a better campaigner than McCarthy was.

This could have so easily been avoided. Now we will have one less good candidate in another race and a waste of good money that could be used against DeWine.

[OKNancy]

26. Yup

I just posted that above before reading your post

:thumbsup:

[OhioBlue]

49. Brown is stronger in the Dem Party

But I have to disagree with your assessment. I think Hackett would be much more appealing to Rural Independent voters. A lot of people consider the rural vote the repug vote, but i really think, while there are a great deal of Republicans it is more of an independent vote that can be won by a charismatic, straight-talking, military guy like Hackett.

[Deep13]

8. Sherrod Brown is a friend of mine.

He is a good and honorable man and is no DINO. I have never heard him say anything good about any R. He gives 100% effort to this party and its causes. He has held statewide office before and has an enormous war chest and he knows how to win against creeps like DeWine. Hackett is a good man, but he is simply not prepared to take on an entrenched opponent like DeWine. DeWine will swiftboat him just like he did (unsuccessfully) to John Glenn in the 1990s. DeWine has a strong Fundy base and has positioned himself as a moderate on other issues. He was one of the few R Senators to support McCain over Bush in 2000. The point is it will take massive resources and and excellent savoir-fare to beat him, if it can even be done.

Hackett is promising as a neophyte, but he is not ready for a Senate race. His best bet is to take on Schmidt in the 1st Dist. in the high-turnout general election. Frankly, he made political missteps that cost him that race last time. 48% would have been pretty good against Portman, but against a relative unknown and frankly unpleasant person like Schmidt, 48% sucks. In a general election, he can probably make up that ground.

I told Brown that if he runs, I would give him financial support and I intend to follow up on that promise. His entry means we have a shot at taking back the Senate.

[OhioBlue]

52. Nice -

48% sucks in a Republican strong hold. C'mon. Sherrod Brown may be your friend, but you can't take away what Hackett accomplished in the SECOND district. Brown may be more seasoned, but are you really sure that is what the people of Ohio would prefer? Maybe they would be more inclined to vote for a candidate like Hackett in the general. And... can you really deny that Brown handled this TERRIBLY?

[1932]

59. I like that Brown is motivated by anti-CAFTA campaign. That gives

an organizing theme to his campaign that I think is just about the most important thing a Democrat should be running on right now.

[madaboutharry]

10. I lived in Ohio for several years and

Brown is a fine congressman. Look, this is politics not a garden party. I think Brown has a record to run on and a much better chance of winning against DeWine. This is the real world people.

[meganmonkey]

14. I have to say I agree with you. I love the idea of Hackett in the Senate

but it is a rather lofty goal. It is both important and possible for DeWine to get beat, and the odds are better with a seasoned pol like Brown.

:shrug:

[keta11]

15. I definitely prefer Sherrod Brown to Hackett in this one

n/t

[necso]

18. Primaries give

party voters a chance to choose between different candidates of their party. And as long as the primary doesn't eat up too many resources (taking these away from the real fight in the fall) or get too ugly, then it's generally a good thing.

Let the people of Ohio decide.

Major Hackett is an outsider running for one of the highest seats in the land. It promises to be a rocky road, and a certain amount of institutional resistance, questionable political maneuvers, etc, are to be expected.

The Senate is the big leagues... and the game is hardball.

[Walt Starr]

19. I'm backing Hackett. Fuck the Party powers that be

Hackett deserves teh run. The Party powers that be don't want a rogue Senator.

[Kukesa]

39. Right you are, Walt.

I'm backing Hackett, too, and I oughta know something about this state of mine (considering I co-chaired Ohio Women for Kerry in Montgomery Co).

[David Zephyr]

53. Bingo, Walt.

:thumbsup:

[Kolesar]

20. Sherrod Brown has won state-wide races before

He was our Secretary of State before he got elected to congress. I think he is much better prepared than Paul Hackett. I do feel sorry for Paul, though. This must be despiriting.

[Peace Patriot]

27. Sec of State? Was Brown the one who signed the contracts for Ohio

permitting "trade secret," proprietary programming in electronic voting, owned and controlled by Bushite corporations? Or did he lay any ground work for such contracts? Has he--like DLC/DNC--failed to object to secret, proprietary programming code? Did he support conversion to electronic voting, like other Dems, KNOWING that Delay had blockaded any controls? (I am suspicious now of any Dem who voted for HAVA.)

Also, how did he vote on the Iraq war, on on-going war appropriations and on the Patriot Act?

I think that the secret, proprietary control of vote tabulation by pro-war, rightwing powers, and the war itself, are far more important, these days, than the "free piracy" agreements that are destroying labor protections and our manufacturing base, because the first--loss of our right to vote--makes it impossible for us to regulate or tax the U.S.-based global corporate predators who are destroying our economy, and the second--trillion dollar war drain to war-fomenting corporations--is impoverishing us and adding to our powerlessness.

The DLC and the DNC ('04) leadership were abominable traitors to the interests of the majority of Americans, on both issues--the war, and Diebold and ES&S secret tabulation of the votes; and the DNC ('04) influence still lingers, for instance, in the very corrupt Donna Brazille/DNC report on the 2004 election (which, among other things, fails to point out WHO controlled the vote tabulation in '04).

The fascists (including their Dem Party leader colluders) have moved on from the giveaway of U.S. sovereignty (in the "free piracy" agreements) to controlling the mechanism by which we might get our sovereignty back--our vote. And they are now gouging our hearts out and eating them with unjust, illegal war, mass slaughter of innocents, torture and other assaults on decency and lawfulness, but, most pointedly, are draining our government coffers dry, so that we have no resources with which to recover, nor a strong middle class with the time and money to be good citizens and monitor the government.

Brown's efforts on CAFTA--in a Diebold and ES&S elected Bushite Congress--therefore do not sway me. It is more important to know what he has done to corrupt our election system--or to defend it against corruption--and if he is a waffler on the war.

I don't know the answer to either question. Could someone enlighten me?

[Kolesar]

28. You ought to google up Sherrod's biography

It is obvious that you don't know much about him.

While you are at it, google up how many counties in Ohio have voting machines "permitting 'trade secret,' proprietary programming in electronic voting". I will give you a hint: it is a very, very small number.

[Peace Patriot]

30. Hey, BorealAvenger, I was asking, okay? And I'm saying that my criteria

for judging politicians has changed--partly as a result of what I've seen happening here in California within the Dem party, and among state/local election officials, regarding the electronic voting boondoggle (bipartisan corruption), and also in consideration of the Dem Party leaders' SILENCE on Bushites controlling the vote tabulation with secret, proprietary programming code.

It's a first priority issue to me--and so I was ASKING. Current and former sec's of state are the MOST DIRECTLY CULPABLE parties in the selling away of our right to vote.

As to what may be a small number of secretly programmed machines in Ohio, the number so far is not important; boondoggle funding can quickly change that number to most or all voting machines and systems; it is the PRINCIPLE that is important--the signing of laws PERMITTING "trade secrets" in vote tabulation and signing of contracts with that sort of provision.

I was just asking if Brown had done so. I was not accusing him of doing so. Same on the war. I don't know how he has voted. If he is clean on these two issues, then I would not be as concerned about a political fight over who will be the Senate nominee. But if he is not clean on these two issues, then I would be inclined to send money to, and support, Hackett, as a fresh political candidate, who is not likely to be corrupted on these issues, and I would urge him to fight for it.

You seem to know Brown well, yet your answer is vague. You refer me to his biography. How about a straight answer? Do you know if he, as sec of state, signed "trade secret" contracts with electronic voting companies? And do you know what his votes on the war have been?

[roseBudd]

65. While it is true OH did not have DREs, the punch card & optiscan ballots

were tabulated by proprietary software programs developed by Triad and ES&S.

I am in Ohio and was shocked to find out that the precinct code is printed rather than punched and requires the correct header card to proceed any precinct change for the subsequent ballots to be tabulated properly. Neighboring indiana has punched precinct codes. Hmm, a way for Ohio election officials to introduce plausible denialbility fraud via mistabulation?

[Deep13]

46. What the hell are you talking about?!

:wtf: :freak:

[fliesincircles]

47. Sure

Brown voted against the IWR. Brown voted against the P.A.T.R.I.O.T Act.

Were his CAFTA efforts real? He voted NO on NAFTA for pete's sake!!

Brown survived the Contract on America. And since he hasn't been Ohio SOS for 15 years, I'd say he didn't sign any electronic voting "contracts."

If you like Hackett that's one thing. There aren't many better than Sherrod Brown. I'd bet he get numbers like Voinovich did here in 04.

[Peace Patriot]

66. Thank you, Fliesincircles! The fact that he was Sec of State 15 years ago

(not involved in the $4 billion electronic voting boondoggle), voted against NAFTA (way early recognition of the disaster of "free piracy"), and voted against the war and the "Patriot" Act, helps me very much to understand this situation. It appears that you have have TWO good candidates for Senate in Ohio, with Sherrod having the edge in political experience and a known record. I greatly appreciate your answering my questions.

[Peace Patriot]

67. P.S. I do think that a fresh politician with the potential to be a "loose

cannon" (independent of all entrenched interests) will be very appealing to voters in '06 and '08, so Hackett has the edge in that sense, no matter how good Brown's record is. I just hope that the voters--of Ohio, and throughout the U.S.--have their will done this time. I think it's very questionable whether anyone who is not agreeable to the rightwing powers behind Diebold and ES&S will be nominated or elected to any post, except perhaps for a few token Dem "leftists" to throw suspicion off the electronic voting technology and stop the movement to get rid of it or make it more accountable. We need to help UScountvotes.org and Lynn Landes' "parallel election" projects to monitor and challenge results, and we should help promote the pamphlet "Myth Breakers" (simple, clear explanation of the perils of electronic voting, and what to do about them - votersunite.org), as well as put max pressure at the state/county level for transparent elections.

[madmom]

21. what's wrong with change...

aren't the "powers that be" the ones the helped get us in this mess in the first place? New blood and change can be a wonderful thing!

[DinahMoeHum]

22. Strickland for Governor, Brown for Senate, Hackett for Congress. . .

why not go for THIS Trifecta??

:kick:

[davidinalameda]

29. I would like to see Hackett take on a state wide office

he has the support

he could easily run as Lt. Gov with Strickland

in fact, that's the winning ticket right there

Hackett would make a great attack dog while building up his resume to take a shot at Voinovich next time around

[Deep13]

32. I know what you mean, but...

... I personnally believe taking Congress is more important than taking over Ohio state government. We are fiveish votes away from a majority in the House and a Hackett win in the 1st Dist. would trim that down to 4 to be picked up elsewhere.

[MadisonProgressive]

36. How do you figure we're 5 votes away from a majority?

On edit: You must be talking about the Ohio House. Sorry!

[Deep13]

42. No, Federal.

Maybe I have my figures wrong, but my recollection was that we were only a seats shy of a House majority. Now that I think of it, it was more like twelve, not five (out of 427).

[MadisonProgressive]

56. Yeah, maybe 5-6 in the senate

[ronnykmarshall]

33. Plus he is HOT!!!

[davidinalameda]

40. gods bless you ronny

always the voice of reason!

:rofl:

[ronnykmarshall]

57. I'm a gal that always is looking out ....

for a hot man!!!

[David Zephyr]

38. Well, I'll just have to hasten a contribution to Hackett now.

Hacket should have unified support now. He earned it.

[Deep13]

44. earned it?

How do you figure? He ran in one special election. Sherrod has been fighting for the public good in elective office for thirty goddamn years. HE has earned it.

[David Zephyr]

51. Also, Hackett will win, I doubt that Sherrod can or will.

And why did Sherrod wait until now and act like Hamlet? He doesn't have the fire in his belly.

Hackett can and will win.

It may be Sherrod's turn, but it's not his time.

[goodhue]

45. I like Sherrod Brown

He is a good friend to labor. I prefer him to Hackett.

[Deep13]

48. He's a good friend to local D officials too.

He's always going to fundraisers and sending letters on behalf of local candidates.

[OhioBlue]

55. yes, he is a friend to labor.

he was my first pick to oppose DeWine, BEFORE he announced that he would not run and encouraged Paul Hackett to run. Paul's camp has been working toward the campaign and now Brown pulls this. It is a despicable thing to do. It hurts the party!!! I think it was a HUGE political mistake for Ohio Dems. I will now support Hackett!

[goodhue]

50. Brown/Kucinich oppose CAFTA on Aids/health issues.

Brown/Kucinich oppose CAFTA on Aids/health issues.

by From Congressional Record Friday, May. 20, 2005 at 11:26 PM

I am glad to join the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) in urging the Members of Congress to oppose CAFTA. Not only is it bad for workers, not only is it bad for human rights, not only is it bad for the environment, but it is bad for people's health."

Dennis Kucinich speaking from the Floor of the House May 11, 2005.
On May 11, 2005, Congressman Sherrod Brown, of Ohio's 13th congressional district, was recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.

Mr. BROWN: "Mr. Speaker, this evening I am joined by fellow House Members, the gentleman from Ohio Mr. Kucinich, the gentleman from Missouri Mr. Carnahan a freshman, and other House Members who will join us shortly as we talk a little bit about the Central American Free Trade Agreement. Some call it the Central American Free Labor Agreement, as we will soon see."

Mr. KUCINICH. "Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I want to say that the people of Ohio are proud of the gentleman and the work that he has done in challenging these unfair trade agreements. For me to have a chance to join the gentleman in this important challenge to CAFTA is a privilege, and I again want to commend the gentleman for the service that he has given to the people.
"I want to focus for a moment on one particular impact of CAFTA, and that is the impact on the availability of generic drugs, something that is another issue that the gentleman has worked on.
"While the Bush administration says that they understand the need for lower-cost medicines in developing countries, their actions demonstrate greater concern for protecting the extremely high profitability of leading pharmaceutical companies. In the trade talks that resulted in the Central American Free Trade Agreement, CAFTA, our government pressed for tighter restrictions on generic drugs in the Central American countries. The result will be higher prices for medicines and higher profits for the pharmaceutical industry paid for by some of the poorest people on earth.
"CAFTA has been one of the Bush administration's highest priorities in international trade. As we know, it extends the NAFTA agreement to all of the Central American countries that happen to be small and poor. The CAFTA countries include Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic. It was formally signed by the administration, and it awaits congressional votes, which is why we are here to appeal to the Members of Congress to think long and hard before they would even consider supporting CAFTA.
"The Central American countries that would be affected by CAFTA have significant health problems. AIDS, for instance, is more prevalent in the CAFTA countries taken as a whole than in the United States. According to Dr. Manuel Munoz, the director of Medecins Sans Frontiere's AIDS treatment program in Honduras, 'HIV/AIDS kills one person in Honduras every 2 hours, because the vast majority of people with HIV/AIDS cannot afford lifesaving AIDS medicines.' Malaria and tuberculosis are also prevalent. As a result, the people of these countries need greater access to essential medicines. Yet, CAFTA will make access more difficult for most residents and impossible for too many of them.
"CAFTA accomplishes this by imposing new restrictions on the use of pharmaceutical regulatory data that will have the effect of limiting the availability of generic drugs.
"Pharmaceutical regulatory data is the result of studies of patent medicine's efficacy and safety. These studies are performed by the companies seeking approval and are often expensive to undertake. The data are submitted to the drug regulatory agency in the company's application for approval.
"When a company seeks to manufacture a generic version of a patent medicine, it must typically show that its product is the chemical equivalent of the patent medicine and that it works in the body in the same way. The generic producer relies upon the drug regulatory agency's prior approval of the patent medicine to make its case of approval of the generic version.
"What CAFTA does is it gives extra patent protections to the drug regulatory data, thereby excluding any other user from relying upon them. In other words, not only might a particular medicine be protected by a patent, but, additionally, the drug regulatory data for that medicine is protected by a patent. Even if the medicine's patent expires, generic manufacture could be restricted due to the additional patent on the use of regulatory data. According to Robert Weissman, an attorney specializing in international trade and pharmaceuticals, 'If the generics cannot rely on approvals granted based on the brand-name data, in most cases, they simply will not enter the market. This is especially true in small size markets, as in Central America, where prospective revenues are limited.'
"Now, CAFTA was formally signed on May 28, 2004. It will only become law if Congress passes it. In 2002, the pharmaceutical industry gave over $29 million in political contributions; three-quarters of that was donated to the Republicans.
"Recently, I am sure the gentleman is aware, the pharmaceutical companies have been expatriating their profits to avoid paying income taxes here in the United States. They really do not want to pay income taxes there, but they want to control the political process here and, by reference, in Central America with the help of these trade agreements. I am glad to join the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) in urging the Members of Congress to oppose CAFTA. Not only is it bad for workers, not only is it bad for human rights, not only is it bad for the environment, but it is bad for people's health."

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. "Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio. Think about what he just said. This agreement has made it even harder for the poorest people in this hemisphere; again, look at the income here. The United States average income, $38,000. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) mentioned Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras especially; their income is less than 10 percent of ours, literally, and they are forcing, because U.S. drug companies have convinced the United States Trade Representative's Office, appointed by the Bush administration, convinced them to squeeze the poorest people in the world even harder on paying for prescription drugs. I mean, it is just, when we talk about values, when we talk about morality, to do that to the poorest of the poor that need HIV drugs, that need malaria drugs, that need tuberculosis drugs, that need antibiotics, and they are going to end up paying more money because, in fact, the United States Trade Representative said to the government of one country, if you do not change your laws, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) talked about this and has talked about it before, if you do not change your laws, we are not going to allow you into the Central America Free Trade Agreement.
"It is not like the drug industry does not have way too much power with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) and with Republican leadership and in the White House here in this country, where people are paying two and three and four times what they ought to be paying for prescription drugs; now we are seeing that drug industry exert its power, helped by the U.S. Government, in the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.

Mr. KUCINICH. "Mr. Speaker, when you carry this along to its conclusion, what we have is a condition where the people in the poorest countries cannot protect their health. So we are looking at their life expectancy beginning to decline, and one of the reasons is because they cannot afford the cost of the prescription drugs. And just as people here are held hostage by the pharmaceutical companies with the high cost of prescription drugs, imagine what it is like for these poor people in Central America, who are making a tenth, if that, of what we make in this country, and they are paying a high cost for prescription drugs because the pharmaceutical companies want these trade agreements which protect their patents and will not permit generics to get the help to people that need it the most."

http://miami.indymedia.org/news/2005/05/1383.php

[Algorem]

58. "Democrats' Senate competition raises Ohio's 2006 election profile"

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-20/1128721141169342.xml&storylist=cleveland

10/7/2005, 5:31 p.m. ET
By DAVID HAMMER
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) —...

"In the national struggle between Democrats and Republicans, Ohio is ground zero," said Craig Smith, a political consultant who ran presidential campaigns for Al Gore and Joe Lieberman. He now advises Columbus Mayor Mike Coleman in his race for Ohio governor.

Hackett and Brown would like to avoid a primary. But a little tune-up election might bolster the Democrats' chances, Smith said...

"What a primary does is, the amount of national attention on Ohio will just increase if there's a competitive Senate race and a competitive gubernatorial race," he said...

Hackett carries over from his House run a mobilized base of Internet bloggers and support from national players such as 2004 presidential candidate retired Gen. Wesley Clark. Brown brings 11 years in the U.S. House, an established campaign structure and war chest and statewide name recognition from his time as secretary of state...

[nvliberal]

69. Internet blogger support = loser. We don't need Hackett,

who is nothing but a one-issue candidate.

I hope somebody with some sense will talk him out of running.

Hackett can try for a state legislative office to get some kind of experience.

[fujiyama]

60. Brown may have a better chance at winning

but it's hard to say for sure that's the case.

Since Brown does have a pretty liberal voting record, the pukes could use that against him.

Hackett on the other hand only has a previous stint as a member of city council.

Both are decent candidates, but it's unfortunate Brown wasn't honest about his intention to run. After all, Hackett did ask and he was encouraged. This was a pretty low thing to do.

[VolcanoJen]

61. Sherrod Brown can't win Southwestern Ohio.

And that's exactly why Ohio keeps going red.

Paul Hackett has name recognition, buzz, and has proven he can pull votes in the most Republican part of the state. In the general election, I'm confident he's the only one who could win the votes of most Democrats in the state, and enough independents to beat DeWine.

I admire Sherrod Brown very much, and he has name recognition statewide, but for the last decade, he's only represented the northern, bluest parts of Ohio.

Elections are won in southwestern Ohio. Southwestern Ohio is the reason Bush is the president.

[Punkingal]

63. This situation has Harry Reid's fingerprints all over it...

He doesn't want Hackettt (I read on this board the other day they had a meeting that didn't go well), so he urged Brown to run. That is his modus operandi in Nevada, and I would bet my house that is now his modus operandi nationally. And he doesn't give a shit about who has a better chance of winning...it is who will play along with him. (He supported a former law partner of Kenneth Starr and Ted Olson in Nevada District 3 last year who was a tone-deaf elitist with a snowball's chance in hell of winning, and Harry didn't give a shit.)
This is not to say Brown is not a good man. I am sure he is. But the rank and file democratic voters should be the ones to choose their candidates, in the voting booth, not the Democratic Party leadership, who don't know anything about how to win an election these days.

[Vinca]

64. Hackett has what we want, plus he appeals to the masses of

shallow voters who judge a candidate by looks, charisma and name (thus eliminating Sherrod). Sorry, but that's the way it is.

[nvliberal]

68. It sounds like Brown has a solid chance against DeWine.

This is a positive for us to get a Republican seat, just as it is a positive that Jack Carter is planning on running against John Ensign in Nevada.

With regard to the latter race, Senator Reid supports Carter's run for the seat, despite his being friends with Ensign.

I doubt either incumbent could be unseated otherwise, and we certainly don't need some neophyte like Hackett go off half-cocked against Harry Reid.

Stupid, stupid, stupid on Hackett's part.