Who is the worst politician in Ohio, and why?

[FatSlob]

My vote goes to Bob Taft, a man so vapid, inept, and flip-floppy that he is even hated by members of his own party.

A close second goes to the now imprisoned Jim Traficant.

[Ninga]

1. Without a doubt, George Voinovich

Because as Gov. he did not prepare Ohio for the future.

Because as Senator, he has not prepared Ohio for the future.

Ohio is a mess.

[olddem43]

2. I agree. Besides that, he is a crook too, giving all those

no-bid state contracts to his brother (Voinovich Construction Co.) Vote Fingerhut!

[mosin]

3. DeWine

Worse than Voinovich -- and I agree that he sets a very high standard -- is DeWine. He's even worse than Taft!

[Magrittes Pipe]

4. Taft. There is no competition.

Ohio Supreme Court: "Ohio's school funding system is unconstitutional."

Bob Taft: "No it isn't. We need a new Supreme Court."

Hell, even Voinovich did a decent (not great, but not TOTALLY horrible) job as Cleveland mayor. Taft has NEVER done anything positive in his career.

Mike DeWine gets an honorable mention for Official Fuckwad Status as well, as does David Hobson (I'll give you one guess as to which CD I grew up in ;))



edited for typo

[WLKjr]

16. Make sure you add Oxely to the list

he qualifies for Douche Bad runner up

[shade]

17. Ugh.

Yes, I have the misfortune of living in Oxley's hometown. The Toledo Blade did a great expose a few months ago on his oil and big business ties, but unfortunately, he's not going anywhere until he decides to retire because he's a real "hometown hero" here for saving Marathon from a hostile takeover back in the 80s. :puke:

(Meanwhile, Marathon just laid off about 200 people here, and is getting ready to eliminate more...)

[jakefrep]

5. Hmmmm....where to start?

Bob Taft is an incompetent douchebag.

Ken Inkwell is a publicity hog.

DeWine is a major-league asshat.

Then we have the assorted members of the Caveman Caucus in the General Assembly.

I'm not sure who to choose.

[Kolesar]

6. Tim Grendell, Republican state rep from Chesterland

He is a property rights lawyer who forced Mayfield Heights to accept a big-box store development despite long-standing zoning against it. Even worse is that the GOP courts decided that Mayfield Heights has to pay $11,000,000 in fines and penalties for (bogus) "loss of use" for a decade. That's bigger than the city's annual budget.

Tim Grendell insulted a black member of the delegation. On the House floor, he told him that he "ought to enroll in Governor Taft's remedial education program" if he could not understand a bill.

Tim Grendell was named "Ohio's Meanest Legislator" by the Columbus Dispatch.

Tim Grendell is notedly anti-gay. He thinks that crap is what his Geauga County constituents want. Grendell sponsored the Lake Erie Shoreline giveaway bill, that languished in Senate committee (thanks to some voter contact by some DUers, I gleefully add!).

It's Tim Grendell!!!

[Magrittes Pipe]

7. Ooooh. Good call, ST.

Plus, he has the same name as the villain in "Beowulf." :P

Actually, one reason I didn't mention Grendell is that I get the impression nobody takes him seriously. Of course, I haven't lived in OH for the past decade, so I could well be wrong.

[Kolesar]

8. That creep is going to be "my" state senator

The Dem party could only come up with a token candidate for the 18th district, and well-funded Tim is going to win.

Even worse, Grendell is bucking to make it onto the 11th district court of appeals where his witchy wife is now a jurist. He is using the 18th as a stepping stone. Shudder

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

9. A vote for Steve Chabot

House Impeachment Manager

Sponsors "Partial Birth Abortion" constitutional amendments

Really embarrassing comb-over

[mosin]

10. Chabot's hair

Chabot does have really bad hair! And to make matters worse, at recently as 2 years ago, his campaign was still giving out plastic cups with a really old drawing of him with a head full of hair. I grabbed one from a festival booth because they were so funny. I wouldn't be surprised if they were still giving them out.

An oldie from the Cincinnati Enquirer:

WELL, OUCH: Oh no, looks like Steve Chabot's hair is making news.

Not that it's news here. We've been looking at his comb-over for years. Consensus is that it's one hair, approximately 72-feet long, that is wrapped and twirled 'til it looks like a full head of hair. Uh, semifull. (For those who saw last week's Ally McBeal, this will sound eerily familiar.)

But the comb-over is news to author Dominick Dunne (The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, An Inconvenient Woman). He writes in the May Vanity Fair on sights and sounds in the Senate during the President Clinton brouhaha. On page 210, he gasps: “House manager Steve Chabot has the worst comb-over; it comes from two directions.”

Two directions? That kills the 72-foot, one-hair theory. Could it be two 36-footers?

[mosin]

11. The cups live!

From Chabot's own website:

[Kolesar]

12. Be sensitive to the follicularly-challenged

It really makes some guys feel old and lacking virility--people think of them as less of a man.
That reminds me--time for my Rogaine.

[mosin]

13. "follicularly-challenged"

I respect the follicularly-challenged. There is nothing wrong with going bald or being bald. I'm just trying to help Chabot come to grips with his problem. Chabot needs to acknowledge his follicular limitations, lose the comb-over, trim the hair on the sides short, and step out bald and proud!

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

14. His old office in Cheviot was next door to a barbershop

Swear to God...

[FatSlob]

15. I'm laughing. It is funny as hell.