Wow. Has Markos sold his soul, or what?

[brentspeak]

How much is he being paid to be some for-hire political PR shill, again?

Check out this bit of twisted revisionist history that Kos wrote last night:

"To be further clear, Brown announced his candidacy before Hackett did. Yes, Reid and Schumer were urging Hackett to run, but he wouldn't commit to running. Labor Day, the traditional announcement day for most candidates, came and went with Hackett refusing to say what his plans were. So after waiting and waiting and waiting, Brown essentially said "fuck it" and got in. It was only after news of Brown's impending announcement were leaked that Hackett decided to commit to the race."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/2/14/0135/82714

Uh, Markos? It's the other way around: Brown announced his candidacy after (not before} Hackett did.

It must be the liar - er, lawyer - in Markos that makes him say the things that he says.

[Nothing Without Hope]

1. It's interesting, the priorities this shows for Markos.

I lost my trust for him with his handling of the aftermath of the stolen 2004 election. Lots of people came to DU from dKos then. I still listen to what he says, but I'm more skeptical than I used to be.

FYI, I put together a compilation of Hackett withdrawall threads:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x411573
thread title (2-14-06 GD): COMPILATION of Hackett withdrawal threads and 3 CARTOONS for the DEMS:

[Lexingtonian]

2. Get your facts straight.

Markos has it right.

[VolcanoJen]

4. Read the post below...

... before annointing Markos as the Facts King.

[Lexingtonian]

6. I followed the story at the time, too

Selectively citing that bit does no justice to and utterly evades the reality of what went on. Hackett was the latecomer, Brown had the first good look at the situation and passed, very tentatively.

I think the whole issue is bogus anyway- Right wingers believe in the man, not the Party, and entitlements of the kind- and the whining about donors changing their minds is also just a manifestation of vanity.

[VolcanoJen]

3. Enough with the disinformation.

Sherrod Brown: My Plans for 2006

He first posted "My Plans for 2006" on August 17, 2005. On October 7, 2005, the post below was updated to omit the following paragraphs:

After discussions with my family, closest friends, and colleagues in Congress, I have decided to seek re-election to the United States House of Representatives. The race for U.S. Senate is very winnable, and there are a number of impressive Democrats considering a run who I am confident will defeat the incumbent in 2006.

My first professional obligation, and honor, is to continue serving the people of northeastern Ohio. I will also take a leadership role in Ted Strickland's campaign for governor. However, in light of Ohio's staggering job losses, skyrocketing health care costs, roadblocks to education, and the failure by Republicans in Ohio and Congress to offer solutions to these and other concerns, I am expanding my efforts to help steer Ohio back on course for economic growth and success. I will do this through Grow Ohio and by helping to elect Democrats across the state at every level.

Enough with the "Sherrod Was First" line of bullcrap. I get enough lying from the Republican end... what is going on with the Ohio Democratic Party?

[wakeme2008]

5. Thanks VJ for the truth

:)

[leftchick]

8. it ain't just the Ohio democratic party

it is the so called leadership. They are rotten from within.

even with this crappy news have a happy valentine's day Jen.

:)

[mopinko]

13. house leadership. too. the dccc smells to high heaven.

the race in the illinois 6th is the same kind of mess. i find it hilarious that they are pushing this whole "fighting dem" crap, pushing the real fighting dem out, and running the most malleable vets they can find. oy.
doesn't anybody see the rich guys behind the curtain?

[mom cat]

17. Even without my glasses I can see what is happening:

:puke:

[VolcanoJen]

23. You know, hon, it's just that I expected more from Dean.

Same old, same old. Screw them in perpetuity, they're not getting a dime from me this year.

Happy Valentine's Day. :-) I sent ya a heart yesterday. :-)

[spuddonna]

26. Honestly, I don't think Dean had a hand in this...

Read this from the DNC blog... http://dnc.org/blog.html

"About Paul Hackett
As you know, Iraq veteran Paul Hackett left the race for U.S. Senate in Ohio today. In his campaigns, Paul had the courage to stand up and speak out for what he believes in. That is how Democrats will win elections and take this country back for the people who built it. Our country and our party are better off when people like Paul step up and run for office, up and down the ballot, in every election. I also want you to know that it is the policy of the Democratic National Committee not to intervene in contested primaries. We need more people running for office at every level, gaining experience and bringing new voices into our party. I want to thank Paul Hackett for inspiring so many people to be part of the political process, including many of the "Fighting Dems" running for office across the country. Keep up the fight, Howard"

I get the impression Dean is wicked pissed about this...

[VolcanoJen]

27. Thank you, that makes me feel just a little bit better.

I still feel that they threw a real Fighting Dem overboard, though... and although Dean says they don't intervene, goddammit, they should've this time.

[spuddonna]

28. Yeah, I'm right there with you...

I keep hearing people saying "if he really wanted it, he should have stayed in" or "he didn't handle it well by dissing Reid and Schumer"...

He's a new candidate and our leadership should have been there to support him. They knew he was green, a novice politician, but that he had enormous public appeal. The Dem leadership could have stepped in at the beginning and said essentially what they said the past few weeks, "you aren't going to get our funding/backing", but they didn't. And now, we have a candidate that was known across the USA stepping out of the race and politics, possibly forever.

This is a very serious failure by our leadership. Who failed? DCCC? DLC? You got me...

I hope Brown wins, we need to fix this mess... but I can't believe this is the way to so it...

[leftchick]

29. I sent you one too sweetie!

and they are not getting a cent from me. I am pursuing a new life in the great white north.

[understandinglife]

15. Thank you.

Peace.

[mopinko]

19. i thank you, too, jen

i don't have a problem with rich people being represented in our government, or in our party. but this sure the hell is not one person one vote any more.
lies, threats, and trolls here on du. disgusting.
at least we all have a chance to update our ignore lists.

[VolcanoJen]

24. Amen, Mo.

I didn't want to wake up angry, but I sure as hell did.

[Garbo 2004]

7. Looks like Hackett's intent to run was leaked well before Brown's

reconsideration of his decision not to run was leaked. At least according to published reports I found after a cursory search. FWIW. I have no dog in this fight one way or another. Just figured that the claims of leaked info made public would leave some public record.

August 17, 2005
Democrats Still Have No One to Face DeWine
Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) is so weak it looks like he'll be challenged from the right in a GOP primary, yet Democrats still can't find anyone to run.

After returning from a trip to China, Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) "said he is leaning against running next year for the U.S. Senate," the Vindicator reports. And Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) just announced he will not run against DeWine.

So the challenge may fall to Paul Hackett, the surprisingly strong candidate in last week's congressional special election. Jerome Armstrong says "he's in it if it's available." http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/08/17/democrats_still_have_no_one_to_face_dewine.html


September 26, 2005
Hackett Likely to Challenge DeWine
Paul Hackett, the Iraq war veteran who nearly won a special congressional election in Ohio earlier this year, has “all but decided to take on” Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH), reports the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “After making the rounds recently in Washington, Hackett has begun trying to assemble a campaign team in hopes of announcing his candidacy in October.”

Said one Democratic Senate source: “He's said privately that he's running. He's going through the process of hiring staff and getting ready." http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/09/26/hackett_likely_to_challenge_dewine.html


October 03, 2005
Brown Reconsidering Challenge to DeWine
"Knowledgeable sources on and off the Hill tell The Fix that Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is reconsidering his earlier decision not to challenge Sen. Mike DeWine (R) in 2006."

"Should Brown jump into the race, he would likely join OH-02 special election nominee Paul Hackett in the contest. Hackett made a much stronger than expected showing earlier this year in a strongly Republican, Cincinnati-area district thanks in large part to the support he received from the liberal blogsophere." http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/10/03/brown_reconsidering_challenge_to_dewine.html


October 03, 2005
Hackett Will Run for Senate
"Paul Hackett, the Iraq War veteran from Cincinnati who was hailed by national Democrats for his narrow loss this summer in a heavily Republican House district, has quickly moved up in rank to challenge Mike DeWine for U.S. Senate in 2006," the AP reports.

The news comes on the heels of reports that Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) was reconsidering his decision not to run. Hacket will officially announce on October 24. http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/10/03/hackett_will_run_for_senate.html


October 05, 2005
Brown Says He'll Challenge DeWine
The Hotline reports Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has told key Democrats that he will challenge Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) in next year's election. Earlier this year Brown ruled out a bid for Senate, but in recent days reports suggested that Brown was reconsidering his decision.

Jerome Armstrong makes the case for Brown's candidacy. http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/10/05/brown_says_hell_challenge_dewine.html


October 06, 2005
Brown Confirms He'll Run for Senate
We noted it yesterday, but Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) told the Toldeo Blade "that he will challenge incumbent Mike DeWine for a U.S. Senate seat in 2006, setting the stage for a Democratic primary fight."

Brown also made a formal statement on his website. http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/10/06/brown_confirms_hell_run_for_senate.html


October 15 Cinci Enquirer article:

...On Oct. 3, after weeks of meetings in Washington with the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee and the Democratic National Committee, David Woodruff, Hackett's congressional campaign manager, said Hackett would run for the Senate.

Two days later, U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, D-Lorain who once served as Ohio secretary of state, said he, too, would run - even though he had earlier told party leaders, and Hackett himself, that he would not.

Hackett said that at the urging of Democratic party leaders in Washington, he met with Brown about a month ago. Hackett said Brown told him he had no plans to run and encouraged him to do so. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051015/NEWS01/510150369/1056

[MoJoWorkin]

9. I remember vividly that we at DU were upset at the time when

Brown "reconsidered" a run for Senate, after he gave Hackett the assurances that he would NOT run, and that Hackett had the all clear. The above 10/15/05 Cinci enquirer article is proof of that.

Has everyone gone over to the dark side and trying to rewrite history? GEEZ,
I am ASHAMED of how Hackett has been treated. This could cause a HUGE backlash among voters, and NOT just in OHIO.

I have been an active Democrat since I was 15 (since I walked door to door for JFK) and I am so disgusted now, that I AM READY to jump ship. I CAN'T STAND anymore of this.

The Party leaders "picked" Kerry, and you see how well that turned out. They saw Dean getting all that grassroots popularity, and they couldn't control him. They thought they would take those grassroots people and run with their own candidate.
So now they decide they can't control Hackett--same deal. Sorry boys, that dog won't hunt!
I am sick of the so-called-leaders pandering, caving in to Repugs, and trying to emulate Repugs--now in this heavy-handed tactic. I am at my breaking point.

I don't recognize the Democratic Party anymore. NO guts, NO glory!:rant: :rant: :banghead: :banghead: :rant: :rant: :banghead: :banghead: :puke: :mad: :puke: :mad: :puke:

[RazzleDazzle]

10. You're RIGHT

I vaguely remember discussions here that Brown gave assurances to Hackett too. Someone with search capabilitites ought to be able to find those discussions. This thread outlines timeframes pretty well.

[redqueen]

20. "Could" cause a backlash among voters all over the place?

Looks like it already is.

:(

[TornadoTN]

21. Great sentiments

I'm being bashed over on my thread for criticizing the leadership of our party (specifically, the DCCC and the DLC).

I have no idea what is happening to the Democratic Party, but if the Hackett matter and how this board acts to dissenting viewpoints are any indication, things certainly do not look the brightest for 2006.

[VolcanoJen]

25. Mojo....

... I'm thisclose to calling myself an Independent.

I might start in about an hour to two... I'm mulling it over.

[understandinglife]

16. Thank you. Amazing how interesting the truth is. Too bad so many ...

... try to avoid it.

Hackett would have been an outstanding US Senator in the 110th US Congress.


Peace.

[OzarkDem]

11. He's telling the truth

get over it.

[robbedvoter]

12. Deja vu all over again: "tired to wait for Clark - I'll attack him instead

[Pryderi]

14. There will be an, "I was wrong" or "I lied" update 3

[iconoclastNYC]

18. I think he's spot on.

I donated to Paul Hackett and I think this nonstory is just another case of making a mountain out of a molehill.

I'm disapointed that Paul is being a huge baby about this. Nobody said politics was FAIR.

[femrap]

22. I am glad you said this....

Sometimes I get the feeling that Hackett was a pug plant/mole...put in this race so to 'divide and conquer.' The Democratic voters always fall for this dirty tactic....and end up staying home and pouting instead of going to the polls on election day.

Sherrod Brown is a true Progressive...and I wish DUers would look at this man's record.

I thought Hackett would have been easily elected in the 2nd Congressional District in '06, but when he instead went for the Senate race...I began to seriously wonder WTF is he thinking?

My doubts began when he did not request a Recount of Clermont County's votes in the Special Election...remember the 'humidity problem.' The voters cannot request a Recount....only the candidate can. Instead Hackett went on vacation. I called and emailed his Campaign Manager, David Woodruff a number of times about this...and no response. There were legitimate questions regarding Clermont County. First of all, when Ohio did the Presidential Recount for the '04 Election of Clermont County, we encountered the most uncooperative (if not corrupt) BOE officials of Southwestern Ohio.

I watched the Special Election on line....Hackett was leading. Clermont shut down their count for about an hour and a half. Final votes appear and Mean Jean has won. Then the 'humidity story.' Clermont County's BOE has a strong smell.