SHERROD BROWN STRIKES BACK

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/weblogs/openers/index.ssf?/mtlogs/cleve_openers/archives/2006_02.html

Democratic Rep. Sherrod Brown is vehemently denying an allegation that his campaign spread rumors that Paul Hackett, his former rival for the U.S. Senate nomination from Ohio, committed war crimes while serving in Iraq.

Hackett, who dropped out of the race last week, made the allegation Monday in an appearance on MSNBC's Hardball program. Brown, asked to respond to Hackett's claim, made the following comments Tuesday after a campaign appearance before students at Muskingum College in New Concord, OH:

"A week and a half ago, Paul Hackett got out of the (Senate) race and said it was the Deomocratic bosses that pushed him out. Then he said he got out of the race because he didn't have enough money. Then he said he got out of the race because his poll numbers were too low. Now he's saying our campaign is spreading rumors.

"It's absolutely not true. I heard lots of rumors about Paul Hackett months ago. Connie (Brown's wife, Connie Schultz) and I heard it together from somebody. We immediately told our campaign that we were not interested in those and they were not to spread any rumors or discuss any rumors about Paul Hackett, period.''...

[pocket]

1. why do I not believe this?

I'm with Hackett on this one.

[katinmn]

4. Me too. This is a cheap shot and hardly an explanation

[emulatorloo]

34. Hackett was on Hardball making Accusations - Of course Brown is going to

respond. Wouldn't you if you were accused of something you didn't do?

Hackett is a good man. So is Brown. My guess is that there is a Repug Operative stirring the pot, sliming everybody, hoping you'll vote green or something.

[FreedomAngel82]

36. Oh please

Why don't you google what all Hackett has said? In October of 2005 he said he was in the race and he wasn't going anywhere. Now he's gone. After his failed Congressional campaign people here on DU encouraged him to have a recount and fight election fraud and I remember a poster in DU's election reform section saying she was going to meet Hackett and give him election fraud information. What did he do? NOTHING! He went on vacation!

[LittleClarkie]

5. But he's right in a way. The reasons keep changing

I just think Hackett was too much of a newbie for this gig.

[katinmn]

8. Hackett never claimed to be a party hack.

More power to him.

[WCGreen]

13. So that implies that you believe Brown is a "Hack".....

You should probably come down here to Ohio and see what Sherrod is all about...

[katinmn]

16. I was responding to a post that said he was a "newbie" to politics

Not being an "insider" or embraced by the DC crowd doesn't disqualify anyone from running, IMO. In fact, in this day and age, it's an advantage.

[LittleClarkie]

28. I don't mean he should be an insider or he shoujldn't run

I mean he should start off with local politics first. Has he ever held ANY position ANYWHERE? Having experience shouldn't be a negative thing.

[Kukesa]

19. I live in SW Ohio and know next to nothing about Brown.

He needs to come down here and educate a bunch of folks.

[liberalnurse]

25. He has already tried that.....

No one showed up.....Remember the Union Hall Meeting about 6 weeks ago In Dayton, Ohio? Dayton-Montgomery County is BLUE too! No one thought twice about giving up watching Survivor to see him.

[FreedomAngel82]

37. Why don't you educate yourself??

Can't you think for yourself?

[Kukesa]

46. Yes, I can think for myself but sure didn't prove it in my post.

The point I was trying to make is that Brown is a stranger down here in SW Ohio. He needs to come down here and introduce himself, shake some hands, get some name recognition, some face time on TV and in the newspaper.

We need to work together to defeat DeWine -- I'm so tired of losing.

[Douglas Carpenter]

43. some facts about Sherrod Brown

Sherrod Brown is one of the most progressive members of the U.S. Congress and a true grassroots democrat and Democrat.

Sherrod Brown bucked the Administration of his own party to fight furiously against NAFTA.

Sherrod Brown defied the tide and courageously fought and voted against the so-called Patriot Act.

Representative Brown fought and voted against the Iraq War Resolution

Sherrod Brown almost personally led the fight against CAFTA and the Bankruptcy Bill

Sherrod Brown helped pass the bill in Congress to provide Medicaid coverage to uninsured women diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer patients.


Brown Tops DeWine in New Poll
An Opinion Consultants poll finds Ohio voters favor Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) for the U.S. Senate over incumbent Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH), 43% to 38%

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2006/01/26/brown_tops_dewine_in_new_poll.html

Sherrod Brown is endorsed by PDA (Progressive Democrats of America) and is an outspoken member of the Progressive Caucus.

courtesy of vote smart - link:

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=H3141103&type=category&category=Foreign%2BAid%2Band%2BPolicy%2BIssues&go.x=12&go.y=8


2006 In 2006 Citizens for Global Solutions gave Representative Brown a rating of A.

2005 In 2005 Citizens for Global Solutions gave Representative Brown a rating of A.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Council on American-Islamic Relations 100 percent in 2005.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs (WRMEA) 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Peace Action 100 percent in 2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union 84 percent in 2003-2004.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 96 percent in 2005.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Arab American Institute 50 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the National Council of La Raza 100 percent in 2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Human Rights Campaign 77 percent in 2003-2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 90 percent in 2003-2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights 100 percent in 2003-2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the National Education Association 89 percent in 2003-2004.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers 100 percent in 2005.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Service Employees International Union 100 percent in 2005.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the United Auto Workers 93 percent in 2005.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Postal Workers Union 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the AFL-CIO 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the United Auto Workers 93 percent in 2004.

2004 On the votes that the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers considered to be the most important in 2004, Representative Brown voted their preferred position 88 percent of the time.

2004 On the votes that the Service Employees International Union considered to be the most important in 2004, Representative Brown voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Communications Workers of America 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers 100 percent in 2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees 100 percent in 2003-2004.

2003-2004 On the votes that the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers considered to be the most important in 2003-2004, Representative Brown voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Americans for Democratic Action 95 percent in 2004.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Wilderness Coalition 100 percent in 2005.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund 100 percent in 2005.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Wilderness Coalition 100 percent in 2004.

2004 On the votes that the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance considered to be the most important in 2004, Representative Brown voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund 100 percent in 2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters 94 percent in 2003-2004.

2004 In 2004 National Organization for Women endorsed Representative Brown.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 100 percent in 2005.

[Kukesa]

47. Good information. But what does he look like?

He needs to come down here (SW Ohio) and talk to us, show his face, get on TV, shake some hands, tell people what he's about.

See post #26.

We must defeat DeWine. We must.

[OzarkDem]

50. Have you volunteered yet?

You need to call his office and offer to help arrange an event for him. Get busy!

[Kukesa]

68. What? And work with people like you?

Not a chance. I'll support my candidates and issues on a local level but I have no intention of working with the likes of you. If you're representative of Brown supporters, I want no part of volunteering for his campaign.

You just don't get it. This is the time to reach out and come together -- and you've enabled all of us who have tried to do so and to put the Brown/Hackett issue to rest.

And I do believe that it was I who suggested that you stop being a Brown cheerleader and get to work. Because there's lots to do.

As I've said before, you have no credibility and I do not suffer fools.

[John Q. Citizen]

59. Brown was elected Secretary of State of Ohio earlier in his career,

so there must be some folks in Southern Ohio who have heard of him. I'm sure as the race starts up in earnest he will be everywhere.

[Kukesa]

61. I hope so, too, John Q., I hope so, too. nt

[Kukesa]

69. John, that was 1975-83 when he was SOS. Time flies. nt

[LittleClarkie]

17. Why is it better to have no experience then to have some?

Would I be a better choice for any job because I've never done it before?

[katinmn]

18. Not any job, POLITICAL jobs. Why we should have fresh blood:

what we have now is complacency, lack of transparency, treating the public like the enemy and something to be tricked, lip service, lack of real opposition, more focus on winning the next election than being good public servants, being out of touch, failure to respond, etc.

[LittleClarkie]

20. Your "fresh blood" turned out to be a bit of a weeny whiner

SOME experience might have been beter.

And by the way, in his run for Congress, Hackett borrowed some of that Brown's staff. So he benefitted from that "hack's" experience.

[katinmn]

49. touche'

good points :)

[RazzleDazzle]

63. Nonsense. I can't remember when I've ever done anything

important for just one reason. There's usually a main reason, and a lot of supporting ones. These are not "changing" reasons, these are ALL the reasons, none of which are mutually exclusive.

[seabeyond]

42. i believe brown. i saw and heard what hackett had to offer last

couple days. i saw what hackett was made of and what he chose to do once out of the race. i have nothing that shames brown at this point. i am a lot more willing ot believe brown at this point than hackett.

isnt hackett now with veterans to support both repug or dem, whichever they see fit? wasnt it hackett campaign that was working on using brown weak on defense.

yet you stand by haskett, when brown has proven himself as a progressive dem, and no evidence saying he did wrong, and hackett has given action to question him

[Mr_Spock]

55. Because you want to believe the grass-roots Hackett

- as do I. But we need to use our heads on this one and not always take Hackett's side by default.

I'm sure opinion will lean against Brown here, but I'm not going to form one as I just don't know the facts.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

2. I Believe Him 100%. n/t

[raysr]

3. I think this Hacketts'

a hack. Like someone on here said, he may be working for the pukes. I don't know if that's true but he sure is going out of his way to give the dems a black eye.

[Pithy Cherub]

6. What is he, the EMPIRE now?

"Paul, I am your father...." :P

[Botany]

7. Ohio Voter here

How come your office has not gotten back w/ me (as promised) about
what Dan Lucas did?

They admitted he works for them and somebody would be in touch w/ me and
answer my questions .... I am still waiting.

[Plaid Adder]

9. It's a Rovian job. Maybe Rove was the guy who pulled it.

I'm just sayin'.

Either Brown's campaign Swiftboated him or someone else did. The point nobody seems to grasp is this: even if he got through the primary without something like this happening to him, there is NO WAY he would make it through the election without Rove et al. pulling this kind of shit against him. If he could not handle it at this level, then he was right to drop out now instead of dropping out later.

I'm not saying that there is any excuse for pulling this kind of shit on anyone, or that it is impossible that Brown's campaign was behind it. But it is worth remembering that anyone who survives a campaign for public office these days has to have the ability to survive a Rovian hit job.

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[katinmn]

11. Yes. I'm sorry Hacket dropped out, but the Rove machine would

have been waaaay worse than this.

[dansolo]

27. The difference being attacked by your own party

I'm sure that Paul Hackett was prepared for attacks by Rove. What he wasn't prepared for was the backstabbing by his own party.

[emulatorloo]

30. How do you know it wasnt ROVE now? Standard Repug Operating Procedure

Rove or Repug Rove surrogate spreads rumors that hackett is gonna be "swiftboated"

Then Rove or Repug Rove surrogate spreads rumors that Brown is behind the rumors.

Goal - get hackett out, smear Brown, Divide Dems, get some to vote 3rd party

[LittleClarkie]

31. Like bugging one's own phone line, it's almost too hard to believe

and yet, Rove has indeed been known to do just that.

[FreedomAngel82]

38. Oh please!!!

He can't even fight members within the party so how the hell is he going to go up against Rove? When you enter any type of political race YOU SHOULD DAMN WELL BE PREPARED! FOR ANYTHING! If you don't you're a fucking naive person. HE is to blame for dropping out and backstabbing people. He told his supporters in October of 2005 he wasn't going anywhere but he did. He went home and took his ball. He didn't fight election fraud and he didn't fight this. Gee and here I thought he was a fighting democrat.

[Botany]

14. ? for the Plaid Adder

If the story is true that Hackett was "swift boated," by Dan Lucas, who is working for
the Brown Campaign by showing photos of Maj. Hackett in Fullahujah with Iraqi bodies,
where did he get those pictures? Wouldn't they have been in the custody of the Dept. of
Defense?

[Mass]

23. Is it true? I have seen a lot of people claiming that, but none seems

to be a direct source, so why should we trust it? Can you give me ONE source who got the story from somebody close from the Brown campaign?

[LittleClarkie]

33. The photos in question weren't even of Hackett

and they were just pictures of a Marine on dead dude duty, going about his business. I believe there's an article stating that's what was concluded by Reid.

[emulatorloo]

32. I agree - repug starting whisper campaigns about whisper campaigns

This is standard Repug procedure.

Of course I have no proof, but my theory makes sense:

Repug operatives start rumor that Hackett will be swiftboated.

Repug operatives start rumor that it is coming from Brown.

Goal: get hackett out, smear brown, divide Dems.

[FreedomAngel82]

39. I read on another thread about this

that a local democratic party staffer was asked and she said she thought it was republicans.

[mopinko]

57. isn't that what a party is for?

to help you shoot back at the hit men? oh, yeah, he was a democrat.

[sickinohio]

10. I don't know why

and I really can't explain it, but my gut feeling is saying that Brown is telling the truth. I don't know why. Last night, when I was watching Hackett (I was really mad thinking the Dems could kick him out like they did), but when watching him on Hardball last night, I had some weird feelings about him. Again, I don't know why, and .....just saying.

:crazy:

[burythehatchet]

12. Why the hell

are either of them even talking about this? The country is headed towards its demise douchebags. Shut up and try to win a frickin election.
:mad:

[sickinohio]

15. I'm with you on that!!

[WI_DEM]

21. All I know is that this is hurting our chances of picking up a seat we

need and can win if we are united.

[Mass]

22. Tell that to Hackett. He is going around attacking Brown.

I understand he is disappointed, but his attitude does not help and will not win him any respect.

[WI_DEM]

24. I include Hackett--in my opinion he should have stayed in the race

rather than getting out and griping about it on and on. Yes, I'm sure there was pressure from party leaders for him to get out to avoid a primary, but that happens all the time. For instance in RI there are two prominent dems running--Whitehouse and Brown--the party establishment wanted to get behind Whitehouse and pressured Brown to get out, but he stayed and now he is leading in the polls. Hackett had the option to stay in and he should have. Now that he took himself out he should stop crying about it.

[FreedomAngel82]

41. Exactly!

This is where I am. If he was very sure he could win the primary he should have stayed in the primaries but he didn't! He backed out and is now whining about it. Hackett could have raised money in lots of various ways. He could've started a paypal account for his website or get a PO Box for people to send money or sell tshirts and bumper stickers. There's a lot a person can do. Hackett is bringing this all on himself. If he can't handle members within the party he can't handle bigtime republicans like Frist, Sessions, Hatch, Specter etc.

[FreedomAngel82]

40. Exactly

Nobody would have known about this if Hackett didn't come out and talk about it. He could've kept it quiet and just worked it out with them privatley and left it to Ohio politics. Now he's making a big fuss about this going on tv shows and whining about it. A Dean poster made the point in another thread that when Dean was running for president Gore reminded him he was doing this for the country and not his ego. Someone should remind Hackett of that. Now Hackett is working with that Iraq veterans pac but it'll be interesting to see who he campaigns for from that. I know I'll keep an eye on that.

[Warren DeMontague]

26. So.. is Sherrod Brown PRO-CHOICE, or not?

I ask because you sure as shit can't tell from any of his websites.

[LittleClarkie]

29. Here ya go

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=H3141103&type=category&category=Abortion%2BIssues&go.x=9&go.y=9

[Warren DeMontague]

44. Well, would it be too much to ask for a candidate who isn't afraid to SAY

where he stands on things?

Judging by what the party "brains" (cough, cough) did to Hackett, I guess the answer is "Yes".

[Kukesa]

48. Thank you, thank you, thank you! n/t

[FreedomAngel82]

35. I'm glad they're finally speaking about this

[proud patriot]

45. sounds like someone got into Hackett's ear

with misinformation . :shrug:

I think both Hackett and Brown are good guys .

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

51. Hey, Hackett.

If you wanted to talk shite about Brown you should've stayed in the race. So you got out - fine. You should be throwing your support to Brown. This is disgraceful behavior.

[mzmolly]

52. Funny how this got only one recommendation - mine. Help out folks

:hi:

[DemonFighterLives]

53. Gotchur number 5

MAybe someone can help me. When I heard Hackett on Big Eddy show the 1st time he was on, he sounded very pro war, kill them over there type stuff. Big Eddy even puffed up bigger and did his support the troops thing. Perhaps, I didn't hear it all(working while listening), but I got bad vibes from Hackett and now with all this turmoil, it really seems like there is a fox in the henhouse. I don't know if it is Hackett only or operatives in the rovian mold.
:shrug:

[EFerrari]

58. Hackett isn't posting these threads. nt

[Kukesa]

73. It's also posted in GD Politics and the Ohio forum. nt

[izzybeans]

54. I'm frankly sick of Hackett. Many of us are against this war

as are many soldiers. That gives no one license to act like a dipshit.

[Lerkfish]

56. Interesting how he can MENTION the rumors and still act like he's

taking the high road by not using them....wtf? didn't he just use them backhandedly?
This reminds me of the guy who stands up in church and loudly announces a huge endowment and then adds "anonymously".

[mzmolly]

65. I think he had to in order to respond to the specific charge leveled

at him in the media?

:shrug:

[Lerkfish]

71. then all he had to say was that he would never use rumors.

see? instead, its a confirmation or intimation there WERE rumors, he'd heard them, but would NEVER use them against Hackett...er...except for RIGHT NOW of course.

[mzmolly]

72. Why not expect this standard of behavior from Hackett?

He never heard Brown say X, he assumed "his staff" did based upon "rumors."

Hackett: "I've heard rumors that the Brown campaign was saying things that were not true." Instead he said "Sherrod Brown is spreading rumors that I fondled dead bodies in Iraq." - paraphrased, but accurate.

Hackett specifically leveled a charge at Brown, Brown answered. Hackett is out of the race, so I don't get the outrage at the wording of Browns defense? Brown on the other hand, is still trying to defeat a Republican.

[Lerkfish]

75. hey, I'm all for Brown. I'm just saying

if Brown wants to appear to be taking the high road in the incident, that's not the way to do it.
I have also stated elsewhere I didn't think Hackett handled things very well, either, so if your kneejerk reaction is that I'm saying hackett is handling things well if I point out that Brown is not, then you're wrong.

But I'm more disappointed in the attitude of the beltway that they have the right to determine our candidates and torpedoeing primary contests.

[mzmolly]

76. I don't disagree with anything you've said.

However I do understand the need to narrow down fundraising against an incumbant Republican who is doubling us financially. It's strategy as I see it.

Peace Lf.

[Lerkfish]

78. I understand the traditionalstrategy, but I think this is a new ball game.

IMHO. We can no longer run down the ruts of politics as usual, its killing us.
We have to go big or go home. For his faults, I felt Hackett had broad enough strokes to pull out more voters, that he resonated with people fed up with republican corruption and warmongering.
Brown's a great guy, but he doesn't resonate in the same way, at least for me.

That's why I was very disappointed at the about face in Brown's desire to run. I had originally been excited that Hackett AND Brown could run in ohio... originally for different offices.

But hey, no one's consulting me, so there ya go.

[iconoclastNYC]

60. I support Brown.

This statement seems spot on.

Brown would be foolish to swift boat Hackett. The media would rape him over the coals for it. Only Republicans can get away with shit like that.

Brown is a great democrat....against the war before that was cool, and voted against the Patriot act.

He's a stand up guy. I'm sorry that Hackett isn't running for office anymore but I want Brown in the Senate and I want DeWine retired.

[The Witch]

62. We didn't know. And if we did, we didn't tell. And if we did, it wasn't...

on my orders. And if it was...

Why is he defending himself so hard against someone who's NO LONGER running against him? Craptastic!

[seabeyond]

66. he is defending himself because he is being smeared. kerry...

remember kerry, took him two weeks to defend himself including a bunch of circumstances in that example and 2 years later he is stilling being dissed for it

defend yourself
dont defend yourself
you defend to hard so guilty
not hard enough so guilty

they cannot win can they. we will not let them. we insist on failure by our dems, and if they dont fail we will say it until it becomes true

[GeorgeGist]

64. Interesting that Brown doesn't...

deny that the Democratic bosses pushed Hackett out. And if the quotes are accurate, it's likely that he's covering for his campaign staff about the rumors.

"It's absolutely not true. I heard lots of rumors about Paul Hackett months ago. Connie (Brown's wife, Connie Schultz) and I heard it together from somebody....

So childish!

[seabeyond]

67. because he doenst mention it = not denying = guilty of....

then your very next sentence he denies it = so childish

my gosh..... how we eat our own

talk about childish

[Algorem]

70. Brown to "unify Democrats",Sherrod Brown in Cincinnati last night

http://www.cleveland.com/weblogs/openers/

When Sherrod Brown addressed about 150 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 212 in Cincinnati on Tuesday night, at least a few of its members didn't want to hear what he had to say...

But Brown's remarks about health care, the minimum wage and Social Security earned hearty applause from those who, unlike Triosi, stayed to hear him out.

Afterwards, Brown discounted Triosi's beef. "You can find someone for any anecdote," he said as he dined on a 3-Way (spaghetti, chili and shredded cheese) at a Skyline Chili franchise next to the union hall. "We're going to unify Democrats. I think we have already done that. These people are with me. Paul last week said 'Vote for Sherrod Brown.'...

Union representative Chris Fridel said he believed that most of Hackett's backers would rally around Brown. "There are a lot of people that aren't very happy with some of the politics that happened at this point to get Paul to drop out of the race, but that's politics and you move forward to get Democrats elected," Fridel said.

[progressivebydesign]

74. Hackett should kiss his political ambitions goodbye.

He has really destroyed any credibility he had.. what next? Run as a republican?

[Leopolds Ghost]

77. "I heard lots of rumors about Pall Hackett months ago." Stirring...

...the pot.

Notice how he does not comment on the truth or falsehood of the rumors.