I had this “duh” moment yesterday. I was talking to my priest–we get together for coffee once in a while just to talk, and things invariably veer to discussion of politics. Anyway, I mentioned McCain, the supposed moderate, “straight shooter” endorsing Blackwell for governor of Ohio. He said, “There are three Republicans running, and he endorses Blackwell?”
Somehow that part didn’t even occur to me when I heard that McCain endorsed Blackwell. I just thought, “Oh, more evidence that he’ll shill for the Republican, no matter how awful the guy is.” But no, it’s worse than that. This is still the primary season, and he’s endorsing the Spawn of Satan over two other Republican candidates.
Blackwell’s endorsement by John McCain is one of the top stories in this week’s edition of The Other Paper, one of central Ohio’s alternative newsweeklies.
I will leave speculation about what sort of deal with the devil McCain has made for another time, but for now I’d like to focus on Blackwell’s candidacy. From the article, Blackwell woos the Statehouse types:
It was another ho-hum week for Ken Blackwell. Yet another statewide poll showed the Ohio secretary of state with a commanding lead for the 2006 Republican gubernatorial nomination. Yet another national Republican celebrity, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, endorsed Blackwell’s candidacy.
And in Columbus, Republicans establishment types continued to silently wring their hands.
Blackwell’s biggest weakness–and so far his only weakness–is that the Republicans who have worked alongside him on Capitol Square for the past dozen years have yet to embrace his campaign. Blackwell fever might be sweeping the state, and even the nation, but it hasn’t made its way into the corridors of power Downtown.
Traditionally, Republican power brokers–lobbyists, consultants and businesspeople–have coalesced around their favorite candidate for governor, and that candidate has tended to go on to win the nomination. For ’06, there are two Republicans–Ohio Auditor Betty Montgomery and Attorney General Jim Petro–with whom they feel comfortable.
But Blackwell scares the hell out of them.
Does that remind you of anyone? Makes me think back to the days when Howard Dean seemed to be running away with the nomination. He had huge grassroots support, was way ahead in the polls, and started to pick up some big name endorsements, but he had much of the Democratic establishment “wringing their hands”. There was a definite “Anybody But Dean” movement that developed.
Of course, on the issues, Howard Dean and Ken Blackwell could hardly be more different. Howard Dean spoke out against the foolishness of tax cuts for the rich because it meant cutting necessary social programs and creating huge deficits for our children and grandchildren. One of Blackwell’s key issues is pushing for a so-called “Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights” (TABOR). Here is what the Ohio Library Council has to say about TABOR:
If Ohioans approve the amendment, the expenditure limitation placed on local governments will cut the very programs and services that residents want and depend upon. Services such as police, fire, EMS, and public libraries will all be affected. Education, human services, parks, and prisons will be hurt as well.
Then there’s the issue of gay rights. Howard Dean supported equal rights for all citizens–even though people like Bill Clinton claimed that meant he “forfeited” his chance to win the Democratic nomination. Ken Blackwell heavily campaigned for Issue 1–an amendment to the Ohio constitution which, far from being a “same-sex marriage ban”, as it was often billed, denied same-sex and non-marital opposite-sex partnerships any legal standing or protection. As if that weren’t enough, he also managed to compare same sex couples–unfavorably–to farm animals.
So, on the issues, Blackwell and Dean are often lightyears apart. But consider this… Blackwell is far ahead of Betty Montgomery and Jim Petro in the polls. He has a huge amount of grassroots support. “Republican establishment types” seem like they’d prefer “Anybody But Blackwell”. Why? Maybe, at least in part, because they don’t think he’s as “electable” as one of the other two? He appeals to a vocal, energized part of the Republican base, but party insiders may be worried he lacks the broad appeal necessary to win in the general election.
Unfortunately, this group headed by Rev. Rod Parsley, is called “Reformation Ohio”. That’s bound to be confused by some with “Reform Ohio Now”.
http://www.reformohionow.org/
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1214960&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312
More than 1,000 people gathered outside the Statehouse for the launch of Reformation Ohio. The group, founded by the Rev. Rod Parsley, a television evangelist and pastor of the World Harvest Church in suburban Columbus, vehemently opposes gay rights, and Parsley has written that the teachings of Islam were inspired by demons.
The group’s formation comes after last November’s election in which Christian conservatives helped pass a gay-marriage ban in Ohio and give President Bush the electoral votes he needed to claim victory.
These are some scary people:
Speakers included U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, a Republican from Kansas who is considering a White House run in 2008; Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., and Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor next year.
Blackwell, who also won Brownback’s endorsement Friday, praised the efforts of Parsley and others to sign up new voters. Parsley’s goal is to add 400,000 people to voter rolls.
“Reformation Ohio is about history-making times, reforming the culture,” Blackwell said. “We are a government that governs only with the consent of the governed.”
Brownback, who has emerged as a leading skeptic of President Bush’s nomination of Harriet Miers to the U.S. Supreme Court, said the nation is engaged in a cultural struggle.
“We need a culture that buttresses our families, not attacks them. We need a society that honors good and condemns what is bad,” Brownback said.
Parsley said voter registration is secondary to Reformation Ohio’s two main objectives: converting 100,000 people to Christianity within four years and providing food, clothing and other necessities to the needy. He sent his followers from the Statehouse on an evangelical note.
“Sound an alarm. A Holy Ghost invasion is taking place. Man your battle stations, ready your weapons, lock and load,” Parsley said to enthusiastic applause.
I actually first found out about this because the priest I mentioned at the beginning of this diary said that he attended a counter-event that had about 50 people in attendance. That event was pulled together by a group called Equality Ohio. These are the good guys, and they need our help getting the word out. Here’s their press release about the counter-event:
http://www.equalityohio.org/PR10142005.htm
Faith and political leaders from throughout Ohio held a news conference at 9 a.m. today at the Trinity Episcopal Church on Capitol Square. Their goal was to shed light on Reformation Ohio, a coalition whose vision by 2009 is to align Ohio culture and law with its narrow interpretation of the Christian faith.
The news conference pre-empted Reformation Ohio’s official launch event on the Statehouse lawn, slated to take place later in the day.
“There is nothing wrong with encouraging your followers to engage in the political process,” said Rabbi David Horowitz, the rabbi emeritus of Temple Israel, Akron. “But when one religious sect labels others who don’t conform as `inferior’ or `immoral’ then that threatens the American ideal of religious freedom.”
Visit this link for more information
http://www.equalityohio.org/PR10142005.htm