This is the third part of the interview Ohio 2nd did with Paul Hackett, in Paul’s Ford truck, outside campaign headquarters, right after he dropped out of the Senate race. I should tell you that I didn’t set out to transcribe what turned out to be a half hour interview, and, in fact, the first part I transcribed yesterday, I did some lengthy excerpts but by no means did I take down all of it. But the more I listened, the more I kept thinking this was good stuff, and I wanted people to have the opportunity to read what Paul had to say about these issues. I will tell you up front that while I was initially a supporter, I was troubled by some things he had said, for example, about immigration. So I was hoping to learn more. I was hoping for more of a dialog. A primary, even. Anyway I, along with my husband who got to hear all of this as I transcribed it, was very impressed with the many thoughtful, eloquent responses Paul gave, especially considering the fact that he had been up all night. This is the most impressed we’ve been with one of his interviews.
Ohio 2nd: Watching you in the special, and watching you in the Senate, the thing that kind of struck me was that, in your heart you were a team player–that you didn’t really like buckling against leadership. You started out by reaching out to the county chairs and made a real effort to play ball with everybody. So it kind of struck me as odd for you to be a rebel against leadership in this race.
Hackett: Well, I didn’t start off as a rebel–
Ohio 2nd: Right.
Hackett: –in this race, I’d like to highlight. I was, as you know, encouraged by Senator Schumer and Senator Reid to get into this race. And, you may or may not know this, their wives called my wife, and told my wife that she’s got to sacrifice and that I’ve got to sacrifice again for my country. And those are powerful words and pleas to a guy like me. And so, I did feel betrayed. Again, you can call me a crybaby–I’m just tellin’ you how I feel–when they removed their support from me and shifted it to Sherrod Brown. Yeah, you bet. I felt betrayed. You know what? I’m a human being. I’m a human being. I bleed like everybody else, I’ve got emotions like everybody else, and yeah I felt betrayed by that. And struggled with how do we move forward effectively and successfully.
Ohio 2nd: What’s your advice to all the people coming back from Iraq right now, working with the DCCC?
Hackett: Continue to work with them, and continue to get whatever support you can get from them, but at the same time most realistically realize ultimately you’re on your own. I think that’s a relatively fair unemotional appraisal of the reality. I don’t think it’s hypercritical, but at the same time I don’t think it’s naive. Work with them, get what you can from them, but realize that on any given day you’re ultimately on your own.
Ohio 2nd: Well, how much faith do you put in their word. I mean, this is not the first time I’ve heard stories of Washington leadership on stuff that they’ve promised.
Hackett: Yeah…right. How much faith do I put in your word? I think it depends on who we’re talking about. I wouldn’t give Chuck Schumer–I’ll bite my tongue on the next name so as not to hamper his electability–at least in our state, I wouldn’t give Chuck Schumer’s word the value of more than half a cent.
Ohio 2nd: Okay, back to the 2nd. You’ve got Jean Schmidt, Bob McEwen, maybe Tom Brinkman–what do you think of the chances of McEwen coming back from the dead?
Hackett: Ahhh, I still would put my money on Jean Schmidt. She will be the Republican incumbant, she does not have the scandal to deal with that Bob McEwen will have to deal with, and she has got Clermont County and maybe begrudgingly Hamilton County Cincinniati business base behind her. And I think since that’s where the bulk of the votes are between Clermont and Hamilton County, she will probably survive her primary again. And I don’t think Tom Brinkman’s got a realistic chance. He will have no connection in the rural counties and has very limited connection in the greater Hamilton County area.
Ohio 2nd: So, are you going to run again? For anything?
Hackett: Um…boy, not today! Again, you know, the interesting aspect about media is, when it’s in print, anybody can superimpose their take on the printed word, because they don’t hear the facial expression or hear the tone of voice. Some people get spun up about that. I certainly don’t have any plans. I don’t see a need for me at this point. I don’t know how to say it without sounding somewhat disrespectful, and I don’t intend it that way, but I’m looking forward to going back to my private life. I really am. And at the same time, if I can lend a voice, particularly in a private capacity, to any of the issues I’ve spoken about and believe in, I’d be happy to. And if that’s gay rights, fine. If that’s choice, fine, and if that’s second amendment rights, fine. And if that’s do away with illegal immigrants, fine.
I mean, I believe in those issues, I continue to believe in them, and if anybody cares or wants my opinion, to share my opinion on those issues. But I’ve got no plans to run for political office. I’m not a career politician, I’ve never aspired to be a career politician. I aspired to step into what I saw as a void and answer a call, a very real call, to serve. And that was where my passion was–to serve. It’s the same passion that took me into the Marine Corps, it’s the same passion that got me into the congressional, it’s the same passion that called me to answer the call of Reid and Schumer in the Senate race.