Not really seeing much discussion of this in the blogosphere, but this is big freakin’ news! Remember how Ken “Diebold” Blackwell was running for governor of Ohio, and lots of people thought his election was a forgone conclusion because of, well, what I just listed as his middle name? Well, he didn’t win, and the Strickland-Fisher team is officially inaugurated today. Strickland has actually been governor since Monday, and one of his first acts was to veto a bad consumer bill that would bar cities from suing lead-paint producers and limit consumer lawsuit awards to $5,000. More on that here. Inauguration details below the jump…
From the Columbus Dispatch
Party’s party has a rural touch
Democrats will salute Strickland (and gobble lobster corn dogs)
Strickland said he is saving major policy discussions for his upcoming State of the State address, but his inaugural speech will focus on “uniting Ohioans to turn around Ohio,” his campaign platform.
“I do want to say some things that I think are important and substantive about what I think the future of our state should be and how we can move toward it,” Strickland said this week.
The ceremony is part of a daylong series of events beginning with an ecumenical prayer service at 7 a.m. and concluding with an inaugural ball this evening at the state fairgrounds.
The ball is expected to attract 6,500 people to help Strickland, who grew up in rural Scioto County, and his wife, Frances, a native of rural Kentucky, celebrate with what is being described as “jazzed-up fair food” from Cameron Mitchell Catering.
