RNC Chairman: Ohio ''ground zero'' in '06 and '08
Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, during a stop in Columbus today, said Ohio remains the pivotal battleground state this year and in 2008.
“Like 2004, Ohio will be ‘”ground zero,’’ Mehlman said at a press briefing with reporters at Ohio Republican Party headquarters.
Tuesday, Mehlman said he met with 300 to 400 grassroots campaigners and financial supporters at county party headquarters in Cincinnati, Mason and Dayton.
Tonight, he’s in Pittsburgh before heading to Wisconsin, Illinois and Florida.
Mehlman was accompanied by Aaron McLear, regional press secretary and former aide to Gov. Bob Taft, as well as former House Speaker JoAnn Davidson who chaired the 2004 Bush-Cheney campaign in Ohio.
“We intend to work with the Ohio state party to turn out voters,’’ Mehlman said, saying Republicans want to be “the big tent party’’ and reach out to labor unions, African Americans and other Democratic-leaning groups. “We need to expand this party.’’
Mehlman declined to discuss details of his strategy meetings, or pick a favorite in the GOP May 2 primary race for governor.
But he said the national party will back Secretary of State Ken Blackwell or Attorney General Jim Petro in the November election, as well as U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine and the party's congressional candidates.
“First of all, ’08, no matter what happens, Ohio is going to be a competitive state,’’ Mehlman said.
Mehlman defended Bush's domestic wiretaps and frowned on political scandals in Washington and Ohio before praising "a fantastic'' state GOP Chairman Bob Bennett. "There's no better chairman in America than Bob Bennett.''
For his part, Bennett offered the most candid and honest assessment of his party's recent troubles.
“I’ve had better years to start out with,’’ Bennett said, adding, “I’m looking for a big finish.’’
Update:
"Ken Mehlman contradicts himself,'' Brian Rothenberg, communications director for the Ohio Democratic Party, said today after the Republican National Committee chairman's visit to Columbus.
"If Ohio is ground zero, it is because of Ohio Republicans’ poor jobs record and the culture of pay-to-play corruption that has left Ohio voters fed up," Rothenberg said.
"Rather than talking about turning around Ohio's economy, Mr. Mehlman gave us
a bunch of bumper sticker phrases that are ringing hollow. He knows Mike
DeWine, Ken Blackwell and Jim Petro are in trouble.’’
5 Comments:
at 2:48 PM, March 22, 2006 
WestEnder said...
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at 3:01 PM, March 22, 2006 
Anonymous said...
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at 9:38 PM, March 22, 2006 
Anonymous said...
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at 1:31 PM, March 23, 2006 
Anonymous said...
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at 3:15 PM, March 23, 2006 
Anonymous said...
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Post a Comment*Ken Mehlman is the poster child for groupthink
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Agreed !
but, let's have a second meeting on that for clarity ?
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GOP National Chair Avoids Question About his Sexuality
by Eric Resnick, Gay Peoples Chronicle (Cleveland), 3-25-05
Akron--"(You) have asked a question people shouldn’t have to answer," said Republican National Committee chair Ken Mehlman to a reporter asking if he is gay.
These are excerpts from Ken Mehlmans talk to the Hamilton County Republican Party posted on the HCRP blog:
Before President Bush, America's only response to terrorist attacks were criminal investigations. Consequently, on September 11, 2001, 3,000 innocent Americans were killed by 19 terrorists using only a box cutter as a weapon in 20 minutes. In order to prevent future attacks, President Bush vowed to protect us from future harm by disarming possible threats. Americans continually forget the threat that Saddam Hussein presented while in power. As dictator, he used WMDs to kill thousands of his own people. He refused to comply with the requests of the United Nations including the sanctions that were placed on his country. By removing Saddam Hussein from power, President Bush eliminated an imminent danger to our country.
This guy is not credible and really is a joke. To say the only response to terrorist attacks prior to 9-11 were criminal investigations is a flat out lie. Reagan bombed Syria and Lebanon after the 83 barracks bombings and Clinton sent crusie missles to Iraq after Somalia. To say 9/11 happened because of poor responses to previous terror attacks is forgetting the fact that 9/11 happened approximatley 8 months after Bush became President. If it was so obvious that we were ripe for a terrorist attack why didn't W and his administration do something to shore up our blatant weaknesses prior to 9/11 - they had 8 months to start to fix things! And the last lines - the US should be in the business of eliminating POSSIBLE threats; here comes the draft becasue Iran, N Korea, Syria, ect ect are next! And Bush removed an "IMMINENT" danger by invading Iraq. What a farce - after 3 years this guy still does not believe Iraq had no WMD's! I'm surprised Mr. Ken did not tell the HCRP that the Iraqi insurgents are in their last throes. This guy and Bush and his whole administration have ZERO CREDIBILITY!!!!!!!
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He sure acts sweet !
Now we know why he visited Cincinnati !
It was to celebrate that new ordinance for him and his buddies !
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