Trolling for dollars in Ohio

Today, while the Cincinnati Republican candidate for governor, Ken Blackwell, rakes in campaign cash from rich northeast Ohio Republicans with the help of President Bush in a Cleveland version of Indian Hill, Democrat Ted Strickland is planning some August trips to Cincinnati to shake the money tree.

Republicans raising money in Cleveland. Democrats raising money in Cincinnati. Maybe there really is some kind of polar shift going on in Ohio politics.

On Aug. 11, the Hamilton County Democratic Party will host a $150 per ticket fundraising reception for Strickland at the Westin hotel downtown, followed by a Hamilton County Democratic Forum rally at the Freedom Center.

Bigger than that, though, are the two fundraising events Strickland and his wife Frances will do here on Aug. 22 - a reception at the Bell Event Centre in Pendleton where tickets will go for $250 and $500 each, followed by a dinner event in Indian Hill, where tickets are $1,000 person or $5,000 and $10,000 per couple. No word on the difference is between $5,000 and $10,000 levels. Maybe you get to take home the leftovers.

Both of the Aug. 22 events are being organized by Barbara Gould, the interior designer and Democratic activist who has lately been giving Stan Chesley a run for his money as chief Democratic cash-producer in these parts.