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Friday, November 03, 2006

DeWine downs a three-way at Camp Washington


Food and politics. The two go together like… Well, nevermind.

But you sure can’t have the latter without the former. And in Cincinnati, the former better include spaghetti and chili, and maybe an extra helping of onions and cheese.

That’s what a white plastic bib-wearing Sen. Mike DeWine and his similarly-attired wife, Fran, were eating for lunch today at Camp Washington Chili on Colerain Ave. today.

The DeWine clan, including son Pat DeWine, a Hamilton County commissioner, and a small army of campaign workers, photographers, TV cameras and Washington-based reporters – including writers from The Plain Dealer and Columbus Dispatch – swooped into the small establishment at 11 a.m.

DeWine immediately started going table to table, introducing himself and asking patrons: “So what are you having today, a two-way? Three-way? Four-way?” Meanwhile, his wife handed out booklets of favorite family recipes, such as “Anna’s Crunchy Chicken Fingers,” under which Anna, DeWine’s daughter, had scrawled “Vote 4 Dad” on a drawing of a yard sign.

“This is the fun part of the campaign. I love it. I’ve got my family with me and we’re on a big bus. You go in and find the best places to eat,” the senator enthused, explaining that he chose this particular stop because it’s one of his son’s favorite places.

Owner John Johnson had no complaints. He watched all the commotion with a huge smile on his face.

“This is great,” he said, explaining that when the campaign asked if they could visit his restaurant, he was all for it. “He’s a nice family man, so why not?”

He added: “They didn’t give me much time. They just called us yesterday.”

Brenda Jones of Cincinnati, who shook the senator’s hand as she sipped her cup of coffee, said she had planned to vote for DeWine anyway, but it was nice to meet the senator. “I feel like I got a sense of who he is,” she said.

Others, like Smokey Walton of Hartwell, weren’t impressed. Walton said he’ll vote for DeWine, but only because DeWine is a Republican. “He’s the lesser of two evils,” Walton said.

Bob Harris agreed, but said he’s still not voting for DeWine. “He hasn’t followed the party line enough. I think he’s too much like (Sen. George) Voinovich, too much a maverick. I hate to say it … but I think he ought to be taught a lesson, the same lesson they taught his son.”

Pat DeWine placed fourth in the Republican primary for the 2nd Congressional District seat last year.

DeWine, a two-term senator from Cedarville, said he’s heard that threat before.

“Most of the people who tell you that will end up voting for me,” he said. “They don’t want to end up with a U.S. senator who is left of Ted Kennedy and that’s what my opponent is.”

DeWine faces Democratic Rep. Sherrod Brown on Nov. 7.


12 Comments:

at 7:39 PM, November 03, 2006 Blogger Brah Coon said...

Cool! I'm voting for this guy, cuz he looks a little like me sitting there. Me and him are just two regular guys. Take away the tie and glasses and that's me, man. 'cept the lady with the bib would be fixen' to hit me with oxycotton rather than feed me that stuff he's gonna eat.

 
at 10:16 PM, November 03, 2006 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is that waitress putting on his bib for him or doing the Heimlich maneuver? In either case, he doesn't look like he's enjoying it at all. Is he healthy enough to run for public office?

 
at 11:35 PM, November 03, 2006 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Food and politics? Well, the by-product is the same.

 
at 12:16 AM, November 04, 2006 Blogger JohnDWoodSr said...

I've got a good thought about food and politics-Any voters still undecided about the incumbents in our area races would be wise to follow the same advice given about leftover food--when in doubt, throw it out!

 
at 1:08 AM, November 04, 2006 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good thing Blinky's boning up on his food-service skills, 'cause he'll need 'em come January when he's workin' minimum wage with the rest of the constituent schmucks he forgot about in D.C.
And I doubt he's ever done a three-way....

 
at 1:25 AM, November 04, 2006 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maybe Mike should invite the Rev. Teddy Haggard IN for a visit. Or any of the other gay-bashing guys from the White House gang (i.e. Gurley, Guckert, McClellan, Mehlman, Rove...)
Did I forget anybody?

 
at 2:56 AM, November 04, 2006 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why can't he talk about what he's accomplished instead of saying vote for me because I'm not liberal. Perhaps it's because he's failed us. OH's ranked 49th (that's the bad end) in business friendly tax climate, is the 3rd highest tax state, jobs are leaving every day, and he helps to write discrimination into our constitution, assists in the suspension of habeas corpus, defies the Geneva convention, doesn’t propose a plan for Iraq and unfortunately I could go on and on. He has worked to help those with HIV/AIDES to get medical care, but I’m not sure how much today’s conservatives, aka fundies, like their guy supporting the gay disease (note sarcasm & disgust for this perspective’s narrow-mindedness). But he does look good in that bib!

 
at 3:31 AM, November 04, 2006 Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is all really sad - but, we have no choice but to vote out allthese guys who have sat idly by and let our values as a democracy go down the tubes. We can't let it go on --

 
at 7:05 AM, November 04, 2006 Anonymous Anonymous said...

What's this again? DeWine likes a three-way?

 
at 10:10 AM, November 04, 2006 Blogger Brah Coon said...

WAITRESS CRIES FOUL: DENOUNCES POL AS 'SLOPPY EATER'

 
at 1:14 PM, November 04, 2006 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great reporting Malia. i feel so informed now.

 
at 11:46 AM, November 05, 2006 Anonymous Anonymous said...

How do we elect goons like this in the first place? Ohio needs a clean sweep. Did you see the Dispatch poll. Even Betty's going down.

 
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