Posted on 06/02/2005 11:01:18 PM PDT by Columbus Dawg
Shattering the decorum that has governed their campaign to date, several top Republicans in the 2nd Congressional District race Wednesday night caustically attacked each other, trading bitter exchanges over issues as traditional as voting records and as personal as divorce and individual finances.
In the most combustible debate yet in the battle for the GOP nomination in the special June 14 primary for the U.S. House seated vacated by former Rep. Rob Portman, an Anderson Township forum saw Hamilton County Commissioner Pat DeWine harshly lash out at several opponents in defending himself against what he sees as their attacks on his personal life.
Disturbed by repeated allusions to the fact that he is divorced, DeWine accused former U.S. Rep. Bob McEwen, one of his major challengers in the 11-candidate Republican primary, of bouncing 166 checks when he served in Congress in the 1990s and missing votes to pursue paid speaking engagements.
"He lost a safe Republican seat (in 1992) because he never came clean or accepted responsibility," DeWine said.
By the time the time the verbal salvos triggered by DeWine at the Anderson Township Republican Club forum at the Mercy Healthplex ended:
McEwen questioned DeWine's honesty, labeling his allegations "disgraceful untruths." McEwen's wife, Liz, also angrily confronted DeWine after the forum, saying: "Pat, you should apologize. You're better than this."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.cincypost.com ...
An excerpt from the article (DeWine was on the attack against McEwen for the House Bank Scandal and McEwen responded):
"There are zero bounced checks - zero, not 166," McEwen said Wednesday night, relying on the same distinction. "He knows what he said is untrue. There are two ways to run for office: Destroy people and hope you win, or to stand on your record of accomplishments and background. I prefer to outrun my opponents based upon superior ideas and superior values."
DeWine countered: "I'm the one candidate here who's not nominating myself for sainthood." For his trouble, DeWine was roundly booed twice by the audience of about 150.
First send little THE WHine home then send big THE WHine home.
McEwen is just as bad as DeWine, if not worse. Even now, McEwen won't admit he abused the power of his office by bouncing those 166 checks. I seriously hope neither of those two scoundrels get elected.
If you live in or near SW Ohio, please turn off the computer this weekend and volunteer for Tom Brinkman. He is the only candidate in this race with a solid conservative record and the integrity to match.
www.gobrinkman.com
Amen.
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