Ken Blackwell, Bob McEwen win NE Hamilton County straw poll!

Blackwell for Governor ^ | 2/19/06

[conservative_2001]

Yesterday, February 18, Ken Blackwell and running mate Tom Raga attended the Northeast Hamilton County Republican Club's pancake breakfast. It was hosted in the Sharonville Convention Center and more than 200 Hamilton County Republicans attended.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that with a vote of 103 to 57 (64% to 36%), Ken Blackwell won a straw poll over opponent Jim Petro (who currently under investigation by the FBI for allegedly selling contracts for campaign donations).

[BluH2o]

I'm sorry, but if it's a choice between the has-been loser and the lady with the biggest BALLS in the OH delegation, there's no contest.

Not disparaging Jean Schmidt's femininity, but you're right, she's has a set of big ones.
Further, she runs marathons and looks like an athlete. Kind of the Annie Oakley look ... & Annie was one very straight shooter.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Actually OH-6 was one of the most swing districts in the country when McEwen and Strickland faced off."

You left out something very large here. McEwen WOULD have won the seat had he not had that little problem with the check-kiting. When his Republican district and Clarence Miller's Republican district were combined, Miller realized that McEwen would LOSE the seat and challenged him. McEwen BARELY emerged out of that primary, and as Miller rightly figured, he ended up being toast. All McEwen has been doing is DESPERATELY trying to make a comeback to Congress any way he can, in any district that he can. That is NOT the mark of a statesman.

"On the other hand, Mean Jean nearly lost an actual Safe R district to a Democrat even more mentally disturbed than Howard Dean."

Congresswoman Schmidt barely won the seat not because of herself, but because she had a vicious and ugly primary contest she had to emerge from, while the media and the Democrats all but cleared the field for Nutjob Hackett, who didn't, BTW, even advertise his party affiliation. If you're going to describe the situation, tell the truth.

"Mean Jean voted for Bob Taft's tax hikes. She lied about her encounters with Tom Noe. She took gifts from lobbyists and failed to report them, just like Governor Tax. Any campaign worth their salt can easily tie her to Taft, just like Hackett did."

What she did in the legislature is irrelevent now. She's already in Congress. Focus on what she is doing there. If she gets tax-happy in DC, then get back to me.

"As a Congressman, Bob McEwen voted for the Reagan agenda. He maintained a solid conservative voting record for his entire 12 years in office. As a State Rep, Mean Jean Schmidt was a rubber stamp for the Taft agenda. It took her less than 3 years to sell out us conservatives."

McEwen's ETHICS did him in. If you consider his check-kiting and desperation to get back into Congress by any means and any district to be the mark of a solid "Reagan Conservative", you are sadly mistaken. I've heard umpteen negative things about Schmidt from her legislative days, but have been nothing but IMPRESSED by her performance in DC. Sheepish is not a word to describe her. Pathetic IS a word to describe her opponent, Boob McEwen.

"Given the choices, I'll take a Reagan conservative over a Taft RINO any day. Bob McEwen has my vote, and it's not even a close call."

Reagan would be backing Jean Schmidt, and you can take that to the bank.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Show us Boob McEwen's ETHICS ! Sorry, he blew it a LONG time ago. Don't drop a turd on my dessert plate and call it chocolate.

[fieldmarshaldj]

And is it just me, but is she always front and center on the tv with regard to ANY other members of the OH House delegation ? She's made a bigger splash than most recent members, to say the least... and people advocating on here wanting to replace her with an old district-whoring ethically-challenged loser ? Give me a break !

[GianniV]

Good points, but if anyone can rise above all those obstacles, it's Blackwell. He was very impressive during the 2004 election under difficult circumstances.

[conservative_2001]

You left out something very large here. McEwen WOULD have won the seat had he not had that little problem with the check-kiting.

And Jean Schmidt would have had no problems holding a safe seat if she didn't illegally take gifts from lobbyists and vote for Bob Taft's tax hikes. But she did, and she's vulnerable today because of it. Jean Schmidt's ties to Bob Taft and Tom Noe are far more deadly in 2006 than Bob McEwen's bounced checks from the 1980's.

Congresswoman Schmidt barely won the seat not because of herself, but because she had a vicious and ugly primary contest she had to emerge from, while the media and the Democrats all but cleared the field for Nutjob Hackett, who didn't, BTW, even advertise his party affiliation. If you're going to describe the situation, tell the truth.

Wrong again. Mean Jean nearly lost because of her own tax-hiking record and ethics problems, which the Democrats had no problems exploiting.

-In a district mad as hell about Bob Taft's tax increases, we nominated a candidate who voted for all of them.

-In a district mad as hell about Bob Taft's criminal problems, we nominated a candidate who took gifts from lobbyists, then failed to report them. That is the same crime that made Bob Taft a criminal.

-In a district mad as hell about Tom Noe's corruption, we had Mean Jean claim to have never met him, only to be revealed in Minutes from a public government meeting that she was lying.

Yes, Mean Jean nearly lost a safe seat because of her own corruption and Taft-and-spend record.

What she did in the legislature is irrelevent now. She's already in Congress. Focus on what she is doing there. If she gets tax-happy in DC, then get back to me.

I'm going to look at a candidate's entire record. You can choose ignorance, and only look at the parts of her record that please you, but I prefer to have as much information as I can.

Mean Jean claimed she was a conservative when she went to Columbus. Within 3 years she turned into a Taft-and-spend RINO. Now she claims she's a conservative again. There's an old saying - "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." You don't learn from mistakes much, do you?

[MikefromOhio]

what's McEwen going to do in Congress?

Bounce another check?

Sorry I'll take Jean over that.

Is the Ohio GOP's cupboard bare enough that they have to rely on someone like McEwen to run AGAIN???????

[MikefromOhio]

Both Ken Blackwell and Bob McEwen are two of the few Republicans in this state who have maintained a solid conservative record.

Since when is bouncing checks a conservative quality?????

[fieldmarshaldj]

"And Jean Schmidt would have had no problems holding a safe seat if she didn't illegally take gifts from lobbyists and vote for Bob Taft's tax hikes."

Let's remember, once again, that she hasn't established a LOSING electoral record and developed an Ahab-like obsession for Congress as her opponent has.

"But she did, and she's vulnerable today because of it. Jean Schmidt's ties to Bob Taft and Tom Noe are far more deadly in 2006 than Bob McEwen's bounced checks from the 1980's."

She's vulnerable because the McEwen groupies won't give it a rest. If McEwen's ethics hadn't been an issue, he'd still be the Congressman in the 6th. He blew it, and he has proven utterly untrustworthy.

"Wrong again. Mean Jean nearly lost because of her own tax-hiking record and ethics problems, which the Democrats had no problems exploiting."

How many elections HAS she lost ? McEwen hasn't won a general election in SIXTEEN years -- and he has himself to blame. Now his petulant sour-grapes behavior towards Schmidt is seeking to cost us this seat now. I'm sorry, that's not the mark of a Reagan Conservative.

"Yes, Mean Jean nearly lost a safe seat because of her own corruption and Taft-and-spend record."

Has she been indicted ? If she is indicted, come back to me. And even then, I won't support a loser like McEwen.

"I'm going to look at a candidate's entire record. You can choose ignorance, and only look at the parts of her record that please you, but I prefer to have as much information as I can."

Her record in the state legislature WAS relevent when she was first running for Congress. She won. Now it's time to look at her record SINCE she has been in Congress. She develops a liberal RINO tax and spend philosophy there, then come back to me. Schmidt, despite any flaws she may have had from her legislative days, is a proven winner. McEwen is a proven loser -- for 16 years and counting.

"Mean Jean claimed she was a conservative when she went to Columbus. Within 3 years she turned into a Taft-and-spend RINO. Now she claims she's a conservative again. There's an old saying - "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." You don't learn from mistakes much, do you?"

Looks like she's making amends for whatever shortcomings she had in Columbus. Again, if you can come up with a Conservative challenger to her that isn't a perennial loser, doesn't have ethics baggage, and isn't named Boob McEwen, come back to me.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Looking pretty good, thanks. I got a few relatives living in Ohio, which makes this all more interesting.

[conservative_2001]

Since when is bouncing checks a conservative quality?

Since when is raising taxes a conservative quality? Voting for the Reagan agenda is a conservative quality. Voting for the Taft agenda is not.

[MikefromOhio]

Again if a criminal retread is ALL the GOP in Ohio can muster up, then it's the Ohio GOP's problem, NOT mine.

He doesn't stand a chance and that's a good thing.

[conservative_2001]

Unlike the overdrafts from the 1980's, Jean Schmidt's ethics problems are a violation of the law. It's funny how people criticize McEwen's ethics, while supporting criminals like Jean Schmidt and Bob Taft.

http://www.dispatch.com/topstory.php?story=dispatch/2005/07/08/20050708-B1-00.html

With a global biotech company picking up the tab, five state lawmakers and their guests dined at an Italian restaurant and got luxury box seats to the Cincinnati Bengals’ first Monday night football game in 15 years.

The tickets to the Oct. 25 game cost $300 apiece, and the total tab for the evening topped $5,000.

Now, four of those lawmakers — three current Republican House members from the Cincinnati area and a former GOP state representative running for Congress in southwestern Ohio — are facing a state investigation into why they didn’t properly report the entertainment as a gift, as required by Ohio law.

"I have a hard time thinking I wouldn’t remember someone taking me out for a night like that," said Tony W. Bledsoe, the legislative inspector general, who ensures lawmakers and lobbyists follow the laws designed to minimize ethical conflicts.

"Apparently it was a very nice Monday night out in Cincinnati."

Because of a lobbyist’s involvement, the event falls under the state law that forbids lawmakers from accepting gifts from lobbyists valued at more than $75, Bledsoe said.

Reps. Jim Raussen, of Springdale; Diana M. Fessler, of New Carlisle; and Michelle G. Schneider, of Cincinnati, along with former representative Jean Schmidt, a Republican from Loveland who is the heavy favorite to win a seat in Congress from Ohio’s 2nd District, each should have reported the evening as a gift on their April disclosure forms, Bledsoe said.

[LandofGrant]

Don't be so naive. Jean is a joke.

[LandofGrant]

Bob was cleared of any wrongdoing "check" it out: http://www.bobmcewenforcongress.com/files/docs/Exoneration_Letter.pdf

Also, I think his resume is impressive compared to a two termer state house rep. and failed state senator candidate who happened to take advantage of a mixed bag congressional race and nearly lost the safest GOP seat in the COUNTRY! Sure she might be a good civic leader or PTA mom, but she is not congressional material. No wonder Congress and Republicans' reputations are going down the crapper we need a congressman with this type of experience:

McEwen – Presidential Advisor

During his congressional service, Mr. McEwen filled a variety of positions. He served as Special Presidential Envoy for both Presidents Reagan and Bush. He also served as a United States representative to the European Parliament from 1985 to 1993. McEwen was a participant in a variety of political and military negotiations.

Rep. McEwen served as Chairman of the Environmental Affairs task force of the United States delegation to the European Parliament.

In 2002, for the third consecutive year, McEwen and two other Members of Congress, hosted a conference of Balkan Prime Ministers for the purpose of facilitating dialogue and reconciliation in that troubled region of the world.

On August 23, 1989, Congressman McEwen and United States Senator Robert Dole participated as United States observers in Warsaw, Poland to the first ever Parliamentary election of a non-Communist leader of a Soviet bloc country. Hours later, the new Prime Minister, in his first official act, received the Congressman and Senator prior to meeting with the Soviet representatives of the regime that had occupied that nation for fifty years. This action was the spark that encouraged the collapse of Soviet dominated governments throughout Eastern Europe culminating in the destruction of the Berlin Wall ten weeks later. Senator Dole and Rep. McEwen met the following day with the President and U.S. National Security team in Kennebunkport, Maine to fashion the United States response and position in support of Warsaw Pact nations seeking to break away from Soviet domination.

Bob McEwen – Empowering America

Mr. McEwen served as a director of Empower America with his colleagues the Hon. Jack Kemp, former drug czar and Education Secretary William Bennett, and United Nations Ambassador Jeanne Kirkpatrick

Bob McEwen Experienced – International Impact

Representative McEwen served as an official United States observer in Moscow during both the 1991 Soviet Coup attempt and to the Kremlin in January of 1992 when the Soviet Union was dissolved.
Mr. McEwen was elected by his colleagues to the two most coveted positions in the U. S. Congress; the Select Committee on Intelligence which oversees all of our nation's secrets, and the powerful House Committee on Rules which has jurisdiction over all legislation in the Congress. As one of only four Republicans on the thirteen member Rules Committee, Mr. McEwen managed nearly one-third of all legislation on the House floor for the Republican side of the Congressional aisle.

McEwen legislation approved by the Congress included the National Strategy Act that realigned the chain of command during times of hostilities, directly from the Theater Commander to the National Command Authority in Washington. Defense Secretary Dick Cheney and General Norman Schwarzkopf have credited this change with playing a major role in the success of Operation Desert Storm.

He was selected by Administration and Congressional leaders to floor manage such critical national security legislation as the B-2 bomber authorization, the nuclear freeze debate, and to give the closing arguments before the vote to authorize military action by the United States in Desert Storm.

Mr. McEwen has often been selected as negotiator to bring resolution to Senate/House conference committee impasses on dozens of pieces of legislation, particularly affecting Public Works, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and International Relations.

[LandofGrant]

Oh really, then why did the number of registered republican voters in my county turn over to be the majority party in 2005? Why did more people pull the elephants trunk in the 2005 primary (the year of Taft's crappiest approval ratings and scandals). People weren't jabbing the GOP in that June race, they weren't happy with the choice they had. I was lucky, I happened to be out of the country during that general race. By the way, I can't think of one major "big named" volunteer in my county for Jean during that general election. This is the same county that gave Portman close to 70% in his last few elections.

Maybe reconsider your comments or at least back up your arguments better. I like debate, but "Bob McEwen is not a spokesman for conservative principles. He's just a has-been hack who wants a cushy job" is just below my level of discourse. As well as, "I admit that her notorious remark on the House floor was a major gaffe. But I prefer her loose lips to Bob McEwen's bouncing checks." Why are people willing to give up so much just to have Jean in there? I feel sick.