Latest on Redfern

[geiger]

After wondering outloud on the Ohio forum what Mr. Redfern has been up to, I just caught up--somewhat via a Plain Dealer article, Sunday Feb 11, and I am disappointed that he is not concentrating more of his personal efforts on taking back the Ohio Legislature, or maybe he is, and he hasn't talked about it yet. Have I missed something?


Democratic boss is life of the party
Ohio's hard-charging Redfern stands to play key role in '08
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Mark Naymik
Plain Dealer Politics Writer

"(Chris Redfern's) hard-driving style helped Redfern outmaneuver more-experienced leaders to climb atop an Ohio Democratic Party that was nearly in shambles in late 2005.

His timing couldn't have been better: With voters in a decidedly anti-Republican mood last year, Redfern presided over one of the biggest Democratic victories in Ohio history.

The party not only won the gov ernor's office for the first time in 16 years, but it also broke the GOP's longtime control over all but one of the other executive of fices.

Last week, he landed a spot on the Democratic national party's executive committee, a position that gives him more say in Ohio's presidential politics.

All of this makes Redfern -- a...-- a potentially powerful figure on the state and national stage. At minimum, he will find himself on the speed dial of the party's next presidential nominee.

But if Ohio goes blue in 2008 and again settles the presidential election, he could become a kingmaker."

[Ninga]

1. I am not a fan of Redfern. He is a bit of a punk. Just my opinion.

There is a would of difference from being passionate, driven, focsused.......and being a punk.

[geiger]

2. Interesting word punk

part of the PD article I left out was his reputation for impatience and interrupting people, esp. staff.

He made some impetuous decisions in the beginning that totally alienated the African-American community in Cleveland, and now it appears he is going overboard trying to compensate in the other direction, to the point that it is embarrassing. We are all people, "we are all in this together," as Sherrod Brown would say, we just need to all talk to each other as equals, and that's one thing I don't think is happening with this regime. I felt a real disconnect from the Party and federal races that I have never felt before. One particular negative staffer, who is no longer with the ODP, seemed to feel entitled to run negative, defend his prerogative to do so negatively. The good thing is that bloggers are fighting back and making a difference in the war of ideas. A lot of positive ideas have been put forth, and I am impressed to the degree that Strickland and Brown seem to be listening. I saw Marc Dann on television over the weekend, and he seemed like a new man, humbled and grateful to have the opportunity, as he put it, "everyday to come into work and know that he can do something to improve the life of ordinary Ohioans." It was not an act or a political system, it was a man re-born and driven in all the right ways.

[Ninga]

3. Well written and on target. I think lots of Dem's (like Marc Danna) FULLY understand

that Ohio has been dirty with the GOP for too long, and that they have an opportunity to get some stuff done.

However, my fear is that they are few and far between. Party leaders and their underlings many months at a time fly under the radar screen......out of sight of accountability.

Redfern has been on a 1 year high.....power the ultimate aphrodisiac.

Stuck in his craw is NE Ohio. Just take a look at some of the races that suffered from his arrogance. He is plain ole dismissive of our region and believes he can take Ohio grand places without us.....




I hate to be a downer about this guy......but reading a book is more than the cover......and many a plot can be found between the lines.

[WCGreen]

8. Yea, like with Ben Espy.....

Pushing for his nomination and then cutting him loose...

[MeDeMax]

4. Chris is no angel, but he does know how to take on GOP thugs

IMHO, Bob Bennett would have had a harder time fixing the 2004 outcome with his pawn Michael Vu,
had Chris been at the helm.

Sometimes the individual you need is not the individual you want.

Eg. Chloe O'Brian in 24.

To succeed as a party, in carrying out a plan to effect +ve social change, we too need a
braintrust that can outthink and outsmart the GOP fatcats...Chris fills that nitche in some
measure.

But open discussions like this are good to have so we can voice our opinions.

[Kolesar]

5. We need some Dems who can frame the message effectively

"Lunchbucket liberals"--we will always win the the manufacturing state fighting globalization.
Climate--The gops have just given us that issue. Who wants to pay for more energy? Who wants to help the Arab oil barons?
Health care for all--Ohio has a huge pre-medicare demographic to serve. Who is on the side of the insurance companies? What Ohio voter is ever happy to get a huge medical bill in the mail?

[MeDeMax]

6. thank you for the clarity of your expression -- n/t

[Kolesar]

7. Hey, politics is easy!

Hope Redfern is reading

[Kolesar]

9. Redfern should have recused himself from Grendell's lakeshore bill

Redfern owns lakefront property. He should have recused himself on the bill to give control or ownership of the state's "trust lands" on the shore to the owners of beachfront property.

He sponsored a bill to give state property to himself. There was a Gardner in the legislature who also had property on the shore. He did not recuse himself.

yes, that Grendell.

[geiger]

10. merde.

this is not good. what happens to people? i remember him when he was innocent and giving and a good listener.

[Ninga]

11. Help me out poli-----when was that???? which I think your point is.....

[geiger]

13. I think he is at core, a good person, getting distracted by power and

possibly trying to do too many things. From the beginning, I didnt know how he expected to be both a legislator and Chair of the Party. People criticized Denny White for trying to hold on to two chairmanships. Now Redfern is piling on Washington D.C. responsibilities. I think it is possible to get blinded by the pace of it all if nothing else. Trying myself not to read too much into it, but all the warning signs are there.

[Ninga]

12. We need to keep the dialog fresh and newswothy. We need to keep informed and

head trouble off at the pass before it sinks us as a party once again in this state.

We need to listen to each other and consider what our options are, and how to clean our own house before the GOP does it for us.

[geiger]

14. Hamilton County Democratic Party Chair Tim Burke was elected President of the Ohio Democratic County

Chairs

I'm curious to know more about his background, if anyone knows anything. Lots going on!

http://www.ohiodems.org/index.php?page=blog&full=137