Hackett backs Brown in Ohio Senate race

[Judi Lynn]

Hackett backs Brown in Ohio Senate race

By DAVID HAMMER, Associated Press Writer
44 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Democrat Paul Hackett, who angrily quit the Senate race in February after a shove from party leaders, endorsed his former primary rival on Monday in the high-stakes race in Ohio.

Hackett, an Iraq war veteran, said his fight with Rep. Sherrod Brown (news, bio, voting record) is over, and the two rallied in Cincinnati on Monday to show their unity. Hackett blamed himself for fomenting discord within the party, saying he suddenly realized last Thursday that he was unnecessarily hurting them both by sulking over the way his primary challenge ended.

"I was cutting my grass and said to myself ... it's totally unproductive for me to be largely responsible for this antagonistic relationship between me and Sherrod," Hackett told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

Hackett's about-face in supporting Brown was significant. A month ago, he told the AP that Brown was "puking out the same old garbage" and not inspiring swing voters.
(snip/...)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060710/ap_on_el_se/ohio_senate

[liberalnurse]

1. Paul Hackett is going to be on the Ed Schultz Show

in a few minutes....... I'm going to listen in on this......

http://wegoted.com/

[Judi Lynn]

3. Thanks for the heads up.

He's probably getting an invaluable experience waiting for the right time to open up, learning politics inside and out before getting elected.

[Vidar]

2. How a real Democrat behaves (vs Lieberman).

[OzarkDem]

4. The primary vote was May 2, what took him so long?

Guess he's trying to get a PR boost. :boring:

[redqueen]

5. Encouraging news...

let's hope this type of thing becomes a trend...

[Rageneau]

6. Good for Paul! I hope the party finds a place for him.

[skipos]

7. Hackett and Wilson (in WA) are handling it the way they should

Lieberman is not.

[OzarkDem]

8. Lieberman is a prince

compared to the shit Hackett and his supporters flung during the last several months. Please don't give the guy too much credit for doing the obvious long, long after he engaged in some despicable campaign tactics. Hackett should be permanently exiled from the party.

[IndianaGreen]

9. I didn't see Hackett running as an independent against Brown

like Lieberman is doing against Lamont.

Hackett should be permanently exiled from the party.

Would you have said the same about Lieberman?

:yoiks:

Take a clue from Sherrod Brown and Paul Hackett and let's move on!

[OzarkDem]

11. Probably, yes

Though, to Lieberman's credit, he's been an active Dem for many years.

Hackett has changed parties on average every 2 or 3 years. He has no history with the Democratic Party, having spent most of his adult life as a Republican, then later a brief stint in Perot's party. Hackett is a political opportunist whose only loyalty is to himself. He only became a Dem when he decided to run for office.

[IndianaGreen]

13. The same criticism could be leveled at Tammy Duckworth in IL-06

She had no history with Democratic Party, unlike her primary opponent Christine Cegelis.

Now, we could choose to refight the primary, or do what the candidates have done and spend our energies in defeating the GOP.

It's a personal choice, but the happy choice is to move on!

[OzarkDem]

14. That's exactly what we've been doing

moving on beyond the messy primary, and winning the race against DeWine. Glad you support us!

On edit: as for Tammy Duckworth - I don't have a dog in that fight. I'm focused on winning in Ohio.

[IndianaGreen]

15. DeWine is a pig!

Best wishes in November!

[skipos]

10. Hackett is supporting the Democratic candidate

Lieberman will be running against him. Hackett hasn't handled himself well, but at least he has gotten over it. Lieberman is probably collecting signatures to run against Lamont as we speak.

[OzarkDem]

12. I think its safe to say

no one knows what Paul Hackett is doing except for Paul Hackett.

He's done enough damage to Dems in the last few months that he'll have to apologize for a month of Sundays to make up for it.

I still don't trust him, he only decided to "endorse" Brown 2 months after the primary when he was becoming hugely unpopular with Dems after his attacks on John Murtha. So far he hasn't apologized to Murtha.

[Kagemusha]

16. Give him any credit for his Iraq service? Just wondering.

Because it sounds bitterly personal, honestly.

[rexcat]

19. Looks like Hackett is supporting Brown...

and has come out publicly and said so. I will take that over not saying anything at all.

It is important that Lieberman is going to run as an independent if he does not win the primary. The Dems can't afford to lose a seat in the US Senate. The repuke will probably win because the Dem vote will be split. That is unconscionable on Lieberman's part.

Your point about Murtha just does not fly. If you look at Murtha's voting record he comes across as a conservative. About the only thing he and the progressives have in common is they are all against the war in Iraq. And what damage has Hackett done to the Dems in the past several months? Give it a rest.

[lumberjack_jeff]

17. It motivates Wilson to "handle it the way (he) should"...

... when he quits to take a job in Cantwell's campaign.

Wealth is handy, I guess.

[skipos]

18. What the hell is wrong with working on her campaign?

Are you suggesting she bought him out? I can't imagine a job on someone's campaign is very enticing.

[lumberjack_jeff]

22. He quit his existing job as well as his campaign.

Yes. I'm suggesting she bought him out.

No one is saying what he's being paid.

[neverforget]

20. Good for Paul! At least he can admit he made a mistake and

was man enough to put his ego aside and own up to it. I respect that.:applause:

[Ohio Joe]

21. Good

This is what had me supporting Paul to begin with. I hope one day to have him serving in Ohio government.

[Javaman]

23. Good, I'm glad this stupid pissing match is finally over.

It was totally counter productive for the Democratic party.