House Democrats urge Hackett to leave Senate race

[LiberalInGeorgia2005]

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/13856810.htm

[Adelante]

1. Good, one blue Senate seat and one blue House seat

:thumbsup:

[snowbear]

7. Wes Dem... no, no, no!

It's not a thumbs up..

I hope Major Hackett STAYS IN THE RACE !! He deserves to be a U.S. Senator!

He'll absolutely ROCK !!

[Adelante]

13. No, larissa

We have to get two seats if we can and Hackett is the one to beat Jean. He'll rock whichever he does. I know I am disappointing you, but I really see it this way. :pals:

[snowbear]

15. Well.. I say Hackett stays...

So there!!

....... (( ))

[Adelante]

16. That's some butt you got there, girl!!

:D

[LiberalInGeorgia2005]

39. Well damn!

""This is an extremely disappointing decision that I feel has been forced on me," said Mr. Hackett, whose announcement comes two days before the state's filing deadline for candidates. He said he was outraged to learn that party leaders were calling his donors and asking them to stop giving and said he would not enter the Second District Congressional race."

Oh well for that.

[snowbear]

2. Wow.... that's sad...

I mean.. from what I've heard on DU, Ohio Democrats really seem to like Sherrod Brown.. But Paul Hackett isn't exactly your typical run-of-the-mill candidate either ----- He's AWESOME!!

What bugs me is that Hackett was in the race ==BEFORE== Brown was.. and didn't Brown say that he wouldn't run if Hackett was running? (Hopefully someone from Ohio can clarify that)



What do the polls in Ohio show in the Brown/Hackett race? Who's in the lead between the two?

[MercutioATC]

5. Agreed.

As far as Brown saying that he wouldn't run if Hackett ran, that's unconfirmed. What IS confirmed is:

1) Brown said he wasn't running against DeWine.

2) Hackett was approached by Democratic leadership and encouraged to run.

3) Three days after Hackett announced, Brown changed his mind and decided to run against DeWine.

4) Democratic leadership then abandoned Hackett and backed Brown.

4) Tim Ryan, whom Harry Reid asked to approach Hackett about running, refused to abandon Hackett when Brown changed his mind. Brown got pissy about it. http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051112/EDIT/511120301/1003

While I'll support him in the general if he's the candidate, I've lost a lot of respect for Sherrod Brown.

[FreedomAngel82]

9. What I'm wondering

is why did Brown say he wouldn't run if Hackett was and than turns around and changes his mind? Maybe outside pressure or something? :shrug: I find that strange.

[MercutioATC]

11. Well, we don't really know if Brown did that.

What we DO know id that he said that he wasn't running, We DO know that three days after Hackett announced, Brown changed his mind. We DO know that Brown got pissy when a former supporter then refused to change allegiances and continued to support Hackett.

I think that Brown was probably pressured by party leadership to run. I'm very disappointed that he's chosen to handle that pressure in the way that he has.

[snowbear]

10. Thanks for that info MercutioATC !!!

I just think he has a great chance if your entire state gets to vote on him!!! :hug:



If we have to depend on the very right wing section of Ohio that selected Schmidt last time to change their minds.. I dunno.. ...It was a close race, but that still doesn't mean that fire engine red section of Ohio will boot Schmitty Schmidt..

[MercutioATC]

14. I think that Hackett represents the direction in which we should be moving

He speaks plainly. He stands by what he says.

Yes, he's unpolished. No, he doesn't have the congressional experience that Brown has. I think those are advantages.

A small example of what I'm talking about:

http://www.hackettforohio.com/newsroom/93/honestly-whats-the-gimmick

[Nederland]

35. What a comedy of errors

No wonder we can't win elections--we can't stop stabbing each other in the back.

[welshTerrier2]

3. Emanuel did this publicly? why???

"This isn't talking behind the scenes; I'm saying it publicly. ... I'm petitioning Paul Hackett to run for Congress," Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said Sunday.

Shouldn't this have been kept between Hackett and Emanuel unless Hackett agreed to it? the arrogance of the DCCC is truly amazing ...

[snowbear]

6. Too bad he can't run for both seats...

That way if Brown wound up getting the nomination, he'd still be able to knock the Schmidt outta Schmidt..

[IndianaGreen]

18. Did you have to post the picture of that horrible wicket woman?

Jean Schmidt should be air dropped over Fallujah!

[tnlefty]

28. Haven't the people of Fallujah been subjected to enough??!!!

I can't believe that you would advocate this nastiness being dropped on them.

[ninkasi]

22. What a remarkable likeness...

except that the one on the left is a bit more attractive.

[radio4progressives]

20. I don't know why Emmanuel was made Chair of DCCC but I think he's an ASS

Every single time something really freaking moronic happens behind the scenes in the party, turn around and Emmanuel name comes up..almost every time.

i don't like this guy, i don't trust him, and his politics stinks.

[FreedomAngel82]

4. So why only him?

[FreedomAngel82]

8. Now I see why they're doing this

Reading through the article I don't think they have anything personally against Hackett. They think they can get a very clear win with Brown for the Senate since he's more well known. Tim Ryan (who's awesome by the way!) did support Hackett at first but now even he is asking him to instead run for the House. It seems to me the democrats are more into the House than the Senate and that's what they're wanting. More democrats there since this is where a lot of work can get done including hearings on various things from NSA hearings to going into Iraq. I still think the people should decide who the nominee is and not other party members unles they're able to vote in the primaries.

[Hippo_Tron]

12. Why couldn't Sharrod Brown have just decided to run the first time?

The DSCC went after Hackett aggressively after Brown said OVER AND OVER that he would not run. Hackett agreed and then Sherrod flip-flops and decides to run and now Hackett gets screwed.

How about Brown runs for re-election to his house seat and Hackett runs for the US Senate, which is what was supposed to happen in the first place.

[radio4progressives]

21. Totally agree with you Hippo_Tron

Someone needs to have a good talk with Emmanuel about his tactics, it stinks and it's hurtful, divisive.

[Hippo_Tron]

31. Emmanuel only sort of bothers me

As someone said above that Emmanuel has a point in that as chairman of the DCCC his job is to find the best candidates and Paul Hackett is clearly the best candidate for the Ohio 2nd. That being said Emmanuel is a bit of a johnny come lately considering that if the DCCC had put money into this race the first time around, Hackett would be the US Representative from the 2nd district of Ohio and we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

Sherrod Brown should not have flip-flopped. If he changed his mind and decided that he wanted a senate seat, he should've waited four years to challenge Voinovich. Hackett can't wait that long because he is big news right now and now is the only opportunity that he has to get his foot in the door. Brown will be just as attractive of a candidate in four years as he is now.

Hackett is one of the party's most valuable assets and frankly we are treating him like shit. Sherrod Brown needs to realize that by deciding to enter the race he's screwing over a valuable political newcomer that our party really needs.

[radio4progressives]

34. This has Emmanuel's /DLC finger prints all over it..

Dollars to donuts Sherrod Brown was severely pressured if not at the very least promised the moon to flip flop and run for that position. Neither Emmanuel nor the (DLC) want a progressive maverick like Hackett in the Senate.

Hell, can you imagine if Hackett gets elected to the Senate he might be willing to join Feingold on repealing those nasty provisions in the Patriot Act and other very anti-civil liberties, anti-working people concerns.
Can you imagine what would have happened on all these issues including the Alito issue if Hackett was on board the Senate?

[Hippo_Tron]

38. It makes sense, but Brown doesn't seem like a DLC shill

Granted, that could all change when money becomes involved. If you ask Ohio DUers they will tell you that Brown has a very progressive record and that he is anything but DLC. I haven't looked into his record that much, so I could not tell you.

I do know that in this instance, though, that Brown is the establishment and Hackett is the insurgent. Insurgents tend to scare the crap out of the establishment, hence what happened with Howard Dean.

[AtomicKitten]

23. He pulled a Michelle Kwan.

[kentuck]

17. I agree that Hackett should run for Congressional seat....

It's only for two years and another Senate seat will open up. Sherrod has a base that is proven solid over several years and he's a proven winner. Hackett for Congress!

[snowbear]

19. Ok.. Howza bout he runs for BOTH?

Can he do that?

[rucky]

24. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

TWO candidates at a time.

[snowbear]

25. Rove is behind all of this crap...

I can see from reading from Ohio Democrats that they're pretty well split on the two..

Although, on the other thread going on regarding this same topic.. someone is posting that "Brown has raised over 10X more money"

One click of Google and you can see that their information is 100% BOGUS. In fact, they are neck and neck in fundraising. I'm not sure why they posted that.. but..

My question is.. Which candidate can WIN the easiest??

Brown?

Hackett?

I don't trust Rove.. He knows this is a hot race and I have a feeling he has a hand in this thing.. http://eliteleague.co.uk/forum/images/smilies/duh!.gif

[LiberalInGeorgia2005]

26. Hackett is ahead of Brown, but it is close

http://www.opensecrets.org/states/election.asp?State=OH&year=2006

* Mike DeWine(R):$6,107,495
Paul Hackett(D):$1,334,881
Sherrod Brown(D):$817,932
David R. Smith(R):$0
John G. Hritz(R):$0
William Gardner Pierce(R):$0

* Incumbent

[Le Taz Hot]

27. Progressives are going to have to kick it up

several notches in the donations department as Brown's coffers will soon be filling with monies from the big boys. However, $$ can ALWAYS be countered with activism and that's one huge factor the progressives have going for them.

[Hippo_Tron]

32. Progressives aren't really decided on either candidate

Hackett has a following on the netroots like Dean did, but Brown is more liberal than Hackett or at least he has a more established liberal record than Hackett. So Hackett is the insurgent and a bit more conservative and Brown is the establishment and a bit more liberal. It's a weird situation.

[Le Taz Hot]

36. The difference, of course,

is that Hacket doesn't have the backing of the party bosses and Brown apparently does which tells me Brown will be doing the DCCC's/DLC's bidding. 'Course I'm in CA so it's all just speculation on my part

[Coexist]

29. Can Brown not beat that scary woman?

At first, I thought - hey - he was in first. But if he is the only one who can beat Schmidt - then I would rather see her go down in flames, and capture a House and a Senate seat.

I will have to mull this over some more.

[Algorem]

30. Hackett cancels Hardball. A sign?

http://www.cleveland.com/weblogs/openers/index.ssf?/mtlogs/cleve_openers/archives/2006_02.html#112553

Hackett cancels Hardball. A sign?


It could mean something. Or it could mean nothing.

With Ohio's election-filing deadline approaching this week, and rumors buzzing that Paul Hackett might drop out of the U.S. Senate race to run for the congressional seat he nearly won last summer, MSNBC confirms that the Iraq war veteran has canceled an appearance later today on Chris Matthews' "Hardball" program.

Emily Marx, who works in MSNBC's media relations department, says the cable network got an apology for the cancellation from Hackett, but not an explanation. Rumors about Hackett's future have been swirling since Democratic Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, the recruiter-in-chief of Democratic House candidates, said publicly this weekend that he is hoping to coax Hackett out of the race...

Hackett, however, has consistently rebuffed the suggestion that he should bow out, and some of his intimates continue to say they're skeptical that he would change his mind.

- Elizabeth Auster

[snowbear]

33. Sad.... but then... Ohio Dems must know who they want?

What a heart-breaker though..

Here's what I'm wondering...

- Sherrod Brown may be more popular than Major Hackett with Ohio Dems
- But will Sherrod Brown be able to beat DeWine when "everyone" gets to vote?

:shrug:

[Donna Zen]

37. How can the insiders assume Brown will win?

Actually, looking at Ohio's voting pattern which shows a split, with Brown being a known quanity it is a good bet that Hackett may have the better chance in a statewide race. Brown has a very liberal voting record, so how is that going to help in Ohio? Hackett is perceived as more moderate because he's a Marine, although I think he'd surprise just because he has a spine and loves his country. In today's Ohio that can help give the Democrats the edge. Finally, offering him a spot in one of the bright red districts in the country, is hardly a prize.

This blatant manipulation that gets worse by the day hardly makes me happy about the direction for 06. Insiders--insiders--insiders! Yeah, to date the insiders have one bad choice after another. Personally, I think we're watching the insiders closing ranks.