Coleman's (ex) Media Advisor has tips for Eric

[Schmajo]

Greg Haas did media for Mayor Mike Coleman's gubernatorial campaign. Now, he's a self-described "free agent from the sidelines." He's offering these tips to Fingerhut for free.

http://www.theotherpaper.com/substory2.html


"1. Flaunt your money.
***
‘You come out of your filing with a good report financially that shows people you're going to be financially viable,’ Haas said. ‘And you go on the air very early and define the race.’

2. Be bold, and be specific.
***

‘I think you gotta talk about how you're gonna resolve school funding. You've gotta talk about where you're gonna make cuts in the budget. I think that there oughta be an element of daring in what he's willing to do,’ Haas said.
***

3. The best offense is a good offense.

Fingerhut has to do more than establish himself as a good candidate, Haas said. To beat Strickland, he'll need to go negative early and often.
***
And what if Fingerhut doesn't want to attack his fellow Democrat? That leads to the final point.

4. Let your goons do their job.

‘He has to turn his campaign over to the people he's got on board. Let them do the ads, let them do the campaign, and stay the hell out of it,’ Haas said.
***
‘I like Ted,’ Haas said. ‘I just think that he's a lot easier to beat by the Republicans than Eric.’"

[rg302200]

1. "lot easier to beat by the Republicans than Eric."

What? Hello? Fingerhut is a losing candidate plain and simple...he got smoked by Voinivich and will get smoked in the primaries. Moderates and Independents outside of NE Ohio are getting tired of Cleveland Liberals running for all the offices. Those are not my words but the words of the people in my community who vote for the candidate and not the party. They won't support Fingerhut if he wins the primaries and all he will do is hand the Governorship back to the Republicans.

But it doesn't bother me if he is "A NE Liberal", if Fingerhut won the nomination I would vote for him but he won't. Moderates and Independents in my community are already voicing concern over Fingerhut and Brown running for major office. They said that if they won the would vote for the republican candidate but if Hackett and Strickland won they would vote for them. They want to see people outside of the usual establishment running for office. They like Strickland because he is a moderate and comes from rural Ohio. They love Hackett because of what he represents...a breath of fresh air.

The time has come for a change and the Democrat party needs to look to southern Ohio for candidates and not Cleveland/Akron area. We have a good chance to win big in the upcoming election but only if we break with the establishment and back Strickland and Hackett. I personally don't care where the candidates come from but if we want to attract swing voters then Fingerhut should not be our parties choice for Governor.

[Deep13]

2. Um, yup.

The only real purpose of a Fingerhut run is to have a contested primary for media purposes. It will keep our ticket in the news during primary season. I like Eric, but he does not have the fangs for this.

[Ninga]

3. OK, listen up. Eric is a term limited Ohio State Senator, and a

one term US Congressman,and a fighter.

Guess what, Strickland has lost elections.

Ted Strickland did not have an opponent in his last election.

Ted Strickland won in 2002 with 41,351 votes. HELLO??? Any body home out there....41,351 votes for
goodness sake!!!

You call that "carrying the conservative southern Ohio vote?"

John Kerry got 433,262 in Cuyahoga County alone.


Eric Fingerhut has worked in the Ohio State House on Ohio issues for 12 years, he knows the problems inside and out. He know the people, he knows the legislators, he knows the budget, and he single handedly worked to save the Local Government Fund that every Twp. and every city and town gets in Ohio. And guess what? The districts who benefit the most from that fund are the dirt poor districts that voted for Strickland.

So there.

[rg302200]

4. I did not say that Strickland never lost an election...

But he represents some of the same counties that Voinvich does (the sames ones Fingerhut lost in) and if Strickland can win in that area and at times never have to face opposition then he is the man to be our candidate. Why do you think he ran unopposed? Because the Repukes knew they couldn't beat him. Fingerhut never stood a chance winning in those counties.

Look I am not saying Fingerhut is not a good Dem, he is, but he can't win outside of NE Ohio and that is a fact. People outside the mainstream won't care that Fingerhut saved the local govt funding (I do because my dad is a Trustee) but their appreciation will stop when they realize he doesn't really represent their values (and that is what they will think). I am just telling you what the independents and moderates here in Southern Ohio say. You want to win the governorship then support Strickland, you want another 4 years of Repukes then go ahead and back Fingerhut!

Oh my Kerry got 433,262 votes in Guyahoga! Well YEA he better, actually I am a little disappointed that he didn't get a half a million. Cuyahoga is a blue county, always has been always will be! Look at the OTHER counties in Ohio....that was the point of my post.

Dem's must look PAST Cleveland and Cuyahoga county, we will always win there but we won't win state wide if we continue to rely on that area for the money and the candidates!

[Ninga]

6. Here is another way of looking at this situation. In 1974

John Glenn and Howard Metzenbaum were in a hotly contested primary for the US Senate.

Metzenbaum had the backing of every county Dem leader, the state party, and tons of newspaper endorsements.

Party insiders didn't want Glenn to win, but he did win the primary and won in the fall.


What is your opinion of Strickland's vote supporting the Bankruptcy bill and are you a strong NRA gun rights person?

[rg302200]

8. Good Point

However correct my history on this one. Didn't both Glenn and Metzenbaum go on to be Senator's? So really they BOTH were electable, just elected at different times!

Although the Bankruptcy bill helped the credit card companies it still allows for ordinary citizens to file for Bankruptcy. You just have to find the right lawyer who understands the new law. A friend of the family who is a very good lawyer told me that one, so in reality that bill affects only a very small percent of the population.

As for the NRA I have no freaking use for them! I own guns and I support everyone's right to own guns, but I can't stomach the bullshit the NRA shovels to the American People. I don't care about them and I never use their talking points when researching candidates, mainly because they USUALLY back hard core right wing nut jobs. However every now and then they will back a smarter than they are liberal! But people in my community REALLY love their guns. In fact a lot of the unions usually split their votes among their memberships when it comes to politicians because of the gun issue. The NRA is a big divider here among my local moderate Dem's and Independents!

[Ninga]

10. You are correct in saying both Glenn and Metzenbaum served Ohio

in the US Senate.

My point was that in 1974 John Glenn was NOT supported by the Ohio Dem Party, Party insiders, and the newspapers said he didn't have a chance. Somewhat like most posting here in the Ohio Forum are saying about Eric.

Regarding the Bankrupcy Bill......it is a bill that greatly supports credit card companies and hurts people on fixed income trying to juggle medical expenses while keeping a household. I disagree wholeheartedly with your friend who is a lawyer who says the new law affects a small portion of the population.

Here is a link: http://money.cnn.com/2005/04/20/pf/bankruptcy_bill/

Any thought?

[Schmajo]

11. Wasn't Howard Perceived as "More Liberal?"

Rightly or Wrongly. (Or maybe "Less Gentile.")

My point is not to smear Metzenbaum or Fingerhut, but to point out that perceived "moderates" have a better chance being elected statewide in Ohio than perceived "liberals."

Fingerhut is perceived as a liberal (correctly, I think we would agree). Strickland is more "moderate" on some issues -- maybe "conservative" on some others, e.g., gun control. That, in my opinion, makes Stickland the better statewide candidate. WWBR -- "Who Will Beat Republicans?"

[Ninga]

12. Howard lost because he accused Glenn of never having a real

job and Glenn intercepted and ran for a touchdown........It had nothing to do with labels.

[geiger]

5. My advice

would be to stay away from Jerry Austin and his loser goons.

[OzarkDem]

7. Good advice

Also, lower the testosterone level a little bit. All this huffing and puffing and macho man pissing contest talk makes me yearn for a sensible woman candidate.

[Ninga]

9. Dear OzarkDem.......it is just this kind of "huffing and puffing" that

gets the debate points flowing and results in an healthy exchange.

Debate strenghthens the process and makes all stronger in their knowledge.