Wife of Ohio gubernatorial candidate charged with DWI

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-20/112986744196930.xml&storylist=cleveland

0/21/2005, 12:53 a.m. ET
The Associated Press

BEXLEY, Ohio (AP) — The wife of Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, a Democrat running for governor in 2006, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated Thursday night, authorities said.

Frankie Coleman hit a parked pickup about 9 p.m. in this Columbus suburb, police said. No one else was in her car.

Officers who arrived on the scene said the mayor's wife had "an odor of alcohol about her," said Bexley Police Sgt. Robert Cull.

Coleman failed a field sobriety test, Cull said. A blood-alcohol test given to Coleman at the Bexley police station measured .271 — more than three times the legal limit of .08, Cull said...

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

1. Why Can't The Dems Do Anything Right? nt

[Erika]

2. Excuse me?

A dui by a spouse equals the culture of corruption of the GOP. I don't quite think so. What was your point in posting?

[tkmorris]

7. Did OCD equate the two?

Nope. Not my place to speak for anyone but myself but regardless of what Repubs do, driving with a BAC of .241 or whatever it was is just plain stupid. There is no excuse for this whatsoever and there is every chance that it will fry her husbands candidacy.

[IdaBriggs]

42. My Two Cents -- Candidacy is now over.

His wife has a drinking problem, which makes him subject to blackmail, etc. Time for the two of them to concentrate on getting their own lives together. Putting him in a position of public trust is not a good idea for anyone.

Sigh. Bad judgment on his part to marry an alcoholic. :(

[mod mom]

56. I know Frankie Coleman, (former customer) and she is a kind, thoughtful

person. This was extremely poor judgement, but I do not believe she is an alcoholic.

I believe his chief of staff also has a dui recently.

That said, I was not endorsing Coleman's candidacy because of his failure to acknowledge what occurred in his city on Nov 2nd. He didn't even have the decency to show up when John Conyers, Maxine Waters and other members of congress arrived to hold a hearing on the election fraud.

[orleans]

75. he's a democrat and didn't bother showing up to a hearing on

election fraud?

please--give me a break! (not you personally mod mom)

is he crazy? arrogant? or too busy trying to keep his wife in line?

with all the crap that went on in ohio why the hell wouldn't a dem elected official attend a hearing on election fraud???

well, maybe when he doesn't get reelected he'll think: "shit! i should've paid more attention to that election stuff"

(i hope there's another democrat running)

[mod mom]

82. I think it was a political move orchestrated by the Ohio Dems (who also

didn't bother to show up or even acknowledge it).

Michael Coleman is African American and for him to be silent on this matter was so abominable that I could not support him.

How sad that a political decision who trump doing what is right. Too bad there are many Dems who wear these shoes.

[LisaL]

61. I am sorry, but aren't Jeb Bush's children get arrested from time

to time? Public intoxication, etc...
To say that because someone's relative has a drinking problem that person can not run for public office doesn't make much sense, does it? Considering Jeb Bush is very much in office.

[IdaBriggs]

72. Frankly, Jeb Bush shouldn't be in office either, but his children

have nothing to do with it. And I disagree with you -- if an IMMEDIATE family member (in the case of children, those living with you) have a drug or alcohol problem, I don't want people in positions of public trust. (shrug) Its one of my many prejudicial foibles. (I'm very picky about some things....) :)

[sarcasmo]

81. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

46. One Thing Has Nothing Do With Another....

2 Wrongs Do Not A Right Make. Just because the repubs are corrupt, does not make it acceptable for her to be driving a vehicle with 3 times the legal limit of alcohol, and crashing her car. What if she had hit another car and injured someone?

Seriously, if dems are going to be able to take the moral high ground, unfortunately there are certain standards they must live up to. We're not talking about a couple glasses of wine and being pulled over with a 1.0 alcohol level. She was obviously plastered, and that is a bad bad thing when your husband is about to run for the highest office in the state. And against a slimeball like blackwell.

[tocqueville]

9. like Dubya ? getting away with it ?

[Fridays Child]

26. If her last name were Bush, this would be icing on the cake of her resumé.

[MADem]

32. Well, she didn't kill a guy on a motorcycle

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2004/11/27/news/janklow/830news.txt

[jackbourassa]

3. DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why? Why? Why? Why?

Repeat several more times.

[jackbourassa]

4. Maybe Hackett can run for Gov

And Brown for the Senate or vice versa.

[OzarkDem]

35. Cong.Ted Strickland is already running

Governor of a large state is a very difficult job, too big of a leap for someone who has never held public office.

[Straight Shooter]

5. I was getting ready to defend the candidate whether Repub or Dem.

It's probably best to separate the actions of the spouse from the candidate. I can't even imagine being married to a politician. I think I'd probably have a few dates with Jose Cuervo.

Stupid stupid on the driving while intoxicated, though. :thumbsdown:

[Erika]

6. Laura Bush killed her boyfriend in a car accident

and was never even prosecuted. -?-

[Straight Shooter]

11. Did the bushes use that against her to encourage her to marry georgie?

I believe they did. I think old Pigs-in-Pearls and Poppy let little Laura know that it would be in her best interest to marry georgie. They had her pegged from the start as easily manipulated, pliable, gullible, and perfect "first lady" material.

If she had refused, I'm sure that "accident" would have been brought up and she would have found herself being charged with vehicular homicide.

It's a different thing, deliberately killing someone, than being intoxicated behind the wheel.

[Erika]

17. In my state, no way would that death gone unticketed

You kill someone through negligence, and you pay for it.

[Straight Shooter]

27. Unless you're related to the bushes, or the beneficiary of their power.

You know that georgie had his driver's license terminated and replaced with a new one. Who is to say what crimes were committed when he was behind the wheel. No one knows where the old license records are. Such a mystery :eyes:

What about that a**hole congressman who was speeding and ran into and killed the guy on the motorcycle? He couldn't even remember the name of the victim! No major punishment for him. Seems like all the rules have been thrown out the window.

[LisaL]

57. Yes, I am surprised Laura wasn't charged with vehicular

homicide. Sure sounds like she was at fault, running that stop light and killing her ex-boyfriend.

[NeoConsSuck]

79. Childbutcher.com has details..

It details how the police and media covered up the incident.

http://www.childbutcher.com/

[LisaL]

58. I think she met George years later.

[digno dave]

85. No No No, Barbara didn;t like her at the first

[Jane Austin]

86. Why speculate about why they got married?

I despise bush so much I can hardly watch or listen to him on television.

However, I do know someone who taught with Laura back then and who says that after her first date with bush she came back to school completely starry-eyed and announced that she had just met the man she was going to marry.

Lord knows there's no accounting for taste, so why is it so hard to imagine that they fell in love - - just like most of the rest of us?

I am disgusted by every generation of Bushes that I know anything about.

They've caused enough grief in this world to earn them the disdain of all humankind for ever.

So why is it necessary to speculate about them forcing Laura to marry their kid?

Ugh.

[napi21]

8. Why was she driving? Maybe I live in another world, but

if my hisband is running for Gov. I would think I would have a driver available? Did you see the level?

Coleman failed a field sobriety test, Cull said. A blood-alcohol test given to Coleman at the Bexley police station measured .271 — more than three times the legal limit of .08, Cull said...

.271!!!!! That's not a maybe man, that's damn drunk!

I don't know if we'll ever hear what reall happened here. Where was she, was she at a party, a bar, at somebody's house? I gotta tell you, I was arrested for a DUI once, 18 years ago. This lady knew she souldn't have gotten behind the wheel!

Shane on her and what she did to her husband's campaign too!

She's damn lucky she didn't kill somebody and herself!

[hang a left]

12. That is the BAC of an alcoholic.

Normal drinkers don't get that screwed up and if they did they would be passed out. It was only 9PM.

[tocqueville]

13. there must be a reason for her behaviour

unless she has been (is) a concealed alcoholic, it's probable that she fell for too much pressure. Her son just came back from Iraq !!!!

It doesn't excuses her behaviour but could explain it. In my opinion using her breakdown to attack her husband is plainly unacceptable.

Coleman should raise up and fight

[seriousstan]

18. Bend over backwards much? Nobody blows .271 by having one too many.

We are talking about 12 - 16 drinks over 6 hours.

[tocqueville]

22. I don't deny it , you can even get to that level faster...

A psychological crisis can make you empty a bottle of vodka in one -two hours. When you get to a certain level you lose your common sense and go and sit in the car.. you drive then the alcohol "wave" hits the brain and you crash...

What I meant is that you don't have to be an alcoholic to get damned drunk. It can be triggered by a special situation...

[OzarkDem]

34. She's a breast cancer survivor

Not an excuse, but it can make for a stressful life.

[mtnester]

50. This incident would have happened eventually

either now or during next year's race. It was basically an open secret.

Coleman would have dropped out before the primary. He is doing a good job as Mayor of Columbus, and needs to refocus and get back to that as far as his public life goes.

As for his private life, this whole incident is sad for them, and could have been tragic for an innocent person who could have been on the receiving end of her stupidity, however, there were many, on both sides of the aisle, who could either see this coming or would find a way to make it public somehow. Simply a matter of time.

[pokercat999]

54. Maybe, just maybe she doesn't WANT her husband to run for Gov.

This could be a conscious or un-conscious way to get him out of the race. A cry for help as it were.

Or maybe she's just an alcoholic.


I don't understand why this should kill the husbands campaign. He should stand on his hind feet and bash anyone that brings it up, except to her, and she could handle it as she wants.

[seriousstan]

10. .271!!! She had no FU@#ING idea what was going on.

If this happened at 9 pm, she was either BANGING them back since 6 of drinking steady since early afternoon. Either way, this is not the pattern of a noob drinker. This woman went pro long ago. I am willing to bet her husbands ties have gotten her out of at least 3 other DUIs.

[Erika]

15. What's a noob drinker? n/t

[seriousstan]

16. A person who is new (noob) to drinking. You know the kind...

they puke at their 21st birthdayparty, they puke at St. Patrick Day parties (rookie night).

[Erika]

19. So why is this a big thing?

The Bush tribe has done much worse.

[seriousstan]

20. And you condone that?

[Erika]

24. Huh? Why are you eager to condemn this woman

Appreciate your comment. Laura Bush killed a kid and never faced any punishment. Why are the two different?

[OzarkDem]

47. Agree, I know her

I've worked with her in the past and she's a kind, caring and hard working person who has done a tremendous amount for her community.

[converted_democrat]

87. Odd choice of words....Are you sure you're not getting your

terminology mixed up between sites???

[Yupster]

21. Recent joke I heard

A cop stopped a guy for DWI and told him he would give him a breath test.

I can't do that said the driver. I have horrible asthma and if i breathe too hard it will aggravate my condition and I'll end up in a hospital.

Okay, said the cop. I'm going to give yu a blood test then.

Can't do that said the driver. I have hemofelia and if I get a needle I may bleed to death.

Okay said the frustrated cop.

See that yellow line over there. I'm going to ask you to walk along it in a straight line.

Can't do that either said the driver.

Why not asked the frustrated cop.

I'm too drunk said the motorist.

[rpannier]

29. That's a classic

Nice one. I applaud you.

[MercutioATC]

25. I disagree.

I have an amazing inherited tolerance to alcohol (in addition to a self-cultured one).

At .271, I'm certainly not driving, but I'm barely buzzed.

I don't know her weight, but one stiff mixed drink on top of a few glasses of wine could do this easily.

[tocqueville]

30. you need more than that to get to that level

assuming you are counting in %

[MercutioATC]

31. One decent Long Island Iced Tea will get a small person there.

I'm not defending her, I'm just saying that she could have very well been aware of what was going on while LEGALLY over the limit to drive.

[northzax]

69. say she's small, 100 pounds

.271 is 5-6 drinks in an hour. A sustained .27 is blackout territory. This is not 'one drink' grounds, this is one drink away from alcohol poisoning for the average person.

By the way, say she's 130 pounds, that's 7-8 drinks in an hour. That's rolling down the aisle drunk.

[jsamuel]

39. no way, she was wasted

people have died at that level

[MercutioATC]

51. People have died at .271???

Not without other factors...

Nobody should be driving at .271, but it's hardly deadly.

[MountainLaurel]

44. At what level do you develop alcohol poisoning?

Shiiiit, sounds like she was lucky to be conscious.

[rocktivity]

71. Check out this post

in yesterday's thread on the subject:

At 0.271, she's lucky to have been conscious.

# At .020 light to moderate drinkers begin to feel some effects...
# At .450, breathing stops; this is a fatal dose for most people.

Another example of great minds thinking alike.

:headbang:
rocknation

[MountainLaurel]

73. Thanks!

I remember being at a party in college where one of the attendees was rushed to the ER with alcohol poisoning, and was curious.

[rocktivity]

70. DING DING DING! Seriousstan, you're our grand prize winner!

...(T)his is not...a noob drinker. This woman went pro long ago...
Getting to a .270 BAL takes hard work and experience--too much, I believe, for Coleman to handle the problems of both her AND his state. Being first lady to a governor would have only increased the pressure--maybe it's for the best that she "blew her cover" now rather than later.

The rock star Alice Cooper said in a movie that he had so much alcohol in him, he could have not drank for TWO WEEKS and STILL been busted for DUI! It sounds to me like she's THAT kind of an alcoholic.

:headbang:
rocknation

[longship]

14. This is not appropriate or germaine to the campaign.

Are we now to hold candidates responsible for the activities of those around them when the candidate was apparently not even involved?

I hope not. Now this was a Dem candidate, but I would take the same stand if he were a Repub.

This is not news. This is scandal mongering.

[rpannier]

28. I agree with you wholeheartedly

But, let's also be fair. Look at the number of times people here bring up scrubbies drunk-partying daughters. If we don't want these non-issues in a campaign; like the financial activities of someone's deceased father (Geraldine Ferraro), then we have to stop slinging that kind of mud too.

[MADem]

33. They got Mike Dukakis on his wife's problems, if you recall

They were pretty brutal on Kitty, too. The joke going around was:

What do you call empty vodka bottles on the governor's lawn?

Kitty litter.

[rpannier]

36. And that was inappropriate

The candidate, his/her charcter and policies are what I care about. To be honest, I have more respect for people who stay with their spouse and try and help them, rather than call it quits because that's easier.

[MaineDem]

38. Yes, I agree

One thing if she were the candidate.

Totally different thing that she is the candidate's spouse.

Not news--- a family issue entirely!

[MercutioATC]

23. Frankie is a friggin' train wreck for the Party.

SHE'S the one who created that whole Rev. Parsley issue last week, too.

Coleman's toast if his wife has anything to say about it.

[Ms. Toad]

37. For those not in the know

Since I was only aware of Mayor Coleman's support for Equality Ohio (a new group that is intended to be a voice sharing a vision of inclusion, in contrast to Rev. Parsley's message that faith demands exclusion and marginalization of those not toeing the moral line (as he defines it).

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/news/state/12902739.htm

Sounds as if her motive was good, but the plan not terribly well thought out. Not helpful, when your husband is running for governor.

Much more effective:

http://www.gaypeopleschronicle.com/stories05/october/1021051.htm

[Algorem]

40. wonder if anyone encouraged her to get drunk,or to drive?

[nickshepDEM]

41. Strickland For Governor!

[skipos]

43. Everyone needs to admit this is going to hurt his candidacy

how much, who knows. But we need Dems who can win right now.

[msmcghee]

45. Alcoholism is a disease . .

. . it needs to be treated.

Driving while drunk is a felony. Jail time and a heavy fine is in order IMHO.

Being married to a current felon is not good on a resume for high office. It raises questions as to the character of the spouse - and rightfully so.

[superconnected]

49. Yeah but our first lady was drunk when she killed someone.

Perhaps he should say publicly, "it will never happen again and we're SO GLAD she didn't KILL anyone."

[superconnected]

48. She's going to get the melee she deserves.

He doesn't deserve it though. I hope he can overcome it.

Alcholoic or not, she did not need to get into a car and DRIVE drunk.

"Michael and Frankie Coleman have three children. One son, Lance Cpl. John David "J.D." Coleman, 20, a member of 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, returned from Iraq this month.

Michael Coleman was elected in 1999, becoming Columbus' first Democratic mayor in 28 years. He had no GOP opponent in his 2003 re-election campaign. He announced in February that he would run for governor.

U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland of Lisbon also is seeking the Democratic nomination in the gubernatorial race.
"

Wow.

[truthisfreedom]

52. his best bet is to get her into treatment and cleaned up for the election.

if she's willing, maybe she can help turn this into something good instead of something bad for his campaign... consider, bush got a dui and he never went to treatment! and he LIED about it!

[Judi Lynn]

53. Maybe he can get her admitted to the Betty Ford Clinic. n/t

[Algorem]

55. "Witnesses told police that Coleman swerved to avoid a van and her

car hit(sideswiped) the pickup truck. A police report said Coleman failed to control her vehicle and hit the truck on its left side...

In late April and early May, Coleman tussled with syndicated radio host Glenn Beck and stayed away from a convention of black mayors' session in Columbus after the group invited Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

Coleman also saw his chief political adviser arrested on a drunken-driving charge.

This month, Frankie Coleman was invited but later declined to present a proclamation welcoming the Rev. Rod Parsley's Reformation Ohio, a conservative Christian group, to the city.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/1021mayorweb.html

http://www.colemanforohio2006.com/


"...A neighbor who witnessed the accident notified Bexley police, said Sgt. Tony Martin. He said Coleman was alone in the car and she did not ask for or receive any special treatment.

Often considered one of the mayor's greatest assets, Frankie Coleman has endured difficulties over the past few years. After a 2002 battle with breast cancer, friends said, she struggled again when her son, J.D., headed to Iraq with the Marine Reserves Lima Company, a Brook Park-based battalion that lost 48 members and had 150 wounded.

The deaths included 14 Marines killed in back-to-back attacks within a week over the summer. In August, with J.D. still in Iraq, her father died.

J.D. is now home and accompanied the mayor to the police station to pick up his mother. "

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1129973774144530.xml&coll=2

[Algorem]

59. Campaign Advisor Charged With DUI

http://www.10tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3290583

One of Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman's top political advisors has been arrested for drunk driving.

Greg Haas has been a political consultant in Ohio since the 1970's. He's considered the "go-to" guy for Democrats. And most recently, he has been working for Coleman's gubernatorial campaign.

Haas was pulled over by Upper Arlington Police at 4:10 a.m. Monday as he was pulling into his own driveway.

After smelling alcohol, the officer led Haas through a series of field sobriety tests, at least three of which police say he failed. At that point, the officer arrested Hass, booked and jailed him for drunk driving...


http://www.swingstateproject.com/2005/10/ohgov_greatest_1.php

[Judi Lynn]

60. I have NEVER heard Democrats, NOT EVEN ONE, excoriate Betty Ford

after it was revealed she had a drinking problem which got the best of her.

This woman is NOT the Democrat in office. At a time when the entire world is reeling from the poisonous effect of Republican government, dragging in the story of a Democrat's wife's drinking problem seems calculated and designed to distract.

So who has any searing insults to make about Betty Ford? I've never heard even one. She has been treated respectfully, as far as I know.

[onenote]

63. and if she had been arrested for DUI, do you think it would've hurt Ford

Its not an issue of searing insults...its just one of those things that hurts campaigns...should it? No. Does it? Yes?

onenote

[big johnson]

62. How many bikers does it take to grease Janklow's limo?

Enquiring minds want to know.

[gulliver]

64. Maybe that will get us some Republican cross-overs.

Republicans like drunk drivers. Look at Bush and Cheney.

[proud2BlibKansan]

65. BFD

Jimmy Carter had a long successful political career in spite of his brother Billy and his sister the crazed preacher (was her name Ruth?)

[jeanmarc]

77. It's a huge FD

It means their marriage is a joke, and it means she's a complete alcoholic, and it means she's a deathbomb when she drives.

The husband's candidacy should be over. Better luck next time. Let's get someone else in there.

[proud2BlibKansan]

80. She isn't the one running for office

He is. Does the party need to appear heartless? Alcoholism is a disease after all.

[Algorem]

66. Women For Economic & Leadership Development-Frankie Coleman:

Frankie Coleman

No one would ever accuse Frankie Coleman of being a political spouse who blends into the background. Her husband may be the very visible Mayor of Columbus, Michael Coleman, but even as he has climbed the political ladder, Frankie has maintained a career and identity that is very much her own, built on a long history of public service.

Now the Director of Community Affairs at The Ohio State University, Frankie was the executive director and chief executive officer for 12 years of the Private Industry Council Inc., a private, not-for-profit organization that serves as the federal, state and local program administration and work-force development agent for both the city of Columbus and Franklin County. Prior to that, she served as the state director of Job Training and Employment Services of the state of Ohio's Bureau of Employment Services, where she provided strategic leadership for various public and private urban development and work-force training programs and developed grants for more than $30 million in public and private funding for the city and county.

Frankie's many community contributions have been honored by a number of organizations; she has been recognized as a "Woman of Achievement" by the YWCA of Columbus and Woman of the Year by the YMCA, inducted into the Columbus Public Schools' Hall of Fame, and honored with the EEO Award of Excellence from the Columbus Urban League.

Frankie is the founder and chair of the 2000 Mayor's Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness and a board member of the Columbus Coalition Against Violence and the Komen Race for the Cure Committee. And lucky for us, Frankie also serves on the Advisory Board of WELD...


http://www.weldoh.org/bios/colemanbio.asp

[Algorem]

67. "Frankie Coleman is a strong-minded woman who rarely keeps her opin...

http://www.theotherpaper.com/substory1.html

Mike picks a fight with the right

Behind Coleman's combative
response to Rod Parsley

October 20, 2005

Frankie Coleman is a strong-minded woman who rarely keeps her opinions to herself. If you know her, it's difficult to imagine she would voluntarily pander to people with whom she strongly disagrees.

But of course, most people don't know Frankie Coleman, which may be one reason her husband's campaign is battling the perception that she was to be a pawn last week in an effort to win votes from the religious right.

On paper—especially newsprint—last week was another tough one for Mayor Mike Coleman's quest for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Why it was a tough week probably depends on whom you ask.

Pastor Rod Parsley, who was hoping to see Mrs. Coleman at his "Reformation Ohio" voter-registration rally at the Statehouse Friday morning, will tell you it was because "a good man"—Coleman—"got bad advice," which led Coleman to attack Parsley's rally as a display of "divisive politics."...

[Algorem]

68. "...This was Mrs. Coleman's first offense,..."

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051022/NEWS03/510220400/-1/NEWS

[nomatrix]

76. From the article you linked to

"The entire episode began when Parsley, one of Ohio's most influential and charismatic evangelical leaders, hosted his rally Friday. Through Reformation Ohio, Parsley hopes to convert people to Christianity, participate in philanthropic efforts on behalf of the needy and register 400,000 new voters.

Parsley—who has praised and contributed to conservative Republican candidate Ken Blackwell—insisted, "This is not a political agenda." But the politicians who spoke on behalf of Reformation Ohio were from the conservative wing of the Republican Party, and they were asserting their identical conservative positions on political issues.

Early last week, political junkies were surprised to see Parsley's other speakers would be sharing the stage with Frankie Coleman, bearing a mayoral proclamation from her husband.

Not only is Frankie married to a pro-choice Democrat who has a record of supporting gay rights, but she is considered to be even more outspoken in her beliefs and more comfortable with gay people than he is."

She was told it was a food fundraiser (Katrina) right?

Wait a minute.

The other guy got pinched pulling out of this driveway at 4:00 a.m.? He live beside a police station?

"Gold Coin" Blackwell is Gov.?

Sorry, these stories have the "whiff" of Arkansas. Read the "Hunting of the President" Gene Lyons and Joe Conason.

I'm not saying they hadn't been drinking, but how many other stories have been popping up about her, considering this was her 1st offense.

[genieroze]

74. She's lucky she didn't kill somebody. eom

[Eurobabe]

78. Great, see ya Coleman. Maybe Sherrod Brown

should run for Gov. and let Hackett sun for Senate.

Jaybus, we someone in Ohio to turn this state around!!

[goodhue]

83. Dem. Congressman Ted Strickland is running for Governor

http://www.tedstrickland.com/



In fact, Strickland encouraged Brown to enter the Senate race . . .

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Campaign/101905.html

Strickland encouraged Brown to enter Senate race in Ohio

By Peter Savodnik

Rep. Ted Strickland, who is seeking the Ohio governor’s mansion, urged Rep. Sherrod Brown to run for the Senate shortly before Brown announced earlier this month that he would do so.

* * *

The hope, voiced by Strickland and other Democrats, is that Brown, from northeastern Ohio, and Strickland, from the southeast, would jointly mobilize an array of urban liberals and rural, conservative Democrats across the state.

* * *

Brown’s colleagues in the House, meanwhile, appear to be coalescing around his candidacy. Besides Strickland, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) has endorsed Brown, Kucinich spokesman Doug Gordon said. Other members of Ohio’s six-member Democratic delegation are expected to back Brown, Democratic sources indicated. Nicole Williams, a spokeswoman for Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio), said the congresswoman would be publicly endorsing one of the two candidates.

* * *

Kucinich noted that Brown, a former Ohio secretary of state, has won statewide twice. (He neglected to mention that the Democrat lost in 1990, when he sought a third term.) Kucinich added that, while Hackett may have a bright future in the House, Brown is ready for the Senate. “He doesn’t need to be briefed on the issues,” Kucinich said.

[digno dave]

84. wooops. At least she didn't kill anyone, unlike our First Lady!!!

[slor]

88. This one is easy...

He needs to get in front of it, by having a press conference and asking that people respect the privacy of his family at this time. The same privacy afforded the Gov. of Florida and his crackhead daughter. Not in those words of course ;) Follow that up with a statement that he will not stop his campaign, as Ohio's problems are too big to walk away from, and he has the solutions to make the improvements that Ohioans need.