“I think if Dem candidates show any complacency about allowing Dann to linger in office, though, they do run a risk of being lumped in together with Marc Dann.”

and here:

“…there’d be voters who’d make the link anyway, and the only one that can completely nullify this vulnerability is Dann, himself, by resigning now, and not later.”

Those are reasonable statements. What DeWine said is over the top and posturing for the party and so on. It’s not reasonable and, in my opinion, wreaks of wrath. It’s hyperbole.

And yes – I’d call it out on my side too and I’ve tried to leverage a little. I actually feel that what’s happened today is a result of my pushing and of course that of many others.

I think if Dem candidates show any complacency about allowing Dann to linger in office, though, they do run a risk of being lumped in together with Marc Dann.

When I was a state rep candidate in 2002 and 2004, Democrat voters lumped me in with George W. Bush even though I voted for someone else in the 2000 primary, voted for a minor party candidate in the 2000 general election, and abstained from voting for Bush in the 2004 primary (though I did vote in the down-ticket races). The only vote I ever cast for Bush was in the general election of 2004 (even the minor party alternatives were worse, in my opinion), when my campaign was at its end. Somehow, guilt by association inexplicably linked my candidacy to Bush.

So, even if DeWine didn’t link Dem candidates with Dann, there’d be voters who’d make the link anyway, and the only one that can completely nullify this vulnerability is Dann, himself, by resigning now, and not later.

Not only that, come on, Daniel. You know that he has said other things that project a no holds barred attitude re: taking down Democrats.

You know I have enormous respect for you, but I disagree with you. Call it what you want – but it’s a threat, intimidation and all done out of wrath – anger and vengence.

Trust me – I’m angry too. But I would never say I’m going to “be linking this corrupt individual to each and every [Democratic] officeholder that will be on the ballot this fall, all the way from the president’s office down to the county coroner” – the county coroner? In every county that has a democratic coroner? You are kidding me, right?

Seriously, Daniel – that’s maniacal.

I’m full of wrath, too.

But I think the point you are making is a stretch.

Of course Dem candidates will be gauged by their reaction to the Dem scandal. For example, Ted Celeste’s position doesn’t pass muster with me. It will be up to the Dem candidates to make their views on the matter public, so that they don’t get lumped in with Marc Dann. Too late for Ted Celeste, I’ve already lumped him in with Marc Dann.

Kevin DeWine will not be able to paint all Democrat candidates with the same broad brush, and I think that’s obvious to you. I don’t think Joyce Beatty has anything to fear from how she handled the Barrett and Dann matters. I don’t think Mary Jo Kilroy has anything to worry about. Those who stepped forward the quickest and the loudest will be able to deflect any criticism over the Dann mess.

Of course, Marc Dann would be a non-issue in the campaigns if he resigned immediately.

And it would have done wonders if Chris Redfern had expressed WRATH right out of the starting gate. The ORP stepped forward while the ODP blinked.

David Goodman wrote a perfect letter about what’s happened – do you hear him talking like DeWine? No.

If it’s just DeWine’s resolve to make this a campaign issue across the state, then I just don’t get why you’re furious with DeWine.

But if DeWine has engaged in more egregious behavior then Marc Dann, then please dish.