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Feb

17

She writes…she talks…she posts! Brunner, Fisher & the 2010 Senate race

Filed Under Campaigning, Congress, Democrats, Jennifer Brunner, lee fisher, Ohio, Politics, senate | 8 Comments

As much as I dislike this blog post by Plain Dealer political reporter Mark Naymik, (for the record, I actually really like Mark, I just really disagree with a lot of the way in which he writes about politics, just a personal preference in the presentation, that’s all) on this point there is some grudging agreement: there is a similarity that I see in Jennifer Brunner’s approach when compared with Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and this is how I’d describe it:

Obama never really ran against GOP presidential nominee and U.S. Senator John McCain, per se.  Obama let others run him against McCain, but Obama campaigned as if he was campaigning for himself – for us to want to elect him, cast our vote for him, and if he couldn’t make us do that, he’d fail. Yes, that meant he could be good cop/bad cop with his hired folks, but still, it left the impression, when he spoke and was on the record, that he was not nasty or mean or personal about McCain. He could look to objective situations, make them look or sound like failures or things we didn’t want, but he didn’t have to directly attack.

Seems to me that that’s also how Brunner ran against GOP SOS candidate in 2006, Greg Hartmann, and the shadow of Ken Blackwell, with some exceptions, and how she will run in a this U.S. Senate primary – and probably do best, particularly with moderates and independents whom she’ll want to convince to vote in a partisan primary: she will not speak badly about Lee Fisher, the current Lt. Governor and now announced candidate for the Dem nomination to run in the senate general election, per se – she will only push hard on how she is best qualified and exceeds whatever it is others think well of, regarding Lee.  Now, like Obama, she may designate good cop/bad cop roles – and it already appears that some netroots are happy to take that on – fine with them.

However, this situation really reminds me of something I tell people all the time about tactics and treating people like adults who can make decisions:

When I was looking for a caterer for my oldest child’s bar mitzvah, we interviewed two in the area who’ve known each other for decades and they’re two that people choose between all the time. So, at the end of interviewing each of them, I’d ask, “You are so close to so and so in terms of what you do – it’s hard to choose – what is the one thing you can tell me you do better than so and so?”

And you know what? Neither one would answer! Each one said, in the separate times I met with them, that they couldn’t and wouldn’t say anything about the other, but they would just repeat and emphasize what they do best, and what is unique about them and what customers like about them.  And then it was up to me.

I think Brunner’s approach is a lot like that – and frankly, I think it is a winner because it isn’t negative for the sake of being negative, it means that she has to show why she deserves the vote, both based in the past and in the future (of what she’ll do) and mostly, it treats the voter like a part of the decision – not as if we’re all part of some big party structure. Fisher, of course, can also do the same. And perhaps if they do both take this attitude, it’s the way we can preserve dignity and get through a primary – that’s still more than a year away, for goodness sakes.

In an era when the state party’s power still isn’t over, but doesn’t have the pull it thinks its has, if it wanted to exert such power like it used to, you can count on those efforts being revealed for the power plays they are, and the preferred candidate(s) could suffer for it.

For today, tonight, that’s how I see it. But ask me again tomorrow. And for the next 365 days – a lot can change.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:57 pm February 17th, 2009 in Campaigning, Congress, Democrats, Jennifer Brunner, lee fisher, Ohio, Politics, senate | 8 Comments 

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Feb

17

[video] Brunner announces for 2010, would be first female senator from OH

Filed Under Democrats, Jennifer Brunner, leadership, Ohio, Politics, senate | 10 Comments

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:16 pm February 17th, 2009 in Democrats, Jennifer Brunner, leadership, Ohio, Politics, senate | 10 Comments 

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Feb

17

And Toto Too!: Lee Fisher to announce entrance into senate run tonight

Filed Under Announcements, Democrats, lee fisher, Ohio, Politics, senate | Comments Off

How anti-climactic. Really makes you wonder why we bother – I know. Don’t ask.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:31 pm February 17th, 2009 in Announcements, Democrats, lee fisher, Ohio, Politics, senate | Comments Off 

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Feb

17

Ohio SOS Jennifer Brunner officially enters 2010 U.S. Senate race

Filed Under Announcements, Breaking, Congress, Democrats, Elections, Jennifer Brunner, Ohio, Politics, senate | 14 Comments

And I have it officially and had it but, unlike the MSM that could not restrain itself, I abided by the rules.  Oh those rascally traditional journalists with all their fancy expensive filters.

Ohio Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner – come on down as the first announced Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican George Voinovich.

And here’s her new website which should be live in about five minutes with the video announcement of her candidacy.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:25 pm February 17th, 2009 in Announcements, Breaking, Congress, Democrats, Elections, Jennifer Brunner, Ohio, Politics, senate | 14 Comments 

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Feb

17

Labor’s Solis nomination to get Senate test vote on 2/24

Filed Under Barack Obama, Congress, employment, Politics, senate | Comments Off

From the Seattle Times:

The Senate late Friday set a test vote for mid-February on Rep. Hilda Solis’ nomination as labor secretary.

The California Democrat won committee approval this week after more than a month of delays over questions about tax liens that her husband recently paid and her role as a board member and treasurer of American Rights at Work. The nonprofit group is working to pass a bill to make it easier for workers to form unions.

A 60-vote majority will be required in the Feb. 24 test vote to advance Solis’ nomination to a final vote.

Ted Kennedy got the nomination out of committee on February 11.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:57 pm February 17th, 2009 in Barack Obama, Congress, employment, Politics, senate | Comments Off 

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Feb

17

White House releases state by state stimulus numbers

Filed Under Barack Obama, Economy, employment, Law, OH24th, Politics | 4 Comments

Includes congressional district job breakdown:

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2009

White House Releases State by State Numbers; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to Save or Create 3.5 Million Jobs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The White House today released state-specific details on the local impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is a nationwide effort to create jobs, jumpstart growth and transform our economy to compete in the 21st century. The compromise package of $789 billion will create or save 3.5 million jobs over the next two years. Jobs created will be in a range of industries from clean energy to health care, with over 90% in the private sector.
Below are links to tables and fact sheets outlining the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The estimates are derived from an analysis of the overall employment impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act conducted by Christina Romer, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, and Jared Bernstein, Chief Economist for the Vice President, and detailed estimates of the working age population, employment, and industrial composition of each state.

OVERVIEW ON AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT

IMPACT OF AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT ON WORKING FAMILIES

EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS BY STATE

EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS BY CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

EDUCATION FACT SHEET

ENERGY FACT SHEET

HEALTH CARE FACT SHEET

INFRASTRUCTURE FACT SHEET

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:00 pm February 17th, 2009 in Barack Obama, Economy, employment, Law, OH24th, Politics | 4 Comments 

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