Hackett was 20 points behind in the polls

[OzarkDem]

Dem voters in Ohio were making up their minds, moving from undecided to opposing Hackett. Sorry, but that's the reality of the situation.

While everyone appreciated Hackett's refreshing honesty, most didn't think he was ready for a senate race yet. The race was also turning very nasty and negative, threatening to do some real damage to Ohio Dems in a year when we need to win races. A lot of people were getting very turned off by the negative politicking of many of Hackett's supporters.

If Hackett is truly interested in politics, he'll go back and run in the OH-2 race. He has a great future. Every politician has to go through this process, and Hackett needs to prove he's up to it just like everyone else.

Bottom line, this is an Ohio race and Ohio Dem voters were making up their minds and it wasn't in favor of Hackett.

[Warpy]

1. Um, 20 behind in the Dem primary, or 20 behind the pubbie?

That's an important distinction. Please clarify.

[OzarkDem]

12. 20 points behind in the Dem primary

Dem voters were turning against him. I don't think it was because they didn't like him, they just weren't supporting an inexperienced candidate.

[Warpy]

21. OK, thanks, that's the first post that's cleared it up

He was right to drop out, then, and set his sights a bit lower. I hope he runs for another, more reasonable office and works his way back up so he can get elected.

We need guys like him who know what war is really about.

[MercutioATC]

25. You forgot to mention that he was ahead in registered voter polls...

...which would seem, to me, to be a reason to encourage him to stay IN the race...not force him out.

[karynnj]

2. Excellent points

I hope Hackett does try for the OH-2 race. If the Republicans run Smidt (sp??) again her Mutha stsatement should hurt her. It would be great if Brown won that Senate seat and a fractured party could make that impossible.

[terip64]

3. IMHO, if Hackett runs from politics now he wasn't up for it.

[wndycty]

4. It will be ignored. . .

. . .any chance some DUers have to bash the leadership they will. Of course the leadership will be blamed for him being 20 points behind. Of course Howard Dean will not be considered part of the leadership.

[Gman]

6. Exactly

especially the part about Dean.

[MrBenchley]

9. You nailed it....

[mikehiggins]

5. What polls were those, OD? That should be easy enough to verify, right?

As to "nasty and negative" I can't say there is much to be surprised at there. When you decide to run for Senate, which is not something you do lightly, or at the toss of a coin, and someone who has let it be known he is NOT in the race, decides to run after all, it is likely that some people will get annoyed and feel betrayed.

Of course, the real argument here is about the efforts by outsiders to determine who would get the nomination. If the VOTERS in Ohio decided to VOTE for Brown vs Hackett nobody would have any grounds to complain, least of all Hackett. To have the campaign decided by a feckless group of ineffectual Beltway politicians is an entirely different scenario.

Once again, this shows how few among the anointed really "get" what the Dean campaign showed so clearly. That is, the people must be heard if you want to win an election.

[slor]

7. Well, thanks for being calm in your analysis...

I am outraged how the Dem leadership handled this, however, I am also pragmatic, and would like to see some wins for Dems in Ohio. They should have asked Hackett to once again fight mean jean, and offered significant funding, for him to do so.

[OzarkDem]

13. They have offered him help in OH-2

They've been trying to get him to switch races for weeks. Apparently his pride is getting in the way.

Sure its tough being told to get out of a race, its hard to lose. But Hackett's lucky he has another viable alternative - a race where he stands a much better chance of winning.

[Donna Zen]

15. Hackett's lucky?

Hey, the guy has a family, and unlike people on the public payroll, doesn't get paid for campaigning. He's decided that he's going back to life as a private citizen with a lesson about dirty politics under his belt. I wish him luck, but I doubt that dealing with the beltway Dems. could be considered lucky.

[OzarkDem]

16. Bullshit

He's been given support to run for a Congressional seat, that's something pretty damn rare.

He was already behind in the polls, being handed full support for another Congressional race is incredibly good for a losing candidate.

If he doesn't like losing, he definitely shouldn't be in politics.

[Burried News]

8. Just part of the gelding process? or same old bullshit.

[Lerkfish]

10. linky? what polls?

[OzarkDem]

17. Again, here

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/12/12/brown_leads_hackett_in_senate_primary.html

[rucky]

11. VOTERS decide. Not Politicians or polls.

If what you say is true, the problem would've been resolved in the primary process.

[OzarkDem]

14. Link

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/12/12/brown_leads_hackett_in_senate_primary.html

This was Brown's internal poll. Before you get all pissy, keep in mind that Hackett never refuted the results with poll results of his own.

I've also known Sherrod Brown for a dozen years and he's not the kind to fake poll results.

[Lerkfish]

18. well, as long as you say so, I'm convinced. who are you again?

:shrug:

an internal poll is not a published poll. That means we don't have access to methodology or can independently verify results.

but even so, the quoted poll only shows that for those voters voicing a preference, Brown gets less than half., and the rest are Hackett or undecided. That's VERY DIFFERENT from saying Hackett is trailing by 20 points.

[OzarkDem]

22. Hackett only had 20 %

vs Brown getting 50%. In November they were even. Hackett was losing support as he got out on the campaign trail and voters had a chance to see how inexperienced he was. A lot of people were complaining at how little he knew about other issues besides Iraq. They expect a strong candidate to go up against DeWine and Hackett wasn't it.

[Burried News]

19. Exactly - thank you.

[IndianaGreen]

20. Let the polls, rather than the voters, choose the Democratic nominee in 08

Hillary is our nominee because that's what the polls say!

Pack your Clark signs away, Clarkies! Your beloved general is polling in single digits, while Hillary is leading all other contenders.

Voters should decide the nominee, not the polls, and certainly not Schumer and Reid.

[OzarkDem]

23. The polls are the Dem voters

and they were voicing their opinion of Hackett loud and clear.

[IndianaGreen]

24. So Hillary is our nominee because that's what the polls say

On the other hand, you could be one of those that want Hillary and find us peasants unable to choose for ourselves.

[patrioticliberal]

26. No, the POLL WAS COMMISSIONED BY BROWN!!!!

[Douglas Carpenter]

27. Sherrod Brown is - backed by PDA and a Progressive Caucus member

and an overall VERY strong voting record all around.

Representative Brown is at least as liberal as Sen. Kennedy or Sen. Feingold

courtesy of vote smart - link:

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=H3141103&type=category&category=Foreign%2BAid%2Band%2BPolicy%2BIssues&go.x=12&go.y=8


2006 In 2006 Citizens for Global Solutions gave Representative Brown a rating of A.

2005 In 2005 Citizens for Global Solutions gave Representative Brown a rating of A.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Council on American-Islamic Relations 100 percent in 2005.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs (WRMEA) 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Peace Action 100 percent in 2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union 84 percent in 2003-2004.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 96 percent in 2005.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Arab American Institute 50 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the National Council of La Raza 100 percent in 2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Human Rights Campaign 77 percent in 2003-2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 90 percent in 2003-2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights 100 percent in 2003-2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the National Education Association 89 percent in 2003-2004.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers 100 percent in 2005.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Service Employees International Union 100 percent in 2005.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the United Auto Workers 93 percent in 2005.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Postal Workers Union 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the AFL-CIO 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the United Auto Workers 93 percent in 2004.

2004 On the votes that the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers considered to be the most important in 2004, Representative Brown voted their preferred position 88 percent of the time.

2004 On the votes that the Service Employees International Union considered to be the most important in 2004, Representative Brown voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Communications Workers of America 100 percent in 2004.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers 100 percent in 2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees 100 percent in 2003-2004.

2003-2004 On the votes that the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers considered to be the most important in 2003-2004, Representative Brown voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Americans for Democratic Action 95 percent in 2004.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Wilderness Coalition 100 percent in 2005.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund 100 percent in 2005.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the American Wilderness Coalition 100 percent in 2004.

2004 On the votes that the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance considered to be the most important in 2004, Representative Brown voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.

2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund 100 percent in 2004.

2003-2004 Representative Brown supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters 94 percent in 2003-2004.

2004 In 2004 National Organization for Women endorsed Representative Brown.

2005 Representative Brown supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 100 percent in 2005.