Did a podcast last night with The Campaign Junkie. The first 20-25 minutes is about the British Open and a little baseball. After that, we start political talk. Topics include: Mike DeWine, 2010 races in OH-1, 15, 16, and 18, Governor / Senate 2010, and the recent budget dustup. Once the podcast is loaded, you can jump around.

To listen, go here.

DeWine to Run For AG in 2010

At least according to this post at WMD, which would be consistent with what we have been hearing for a while now.

Mike DeWine has been a divisive topic on this side of the Ohio blogosphere for some time now, dating back in earnest to his 2006 GOP primary. Now tonight I had a podcast with The Campaign Junkie, where we pretty much agreed on everything - except this (podcast posted when available). I think DeWine would be a good candidate for AG. I want him to run. Look, lets be honest. The race for Governor is going to be the premiere race in the state in 2010. The Senate race will be second. Probably Secretary of State 3rd. Then depending on the voter, maybe the Attorney General. It is going to go under the radar of most voters. Though he did lose in 2006, getting caught up in the Dem tidal wave of that year, he has won statewide before. I think that is important in a race like this.

In the end, I think Cordray is the best positioned candidate the Democrats have running in 2010. Beating him is going to be tough, regardless of the climate. Don't get me wrong, it is possible to beat him, but things have to go just right to do so. I don't see anyone except DeWine pulling it off.

This One Counts, Part II.

Well hard to believe, but the All-Star Game is here. I think baseball is by far the best of the all-star games of the 4 professional sports. I am sure you knew that. Unfortunately, the POTUS will be there and will stop by the broadcast booth. I can't wait until he starts telling Joe Buck and Tim McCarver on FOX about how Busch Stadium should install green light bulbs like he said he is going to do at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

As has been mentioned 4,987,348 times by ESPN and other media outlets this week, the National League has not won since 1996, though of course they did tie in 2002. The last manager of the AL that lost was Mike Hargrove. This year the NL obviously has the secret weapon to break the skid, Charlie Manuel. I would like to see Manuel get ejected arguing a call. 5 Phils will be on the NL squad, Utley, Howard, Ibanez, Werth, and Victorino. I'll say NL wins 5-3.

The Phillies head to the break with a 4 game lead over the Marlins. Atlanta is 6 back, and the pathetic, injury riddled New York Mets find themselves in 4th, 6.5 off the pace. However, trouble looms, as the Phillies are close to signing my most loathed pitcher of my lifetime, Pedro Martinez. This presents an obvious quandary for me (and I am in the minority of Phillies fans, all the others seem to want Pedro). My dislike dates back to 1999, Game 5 of the ALDS, Indians vs. Red Sox. Since then he hasn't done much to win me over.

Do I root for Pedro to get bombed in his starts but the offense pulls the team to victory? Or do I let bygones be bygones and cheer for the newest member of the team? I don't know. I do know that I don't want to win that bad. I just don't like Pedro. Plus he was on the Mets last year. That is disgusting. If this is 2008, and we hadn't won the World Series, then maybe, yeah, okay sign him. But we won last year, so I'd rather win with the team we have now and players I like rather than bringing in Pedro Martinez. But that is just me. Yes, I am saying that I would rather not win the World Series with the current team than win the World Series with Pedro.

This was in the Wall Street Journal today, re: the confirmation hearings of Sotomayor.

When making his decision about whether to vote for her, (South Carolina Senator Lindsey) Graham said, "My inclination is that elections matter…President [Barack] Obama won the election, and I will respect that." He criticized Obama’s rationale, when a senator, for voting against the nominations of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, but he added, "We’ve got a chance to start over. I hope we take that chance."

Senator Graham is either dumb or is playing some other angle. Democrats will never go back to how it was pre Clarence Thomas hearing times. They will find a way to go after the next Republican nominee, no matter who it is. That is already certain. It has to be the the second option - because there is no way he thinks if Republicans act nice and deferential to Sotomayor the favor will ever be returned. No one could be that stupid. Right?

This is why I can't watch these hearings and I sometimes get so upset with the GOP, especially those in the Senate. The Democrats sit up there and tear apart any Republican who dares send a harsh question the way of any of their nominees.......but they are just allowed to act however they want towards our nominees (Supreme and Appeals). And that is partially our own fault. As long as Democrats are allowed to say whatever and vote for filibusters (Obama fan of this tactic personally) on qualified nominees, there is no end in sight. Watching Leahy, Schumer, and now their newest addition up there lecturing us and smirking is too much to take.

Done talking about this. Just finish the hearing.

Saw at Powerline:

The "New Hammer" in Action

I am reliably informed that Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office sent an email to a number of lobbyists for corporations asking their companies to pay for "thank you" ads for ten Democrats who voted for the House cap-and-trade legislation. The ten Democratic members presumably are those most vulnerable in 2010 by virtue of their vote. They are: John Boccierri (OH-16) Zach Space (OH-18) Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) Steve Driehaus (OH-1) Frank Kratovil (MD-1) Mark Schauer (MI-7) Martin Heinrich (NM-1) Baron Hill (IN-9) Leonard Boswell (IA-3) Scott Murphy (NY-20)

One can only imagine what the reaction would have been to a comparable attempt at strong-arming by Tom DeLay.

Indeed.

Joe Hallett of the Dispatch floats an interesting idea.....retiring Senator George Voinovich for Governor....again. Voinovich, of course, was elected governor in 1990 and again in 1994 before moving on to the Senate. I don't think it is going to happen, but you'd have to think he would be the odds on favorite (both the primary and general) if he did decide to do it.

Seriously.

CNN: Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter called his fellow Democrat, Rep. Joe Sestak, a "flagrant hypocrite" and accused his rival of registering as a Democrat "just in time to run for Congress."

"Congressman Sestak is a flagrant hypocrite in challenging my being a real Democrat when he did not register as a Democrat until 2006 just in time to run for Congress," Specter said in the statement. "His lame excuse for avoiding party affiliation, because he was in the service, is undercut by his documented disinterest in the political process."

I don't even know what to write here. I am supposed to feel bad for Specter? Here we have a guy who blatantly saw the handwriting on the wall, so he switched parties solely for political survival - and now is actually challenging whether his expected primary opponent is a real Democrat. It's insane.

This One Counts.

The other night the commentators on some baseball game I was watching starting complaining about how their closer was left off the All-Star Team because of the rule that makes sure at least one player from every team is selected. I guess some worthy players are left out here and again. No matter how you pick them, someone is always going to be pissed.

I remember back to the lean days of the Indians (not that they aren't now) at the Stadium. They only had someone on the team because they had to. Pat Tabler, Brook Jacoby, Ken Schrom, etc. That makes you want to watch the game as a fan (especially when you are younger), hoping the player from your dreadful team gets in the game. That has always stuck with me as a fan, so I think the way they do it now is fine.

For the record, the team was the Giants and the announcers were talking about Brian Wilson. He is one of my fantasy baseball closers. He is not worthy of the All-Star Game.

I am pretty tired of hearing about Ohio's budget and the sniping on both sides. Just figure out a way to get it done. However, according to ABC News, Ohio's problems don't even rank in the top 10 when you look at it state by state.

To no one's surprise, this from the Dispatch today: Republican Steve Stivers today will announce his candidacy for the 15th Congressional District of Ohio, setting up a 2010 rematch against Democratic Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, who narrowly beat him last year.

Stivers lost by just about 2,300 votes out of 304,000 cast. This is a real swing district, a rarity anymore. Kilroy will be the incumbent this time around, which could turn out to be a positive or a negative for her. She also will not have the advantage of Obama at the top of her ticket again. Also undetermined is whether or not any 3rd party folks will join the race. Two minor candidates collected 9% of the vote in 2008, and they probably took more from Stivers than Kilroy, but that is the way it goes.

If I am Kilroy, I am not feeling like a 2nd term is all that certain right now.

Michael Jackson died.

Obviously I didn't have the stomach to write about the Coleman-Franken race until now. You knew it was coming, but nonetheless it still stings. The bottom line is that Franken and his team saw they were down the morning after the election and knew they needed more votes to win. They put together a plan, found them, and did it. I think with a better legal strategy from the start, Coleman would have been seated long ago. To say that he and his team were caught flat footed and then had miserable responses would be an understatement. Disastrous decisions were made re: absentee ballots that could not be recovered from or undone.

There is little doubt in my mind that Coleman received more legal votes. But yet Al Franken will actually be a United States Senator. Tough break I guess, but is what it is. One of those that could have gone either way. It was pretty much a tie, and through the legal rules that benefited Democratic counties in Minnesota Franken was able to come out on top. In the most Democratic of years in a Democratic state, Franken was able to gain a virtual tie in a 3 way race. 42% of Minnesota voters chose him for reasons that can not be comprehended.

I've made my feelings known about Franken, I am not going to rehash them. I don't wish him well. He will become an embarrassment for the Democrats. Short term, this is a huge loss for the GOP. Long term, it is good. It will be good to have Franken used in our commercials, tying other Democrats to him. I also can not comprehend why Al Franken will be a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. That is correct. Probably the most important and prestigious committee. Overall, the Senate loses the rare politician who actually tried to get things done and replaced him with a buffoon.

Senator Coleman was gracious in his concession speech, and many speculate he will run for Minnesota Governor in 2010. I am not sure he should. Maybe he should make some money for awhile then come back down the road.....this one had to hurt bad. Plus, Minnesota could be ready to elect a Democrat governor regardless.

So, tough times for me. Coleman is gone. John Sununu is gone, and just said he won't run again in 2010 (first major miss for the NRSC this cycle). Wayne Allard retired in Colorado, though he would have lost in 2008 had he run. My three favorites are gone. I am officially a free agent when it comes to "looking for a new favorite senator."

Strickland Might Lose.

At least according to one new poll.

This is probably news to some Democrats who find it incomprehensible that an Ohio or national Democrat might lose in 2010 or some other year. The poll showed close races between Strickland and both Mike DeWine (not an announced candidate) and John Kasich. For whatever reason Ohio.com declined to include this info in their "write up."

Strickland is definitely losing ground with voters, whether you choose to believe this specific poll or not. The trend is there.