History Lesson, Ohio-Style

Got this interesting news release across the ether today from the good folks up at Garfield's historic center in Mentor -- for those of you looking for nice day trips, Lawnfield is worth the visit and brings a sense of where Ohio stood when the nation was rebuilding after the Civil War. Nice to get a history lesson that applies so strongly to today. The more things change, the more things seem to stay the same...





“…I took the 7.30 P.M. train for Chicago. I go with much reluctance, for I dislike the antagonisms and controversies which are likely to blaze out in the convention.”


Diary of James A. Garfield
Friday, May 28, 1880, enroute to
the Republican National Convention


Political pundits, left, right, and center, are asking what would happen if the Democrats fail to select a candidate this spring, and go to the August convention in Denver still very divided. Occasionally someone asks, “Has anything like this happened before?” Yes, in the spring of 1880, the Republicans were as divided as the Democratic Party is today.

In 1880, the Republican Party had no clear leader. Rutherford Hayes (R., Ohio) was president, but his term in office was tainted by the bitter battle that put him there. He had announced that he would not seek re-election. U.S. Grant (R., Illinois) had been president before Hayes. He left office after two terms under a cloud of scandal. But he had just returned from a triumphal world tour and was anxious to return to the White House for a third term as President.

Unfortunately for Grant and his supporters, a lot of Republicans remembered the graft and corruption of his presidency. Many opposed a third term for any president, although it was allowed by the Constitution then. So when the Republicans held their convention in Chicago in early June, 1880, Grant was supported by the largest bloc of delegates. But he did not have enough votes to win the nomination on the first ballot.

The “anybody but Grant” Republicans were led by James G. Blaine (R., Maine), Secretary of the Treasury and former Speaker of the House. A smaller group, led by Congressman James A. Garfield, supported Ohio Senator John Sherman. Several “favorite son” candidates were also nominated. But the anti-Grant faction could not muster a majority for any one of those candidates.

Until the second half of the 20th century, nominating conventions actually did choose each party’s candidate. Delegates were elected at district and state conventions, and often were required to vote as instructed by the state party on the first ballot. After that, delegates were free to change their vote. That’s when the wheeling and dealing began.

At the 1880 Republican convention, 379 votes were needed to secure the nomination. On the first ballot, U. S. Grant got 304 votes, Blaine had 284, Sherman received 93. The chairman of the convention announced that no one had received the number of votes needed to nominate, and asked the clerk to call the roll for the second ballot. By the end of the first day of voting the clerk had called the roll 28 times and there was almost no change in the tally—Grant had 307 votes, Blaine 279 on the 28th ballot.

The voting continued the next day. On ballot number 34, at the end of the roll call of states, Wisconsin announced two votes for Grant, two for Blaine, and 16 votes for James A. Garfield of Ohio. Everyone at the convention knew Garfield. He had served in the House of Representatives for eight terms, and was Ohio’s senator-elect. Although he had confessed to his diary that he “dislike[d] the antagonism and controversies” of political maneuvering, Garfield was recognized by all the delegates as a party leader and perhaps the best orator in the nation. He had given the nominating speech for John Sherman a few days earlier. He was not a candidate for president. But on the 35th ballot, Blaine signaled that Maine, and all his supporters, should vote for Garfield. In the longest nominating process in the history of the Republican Party, James Garfield won the nomination with 399 votes. Grant had 306 votes on the last ballot. A delegate declared, “It was the escape of a tired convention.”

Obviously the Grant supporters were bitterly disappointed. They had remained firmly committed to their candidate through every ballot. Some delegates accused Garfield of disloyalty to Sherman, for whom he had been a delegate. A Blaine supporter said, “We have not got the man we came up hoping to nominate but we have got a man in whom we have the greatest and most profound confidence.” Garfield had not actively sought the nomination, and he wasn’t the first choice of any delegate, but most recognized his capacity to unite the party for the fall campaign. As his first step toward re-establishing party unity, the stunned victor selected a Grant supporter, Chester A. Arthur of New York, as his running-mate.

The 1880 Republicans did have a few advantages that the Democrats might not have this year. The convention was in June, so there was plenty of time to work on reunification. In fact, what had divided the Republicans was a question of power and patronage, not policy. And the Republicans of 1880 were able to turn to a well-respected and skilled candidate as their compromise choice. It seems now that the two strongest candidates the Democrats have available to them in 2008 are Senators Clinton and Obama. But if no conclusion is reached by June, the stalemated party could begin to look for a third person to carry their banner, someone unscarred by the battles of the spring.

But they should be warned that the 1880 Republican Party never completely healed the wounds inflicted at their convention. The Garfield-Arthur ticket did win in November, in the closest election in terms of popular votes the nation has seen. A disgruntled Grant supporter then assassinated President Garfield in the summer of 1881, and Chester Arthur limped through the remainder of the term without any significant accomplishments.

In the 47th Congress (1881-1883) the Republicans held only a small majority in the House of Representatives, and the Senate was tied. They were able to gain a majority in the Senate, but lost control of the House in the 48th Congress (1883-1885). Democrat Grover Cleveland was elected the 22nd president in 1884. He is the only Democrat to have won the White House between 1861 and 1913. So the 1880 nomination battle certainly wounded the Republicans politically—a lesson today’s Democrats might want to remember.

Welcome to the Red Planet

Now here's something REALLY cool...getting an up-close look at the almost-one-step for man on Mars. Check out this AkronNewsNow/AP interactive to get a better sense of just how the latest lander on the Angry Planet will do it's thing.

Sometimes it's tough being a Star Trek fan...

PM: It's Post Marc Time

Now that Dann's done who steps up to the plate to preserve the Democrat's near-total hold on state government's executive offices?

The talk of the town made it back to Youngstown without any major stopovers; his wife had a hand-written note for reporters waiting outside noting the family wanted privacy while showing some respect for the scribes, not surprising since she's a journalism professor at YSU; here's hoping he made her breakfast this morning since he has more time on his hands before trying to figure out how he'll make a living after spectacularly flaming out of the big time along the Scioto.
Now the really hard work for politicians begins, because pushing Marc Dann out of office wasn't the hard work. The door is open again for Republicans to get more than one foot on the doorjam, the opportunity to see to it that Mary Taylor isn't the only hope for a GOP sorely in need of a statewide cocktail.

Amidst all the fuss over which Democrat will replace Dann for a term lasting approximately six months tops -- is it former AG Lee Fisher, the thoughtful Eric Fingerhut, Cuyahoga Prosecutor Bill Mason or Governor Ted Strickland's able-bodied counsel Kent Markus?

Conventional wisdom suggests the Governor needs to move quickly to get an adult in the job, and someone who can run as an independent and not just a more mature baby-sitter holding down the fort after Dann's demise. That would put the ball squarely in Lee Fisher's court with a proven track record of statewide races, name recognition, and nobody -- even his critics -- paint him as just another incoming president of the Delta House fraternity. When Ted talks about making "maturity" his top consideration, there's a photo of Lee Fisher above the quotation marks.

What, then, do the Republicans do? This is likely to be an ugly year for the GOP, ugly with a capitol UGH. John McCain at the top of the ticket in economically-depressed Ohio is like taking swings from the dugout instead of the batters box; a state that went hard for Hillary isn't likely to be marching in lock-step behind a candidate many conservatives still fret isn't "right" enough. With recession, war and $4.00 gasoline on voter's minds local Republicans have every right to be nervous about keeping their folks on target, much less convincing right-leaning independents and Democrats that it's OK to stray in November.

With numbers of voters openly identifying themselves as members of the Republican party as low as they've been in generations is this the time for statewide candidates to hurl themselves atop the November funeral pyre? That kind of action is usually reserved for hapless Democrat statewide races (see: Bob Burch and Tim Hagan) but the chance for the GOP to take an actual bite of the apple again before 2010 will be hard to pass up. Betty Montgomery would be a strong candidate despite the Noe tar-and-feathering she took in 2006, simply because she runs as a credible adult (and it doesn't hurt the guy holding the tar brush went down in flames himself) and still maintains statewide support among grass-root Republican organizations. Among the other lawyers who can (or have) held the job: Jim Petro, who was unable to stop conservative Ohio Republicans from committing Ken-icide with the Blackwell campaign loss to Strickland.

Then again, it's baby elephant versus a herd of adult donkeys in the race and with such lukewarm support for the top of the ticket the Dann stumble may not be enough to convince voters a trip down memory lane is worth the trouble for a down-ticket job opening.

BREAKING Dann End Draws Near

Too much activity from "sources" -- primarily quoted in the latest AP release were the Dispatch and Plain Dealer -- that Marc Dann's days may now be hours. The final straw appears to be the decision by Democrat lawmakers to make good on their threat to impeach Dann for his crimes.

What crimes? Nine counts, says Akron Democrat State Rep Brian Williams in a conversation with AkronNewsNow.com relating the big step. It didn't help that Governor Strickland quickly followed up with comments that he supported the move, even after last week's comments that he wouldn't support impeachment unless they could prove something criminal.

What was happening in the AG's office, and the impact on Democrats just getting used to holding power in Ohio again, is apparently criminal enough and even Dann's decision to bluster on despite just about every former friend he ever had standing on the other side of the street can't withstand the very public humiliation impeachment would bring. The filing alone by Democrats, even without the official push it would need from Republicans at the Statehouse, looks like enough to do the trick and this game of political chicken appears to be over.

If Politics Truly Was Sport

If politics truly is a sport then why is everyone screaming for Hillary to get out of the race before the final second ticks down on the clock?

Watching the Sunday talk shows this morning, the message was hammered home again and again and again: she's hurting the party by continuing to run. Even though Obama hasn't wrapped it up yet with the clinching vote?

Imagine the outcry were Eric Wedge to just decide what the hell, Joba's too good a pitcher so why even duke it out one more inning if the Indians are a run behind the Yankees?

For that matter, why should the Blue Jays yesterday continue to even play the game after coughing up six runs in the first inning en route to the Tribe's crushing 12-zip win? They continue to play because that's what they do -- and it's a nine inning game unless the home team is winning after eight and a half or if the score is tied after regulation.

Given the thought from the political talking heads Sunday, one would think it would be OK for LeBron to tell the rest of the James Gang that it really doesn't make sense to drag everyone out to the Q for a pair of games. For the good of the NBA, let's just hand it to the Celtics so they can move on to eventually playing Kobe and the Lakers and everyone can wax poetic about the Bird v Magic years.

But that's not the way the game is played; in the NBA the final two minutes of the game often provide the most compelling action of the entire game, and we still have three weeks to go before the Democratic Party appoints a nominees (at least in name only; that actually will happen in Denver this summer.)

Is Obama cruising along to a win? Sure, even the most rabid Clinton fans have to admit the O-line is chugging along with momentum. But it's not over until the Lady sings goodnight, and Hillary still has three weeks to prove some of her points and make sure she's positioned her side well for the next race should she get the chance. She's not where she is because she's a quitter and like her or not she understands much better than the experts who aren't putting their names on the ballot what it takes to run the race.

She's not John Edwards with a couple of dozen votes going up against hundreds; she's the second biggest stick in the lineup with a batting average pretty close to number one. History shows that while the batting champ gets the glory that season the one that gets into the Hall of Fame is the one who keeps swinging the big bat consistently over a career.

Impeach This!

Those folks still chomping at the bit for a Dann impeachment will have to wait at least a weekend longer, and educated guessing puts the wait at a lot longer than that, too.

Governor Ted Strickland notes in a Columbus Dispatch interview that any impeachment should hold to a strict standard, even as strict as that required for an indictment. Of course, there's an old joke about prosecutors getting a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich but we'll keep ourselves focused on the real-life and away from lunch.

On tonight's PBS 45/49 NewsNight Akron reporter chat-fest we continue to play more NewsNight Dann with updates on the current spate of political thinking of the Dann mess, how Democrats are now stepping back a bit from their rush to push Dann out with impeachment pressure talk and how the GOP is the slow-things-down and let's deliberate positioning led by Medina County Republican Bill Batchelder. No real surprises, but tying an impeachment to an indictment raises the bar considerably in a case that so far has a slimy but decidedly non-criminal act on the part of the Attorney General: straying from the home fires is not a crime. It is certainly stupid and disrespectful to the woman he promised to love and honor, and it may be grounds to pursue civil sexual harassment and nasty workplace lawsuits, but it isn't exactly criminal activity.

That said, the ongoing probe by the Ohio State Highway Patrol may be the best opportunity to determine if laws were broken. In similar fashion to Richard Nixon in the 70s and Bill Clinton in the 90s, the big question becomes what did he know and when did he know it? Did Dann have knowledge his top communications aide, as noted in the AG's own investigation, advised a co-worker and friend to sidestep investigator questions? Did disgraced former aide Tony Gutierrez really have mob connections as insinuated when showing off to the ladies? Did any connections play a part in illegal use of state vehicles, expenses or even campaign-paid reimbursements?

Without answers to the questions of criminal behavior -- even misdemeanor -- all the talk of impeachment is just talk. While Ohio's law is pretty broad on reasons to impeach it does mention breaking the law, even a misdemeanor, and so far Dann himself is guilty of poor management at the office and poor performance as an elected official and husband.

If those are impeachable offenses let's get ready to fill lots of government positions.

- - -

Program note: WAKR's Ray Horner had an in-studio appearance scheduled for Monday morning's show with Dann, but the Attorney General office is backing away and scrubbed the appearance. No brain surgery here on the why, especially with his request honored by the Beacon Journal to not record his appearance before their editorial board (neither audio nor video); Steve Hoffman reminds me and readers of his column that Dann was very insistent there is "nothing" they can hold him to that would be criminal.

- - -

A very personal observation on why CAK is a better way to go than CLE: I had a business trip to Washington, D.C. at mid-week that had me use Baltimore-Washington rather than Reagan National (about $700 reasons to fly BWI) and put up with the inconvenience of a 45-minute train ride ($12 round trip) into D.C. As always the airport in Cleveland appears dirtier and worn-out, especially in comparing new terminal areas at BWI. This trip the security at CLE was a breeze but when I returned once again it was a hassle using Concourse D where Continental's baby regional flights terminate. That's the half-mile jaunt using a mix of moving sidewalks and two sets of four-story stairs or escalators, and again moving is a relative term. This time the four sets of moving sidewalks did work but the up escalator to the main terminal didn't. For all the business CLE gets can't they keep these things working? Conversations with total strangers familiar with both airports have a clear preference for Akron-Canton; if only some of the flight schedules were more convenient.

Dann Sad Story

We are at the intersection of bad news and worst news when it comes to living in Dann's world these days; on a national basis he can probably thank God there's an election in North Carolina and Indiana tomorrow otherwise the only other big story would be killer storms in Myanmar and thousands dead and that's not enough for a hungry national media audience to pass up something as juicy as this story. It is actually a wonder this hasn't hit red-hot overdrive given the Spitzer Siege; so far no camping outside Dann's home on Nancy Grace.

Just about every conceivable friend in the world is urging him to step down; nary a single "wait a moment, give the sinner time to repent" from the Columbus crowd now crowing for his head. Not just on a platter, mind you; this has to be a pike at the Statehouse Gates, to serve as an example that hanky-panky won't be tolerated at the domeless seat of power.

Poor Marc Dann, to be the one carrying the standard to slay Betty Montgomery, the GOP's best chance to hold on to a constitutional office in the 2006 bloodbath, only to be undone by Hawaiian pizza and a penchant for living the fraternity life away from the family. Propelled to power by Coingate, now condemned to political purgatory by Pizzagate. As a friend with a wicked sense of humor writes from Washington, counting coins should not have led to counting condoms.

Today, Stephanie Warsmith reports Dann talked for an hour with the Beacon Journal's editorial board (note to ABJ: record these things...put 'em on the web before the next day) as Governor Strickland played Dean Wormer and told the Delta House president his fraternity was finished, partly because he didn't fall on the same sword he used to lower the boom on his closest lieutenants. Now it's left up to the Democrats to do the smart thing, which they say they will now pursue: they will move to impeach one of their own, in the hopes of ending their nightmare before it becomes a long statewide march to a very public execution of any hope Dann has of rehabilitation and a future as a political player -- although something tells me the days of actually being a player should be counted on a single hand.

To impeach you need something criminal, and there are plenty of questions still needing an answer: payments for the frat house, state cars wrecked, state workers boozing it up, charges of sexual harassment and general abuse of power and just plain decency in the office. One woman says she was afraid of claims Anthony Gutierrez made that he was connected to the mob to spur a hop in the sack. The folks at the Bureau of Criminal Identification (Ohio's BCI is our nearest thing to CSI) have to be waiting for the call for this thing to go into overdrive since the Attorney General's their boss.

Are DNA samples on pizza boxes next?

The Columbus Delta House

One of the most compelling story lines of politics (and life in general) comes when chickens roost; in the sad case of Marc Dann's rise to power and today's fall from grace comes lessons which ought to be required courses for those communications and poli-sci majors who are grooming themselves to become the next James Carville or Karl Rove.

In another of the industry's ironic moments Dann, who campaigned on a wave of ethics reform and high-minded judgment good enough to unseat the formerly-unbeatable Betty Montgomery, is now causing Democrats to mull over musical chairs a year and a half post-taking power in one of the state's most important offices. It is the lead on tonight's NewsNight Akron program on PBS 45/49 (shameless plug) with almost all the elements needed to move from current events to HBO drama.

Dann, in an Eliot Spitzer-like moment, looks into the camera and begs the forgiveness of his family, friends, supporters, co-workers and most of all fellow citizens for the lapses in thinking that led him to an affair with a woman who worked for him. Two faithful lieutenants (one of them, Leo Jennings III, is well-known in Akron circles for his political media work) fall on their swords for trying to keep everything hush-hush; another gets the outright boot for his behavior in a tale that includes drunken driving and debauchery in Ohio's very own Capitol Animal House.



It has been ten years since the nation watched the President of the most powerful nation on earth explain what "is" meant and how sex really wasn't sex; in the past decade we've seen a U.S. Senator face charges for toe-tapping in a men's room, a U.S. Congressman fall from grace for pursuing pages, another U.S. Senator wrapped up in a D.C. call girl scandal that led to suicide, and most recently New York's Governor skip out of office for high-priced call girls. What, don't these guys read newspapers, watch TV or listen to the radio?


We can't say what Dann was thinking when he used campaign funds to set up that hip bachelor pad for swingers; we can't imagine what went through his mind when underlings messed up again and again and again without retribution from the man who rode the surf of outrage over counting coins and insider dealing to become Ohio's top lawyer; we can't explain why he stepped over those boundary lines every husband -- every husband -- knows is the marriage line of death. The list of public figures who haven't made the connection to destruction because of private failings grows by one more, adding another line to the laugh riot that is American and Ohio politics.


This is tragic because Dann's wife and children deserve far better than the sympathy going their way while the public ridicule envelopes him. It's sad for the Strickland Administration which has been trying to prove government can handle it's business the way voters expect their business to be done. We don't vote for our leaders because they are like us; we vote for our leaders because we want to believe they will represent what's best about us, and this isn't the best.


The Republicans predictably are calling for Dann to step down, but that's like Democrats in 2005 calling for Bob Taft to step down: the GOP's best interests are for Dann to tough it out, fight for his job and make as many public appearances as he can to apologize and promise he'll do better. The wishlist for Republican party leaders is for the opposite, giving them what Tom Noe gave Dann and the Democrat party what it wanted most in 2006: a face, a poster boy, a target to use to convince voters weary of scandal that neither side has clean hands. That would take the high ground held since January 2007 by the Ted Administration in Columbus and give the GOP what they know doesn't exist in 2008 following the economy, gas prices and war: a door back in.

GOP: Alex Primer 101

Now that the free world can catch it's breath with the factional intramural over (at least for a day) on the Summit County GOP front here's some observations and thoughts coming out of Alex's victories and one small step turning into a giant leap for the opposition.

First, it was pretty clear from the start that despite the appearance of chaos with a full house squeezing into tight Tangier quarters the A-team had a plan and strategy, and it included making the New Summit Republicans eat some of their own strategy. Tops: you wanted a secret ballot, you'll live with it. With party cameras rolling to keep everything on-the-record -- a nice lesson learned from the impact of Jennifer Brunner's deposition -- Alex Arshinkoff cloaked himself in the Mr. Fairness mantra, telling his own supporters they had to sit in place and not escape to the bathroom as each vote was called out one-by-one, all 365 counted. That set the tone on just how long it would take this game to play out by the NSR's wishes and most in the crowd clearly wanted to get going, especially after seeing the Arshinkoff forces work up a dominating more than 2-to-1 vote margin. Voting by raised hands was a no-brainer after that.

I don't think the threat of "intimidation" voiced by the NSR's had a thing to do with it; it had everything to do with individual convenience and comfort, a basic consideration in event planning and something clearly taken into account by Arshinkoff. He could easily afford to overrule his own vocal supporters when they booed or tried to silence NSR's Kevin Coughlin, imploring them to let Kevin be heard. It's easy to be magnanimous when you hold the cards, and the first vote was a clear sign Alex was ready to clear the table.

There's been plenty of confusion on just what post does what: a colleague called this morning trying to figure it out as well, asking who won to be the party boss? The answer in politics, as in the military, is never that simple. The strategy of securing the overall Central Committee chair position was brilliant and clearly set the NSR's on their heels. They could only watch as Arshinkoff extended every possible courtesy to make sure there were few grounds to grumble they'd been run over by the A-train. Carol Klinger, prepared to campaign, found herself a warrior without battlefield when the decision was Arshinkoff versus Varian. Even some of the more vocal Alex critics think the GOP was skunked by Brunner's decision to insert herself in local GOP politics and it isn't much of a leap to see Democrat meddling underneath the rocks. Local republicans may be paranoid...but that doesn't mean Wayne Jones isn't out to get them.

What makes this struggle fascinating is just how political skill and maneuvering, despite the overreaching and some nasty tactics, played a role in Arshinkoff's victory. It was clearly his crowd last night, showing the NSR's have more work ahead in building their parallel organization. For all the talk of party building, the best strategy for NSR is to make sure they put a majority of their own butts in those Central Committee seats so they don't even need to sabre-rattle over rules. Arshinkoff knew how to run his meeting: his lieutenants Jack Morrison and Jim Laria had their orders and troops ready to go and it didn't hurt that the "surprise" move to run for Central Committee chair meant the fight over who would chair the Executive Committee didn't mean a thing. It took away the standard from the NSR's standard-bearer, leaving them with a front man tainted by the stench of the Board of Election's musical chairs whether he deserved the criticism or not.

It's important to note there are TWO chair positions in most party structures: the Central Committee boss usually runs the annual meeting, presides over the annual dinners and can serve as a figurehead. The Executive Committee is where the heavy lifting comes in providing people, vote support, organization and money and those folks don't even have to be members of the Central Committee. The EC has it's own chair and while that position usually serves to run the day-to-day, Ohio law pretty much allows local political parties to set their own guidelines and structure as long as they don't go overboard and start trampling over the rest of the Ohio Revised Code. It's why Brunner's actions seem so heavy-handed; government has a long tradition of being formed by politics but for the most part staying out of how political parties want to do their business. It's the ultimate expression of Capitalism: let the parties (business) do their thing and let the voter (buyer) sort it all out when it's time to buy

Important to note: Arshinkoff was ready with strategy supporting his rules, including plans to revise the rules; he had his slate of officers up-front and clearly expressed and listening to his slate for Executive Committee, which includes Klinger and other critics, shows he knows the wisdom of the old adage about keeping your friends close but keep your enemies closer. Working with the NSR quiets the storm and helps refocus the party message on candidates. His message of putting the rancor behind everyone and work toward November positions him as a uniter, taking away a top issue his critics use against him. When he says he wants resources used to help candidates instead of in-fighting it has resonance with rank-and-file Republicans who would like to see more wins and less sibling squabbling.

There were bright spots for the NSR effort: 115 voters show there's a chink in the armour and serves to keep the King aware he's being watched. It establishes a credibility baseline for the next challenge in two years, which should be enough time to do what they tried to accomplish in six months: truly build the grass roots support to the level where they can win and not just serve as the opposition.

The question leading into November is whether they will be loyal opposition; given the historic nature of the race at the top of the ticket and two solid candidates in Laria and Pry facing off for the County's top executive position makes sitting on the sidelines unpalatable but the GOP does have a record of preferring to be right than win (see: Goldwater in 1964) but even those occasions helped lay the groundwork for revolutions to come (see: Reagan in 1980, Bush in 2000) when managed correctly. 115 is a number that shows a good start; 260 shows the Old Guard is paying attention.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Nice reaction to what I thought were relatively harmless observations that in hindsight do a better job of showing what's really wrong with politics: boiling down arguments over policy into demonizing the opposition.

This isn't unique to the GOP, although what has been described as Rove-ian strategies are often blamed for the horrible state of discourse in Washington (my, how people forget Paul Begala and James Carville at their Clintonian heights...) and by trickle-down Columbus and Akron. Because I decided to take an objective view at the current Alex v Kevin flareup and note (correctly, I believe) that most of the fighting over the cross-the-t and dot-the-i rules pushed by both sides in the Summit County GOP is ultimate insider stuff.

You would have thought I was advocating NAFTA in Youngstown.

Note I didn't deny these things were important, but to be in one pocket or the other for observing elderly bladders past midnight may have more to do with how things move (literally) for members of the Central Committee is just common sense, folks. I know you want to embrace the nobility of 470 Republicans, all in one room, marching toward doing the right thing but have you ever actually seen a volunteer committee in action? If they aren't Cavaliers or Indians fans tonight (both are playing) then there are definitely enough members who will be honked off if they miss the new episodes of Law & Order before downing their warm milk ahead of sleepy time. This isn't uniquely GOP, by the way...how many times have Democrats held full attention or even had a full showing for a meeting without a meal, drinks or TV up for raffle?

Some basics here, for those who missed the point:

- The New Summit Republicans have been pushing their points and agenda religiously for nearly five months now; we've had 'em on the web and on the air talking issues, and political strategy, and plans to do better. Is there really anything lost by just getting on with the vote at this point before Tangier bartenders start earning overtime?

- The Old Guard still controls the party (that's why the New Summits want to overthrow them) and so will use the tools at their disposal to win, much the same as the opposition is using the power of the media to their campaign advantage. Regardless of the rules if there are votes to do away with Alex and company, the votes will be there in the early going; if they don't have the votes, then they mounted the challenge and lived to fight another day.

The New Summits are concerned Bryan Williams will do the vote counting; he's been running the Board of Elections and generally won decent marks, including Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's observations in her recent deposition. Tim Grendell is Arshinkoff's Cardinal Parliamentarian, which should make the maneuvering fun to watch given the hard feelings between the Geauga County State Senator and his Summit counterpart Coughlin.

Conspiracy buffs, get over it; time for the people who count to have votes to count.

I really don't have a dog in this hunt. Despite all the back-room rhetoric to the contrary on how evil the others are I don't think any reasonable observer would think Alex has done nothing good for the party, nor do I think any reasonable observer would think Kevin/Don/Carol would lead to the end of the GOP universe.

This beauty contest comes down to what a majority of 470 people think, and after about four and a half hours of rules wrangling, secret ballots and other arcane intrigue there will come a point when what the Committee had for dinner will play every bit as big a role in how things work tonight than the Summit Stratego both sides are playing.

No matter who wins I'm very happy to have Tivo at home so I can still watch L&O; if this meeting forced me to miss Lost it would be a very different story.

The GOP's Short Game

As of this writing just about 48 hours to go until the Alex-Carol-Kevin Show hits the stage at Tangier, with up to 470-plus invited to witness either the start of the new era Summit Republican Party or stay-the-course politics under the elephant's trunk.

There's plenty of angst in this family feud, not the least of which has been among the men and women who actually make up the Central Committee, a name that sounds more like a throwback to Vladimir and Josef's time than political organizing in America in 2008. The comrades are not exactly thrilled with the prospect of being put on the spot by either group.

I think the Klinger-Coughlin brigade hit a wall last week when the fight became more about the rules of engagement than the prospect of romance; the sniping back and forth over which group's rules were more fair than the other still hurts my eyeballs just thinking and reading over the rules. Sure they're important, but in the long run the folks who control the party get to set the agenda and for Wednesday night's roast on West Market that would be the Arshinkoff wing.

For his part the incumbent chairman assures me votes will be conducted by secret ballot so long as the majority wants them cast and counted in secret. A 60% vote by the body as a whole will allow voice-voting and that might be a key to consider in figuring out just how long this all might take. My guess is despite talk of how committed people are to their party the possibility of imposing long waits on older bladders might play more of a part in whether balloting stays secret than either side cares to admit. Arshinkoff also says the media is welcome (we'll have a table off to the side to watch the proceedings) as witness to this slice of local political history.

The New Republicans want a head-to-head vote but that's not likely to happen; county committees have lots of leeway on how they run their own show and here the Central Committee chooses the Executive Committee which then picks the Chairman. So for the upstarts to upstage the Old Guard they need to replace the Old Guard, a formidable task since it isn't mano-a-womano but a more complicated process. Not only would the Central's have to vote against their long-term chairman's interests but now they're being asked to vote no on people they've supported in the past on the Executive Committee...a personal vote.

Is all of this bad for Summit County's GOP?

Nope.

Think of this as the natural way of things. Someone has to challenge the old bull elephant for dominance over the herd, and this is the challenge. For the most part despite the hard feelings each side seems to feel for the other most of this debate has been largely issue-focused, and that's a credit to both sides for not pursuing the case through the mud (even though both will point to this-or-that as proof the other side tossed dirt) but talking about strength of organization and ability to fund raise in the modern campaign cycle.

It's a good sign when democracy occasionally raises it's unruly little head in Summit County's political world. It was good for City Hall to have a scare, however brief, from Joe Finley because that's the kind of voice people in power understand...it helps them regain their focus on why they wanted the job in the first place. It is good for young voices to join the chorus of the Akron School Board because having a fresh perspective keeps an organization vibrant and in touch with stakeholders.

It's good for Arshinkoff to face a challenge from Coughlin/Klinger because it shows the GOP is diverse, and diversity helps build a stronger base to grow from despite the pains of transitioning from one to the other. No matter who wins the battle Wednesday night (if indeed there is a clear winner to be found) the ongoing fight for the soul of a political party is worth the effort.

Getting back to the point of gulag politics noted above: Akron and Summit County are largely run by men who've been there for awhile. In and of itself that isn't necessarily a bad thing, just as long as those on the outside still have faith the system can work for them just as it does for folks in charge.

Learning New Toys

What a wonderful world this media business is turning into; after a week of RTNDA@NAB seeing toys too amazing to even start describing it is apparent we have lots of work to do on the next generation of AkronNewsNow...with the V word tops.

Video is everywhere...including one of our key workstations now in the ANN/Rubber City Radio newsroom. Take for example this video: gone, I think, are the days when it was just the property of television stations. We're using a $39.99 Dynex web cam from Best Buy popped atop a flat screen Dell workstation monitor for a quick down-and-dirty read off the screen rundown of some of the stories we're working on today...it's a feature I'm thinking would be of some value and interest on a daily basis to have the outcome of our morning meeting posted for viewing:

If my embed doesn't click try this one using WMV file...


What's the future here? Using the web for regular video updates; no more waiting for the TV crew to meet their More on Four, Live at Five or Seen at Six models. For radio operations, those top and bottom of the hour deadlines are now "old media" and for newspapers the luxury of that late-night whenever we feel like publishing target. There are some phenomenal and simple programs available that easily take the power of TV production out of the hands of professional producers and put them in the hands of everyday folks who have something to say. I've even been reading of a radio group that has a three-camera live TV truck they use to video stream and produce for cable high school football.

While these applications have far-reaching impact for the big media companies (imagine CNN's Anderson Cooper, for example, LIVE video streaming from his cellphone with far greater quality anywhere in the world with a broadband card) I think it is most exciting for our "hyper local" companies concerned more with city council, neighborhood meetings and high school sports. With such technology why can't Firestone's superb swimming program hold it's own against the normal media powerhouses of football and basketball? These "products" are very much about real life for real people, giving those of us in the "content business" more opportunity than ever to connect with our neighbors and help them connect with each other.

My friend Diana (who continues to look younger every day under the Georgia sun) is embarking on a venture where she and her partners will take their reporting deeper into one segment of the economy; because of this technology she won't need six-meter satellite dishes and three-thousand dollars a window satellite time. She has the web, and affordable tools to help her spread the word (and her work) in far wider circles than ever before. These tools are the same as the ones we use to craft these blogs -- including these funky web cams at Best Buy for under $35 bucks.

I've gotta lose more than a few pounds if we're going to do this for real...

Losing Akron's Identity

As the annual convention of broadcasters and journalists wrap up in Las Vegas a disturbing note from home -- Akron is losing another part of it's identity.

Now I admit this isn't of a scale such as Goodyear leaving, the University of Akron closing halls of learning, or even the Aeros setting up shop elsewhere -- those actions would impact thousands in their paychecks and leave vacant publicly-owned buildings.

Losing a TV newscast, in the greater scheme of things, doesn't mean the community watches property values plummet or neighbors thrown out of work.

But it does reflect the disturbing future of fewer news outlets bringing new voices to one of Ohio's biggest metropolitan areas. Akron and Canton now depend on a handful of newspapers and radio stations for coverage on the home front, sharing precious television time with every other suburb of Cleveland. This isn't the kind of thing the "Cleveland +" campaign folks and regionalism supporters like to talk about; showcasing northeast Ohio as one giant metro area, united. Instead we become one giant metro area, still made up of dozens of cities and towns and townships, each with their own unique identity but each somehow marginalized.

I count Eric Mansfield as a friend; the others at WKYC-TV's Akron-Canton news operation are trusted and valued colleagues, and all shared a vision of giving voice to the communities they know are more than just secondary zip codes under the umbrella of the 44's along the lakefront. Akron, Canton, Kent and other communities all have unique identities and traditions and losing that outlet takes away the opportunity for many voices to reflect that richer diversity. We wind up the poorer for it.

Not to bash the PD, Rep or the Beacon Journal or our operations here at AkronNewsNow.com and our group of radio stations, but the role the media plays in helping to hold the powerful accountable is lessened as we now compete for seconds of coverage on the most dominant form of mass communications. The media choices in this day and age are stunning, offering wider variety than ever before but opportunities to help set the table for debate by putting issues and leaders in context is important, and now one more opportunity is lost because the struggle was just too difficult and our communities not supportive enough.

The Webkins & Photoshop

OK, I should know better than to allow a photo of me smokin' a stogie on vacation to be so easily snared by the kids in the web division at AkronNewsNow.com. So it's time to pay the piper -- the pirate piper.

On a normal day I would fully expect teeth blacked out, rude signs carved on my forehead and Lord knows what else but this one gave me a serious case of LOL. Thanks to Bryan, his Photoshop skills, and too much time on his hands. Thanks also to Bryan for showing restraint and not posting on his own to my blog...although I know it was only fear of Greybeard to thank.

Enjoy it while you can, matey...the Parrot knows where you work.

Out of Site, Out of Mind

Some might argue "out of mind" applies more broadly. In the true spirit of transparency I note I am out of town this week, with wife and mother-in-law along the shores of Sarasota, Florida where the smoke police have gone too far (thanks Stacey for reminding me of my poor spelling.)



As indicated the the photo, left, showing your author during far happier times one of the few major vices I enjoy is still puffing away at a good cigar while strolling the beach. OK, not always good -- but at least one worthy of a Churchill or Clinton. That pleasure is now a thing of the past thanks to the fuzzy logic of citizen leaders here who don't like their beaches serving as ashtrays.



Rather than enforce anti-littering laws, which would require a police presence or some other type of civil authority to actually walk the beaches, they've outlawed smoking on the sand. It bears mentioning, I supposed, that the beach is the ONE area in tropical Florida where the air actually DOES move all on it's own, assuring that neighbors are not giving neighbors cancer.



For the record, I like non-smoking areas in restaurants; I appreciate non-smoking sports venues (except golf courses) and I even prefer no-smoking in bars on those somewhat rare occasions when it's time to tip a few. But the beach?



My wife, the Nature Girl, insists I am blowing this all out of proportion and besides I can still sit on a park bench while she goes shopping. OK, that takes care of about three hours of time but it is beside the point.



Instead of enforcing the already-existing laws governing the cleanliness of public lands we are now banning the open-air use of a fully legal substance. Even in the case of alcohol so long as it isn't in a glass or metal container you can pretty much guzzle to your heart's content so long as the goods are in plastic.



Oh, for simpler days...

Same Deal, Different Day

Got word from the Secretary of State's office today with some clarification on just when the local Central Committee meetings will be held. Democrats were planning April 17, Republicans April 18 but now both meetings may push into the following week.

SOS Jennifer Brunner notes the legally-required meetings should be held six to 15 days following the certification of recounts; this makes a difference because the Summit County Board of Elections is expected to certify the election results tomorrow but the clock actually starts ticking once any recount races are finally decided, and that is likely to have an impact on the party committee meeting calendars.

Not your typical post-up breaking news but since being a political geek means thinking stuff like this is worth writing (and reading) there it is. Meetings are now likely for the week of the 21st unless both sides get a dash of energy. In both cases local party stalwarts will choose executive committee members and respective party chairs will also be picked, although that could be left up to executive committees rather than the central body as a whole.

Lunch With Alex, Tea With Kevin

Tuesday was one of those interesting karma days, when different worlds seem to bump up against one another. That's the nature of the business, whether it is media or politics but especially when it is both. After all, how many occasions do we get to spend the better part of four hours navigating the latest chapter of the Elephant Wars?

Update 8:46 p.m.: Ohio GOP Chairman Bob Bennett downplays any of State Senator Kevin Coughlin's hopes for a Columbus presence; additional coverage here at AkronNewsNow.com.

My sit-down chat with incumbent GOP Chairman Alex Arshinkoff was typical for conversations with him -- a couple hours, off-track at times but informative and entertaining. It is clear he still holds great passion for what has become his identity over the past 30 years, even to the point of still calling Ray Bliss "Mr. Bliss" when recounting stories of glory years before Reagan brought revolution to Republicanville.

Alex tells me there will absolutely be a secret ballot for central committee members and they will most likely meet on Friday, April 18th -- the day after Democrats meet to officially set up their respective party structures following the March primary. Unlike the Democrats, however, the GOP will probably see some wrangling back and forth ahead of time.

While the Dems will officially select a new full-time chair since Russ Pry left partisan behind for the executive's office (yeah, I know...inside joke and intended) the GOP won't be the rubber stamp it has been for decades with a significant challenge to Arshinkoff's tenure in the form of Carol Klinger and the New Summit Republicans.

While supporters say this campaign is now Klinger's to wage with personal communication to committee members it is clearly still a battle between Arshinkoff and State Senator Kevin Coughlin, who held his own chatfest Tuesday with a 47-minute conference call that also included Stephanie Warsmith of the Beacon Journal, Eric Mansfield of WKYC-TV, Ben Keeler of The Keeler Report and Ohio.com's politics page and yours truly.

Coughlin wants rules of order for the meeting, even to the extreme of approaching state GOP leaders about running the meeting themselves. There isn't much chance of that happening if Arshinkoff has a say about it, which as incumbent chairman he does but the opening salvo in the minutiae of the meeting wars has been fired. I don't expect state GOP leaders to come without a direct invitation but you have to figure they will have plenty of eyes in the room to track what is going on in this tussle between a proven major fundraiser (Alex) against a proven local vote getter (Kevin) and the future of the last bastion of anything approaching a competitive Republican presence before you drive into Lake Erie.

Arshinkoff argues expectations of a vibrant, winning local GOP can't be measured in the traditional sense of the world we see in all of Ohio's counties; indeed, he points out, the biggest city in Ohio with a Republican at the helm is now our very own Cuyahoga Falls, which explains the rousing reception Mayor Don Robart got at a McCain-event state GOP dinner in Columbus recently. Urban=democrat stronghold in today's Ohio, with Canton falling, Akron not even close, Toledo, Dayton and Cleveland not even a consideration and Columbus and Cincinnati reflecting the same burbs versus inner city schism that sets the true red v blue battle lines. Given the national climate, his perspective on keeping the local GOP alive also hearkens back to the later Bliss years when Republicans couldn't elect a cup of coffee.

Coughlin makes the argument the emphasis on getting what the GOP can should come at a more efficient prices without the overhead, that it should be more grass-roots based. He says the party under Arshinkoff's guidance focuses more on fundraising than party-building, and it is at the hyper-local where the best opportunity for growth exists. That doesn't, however, really take into account the "bankability" of the party presence and whether traditional big donors will pony up the cash for such an operation, or whether the new blood will stimulate new revenue sources to replace the old. Politics in the modern age is an exercise in professional marketing and campaigning despite the apparent grass roots success shown by an Obama campaign claiming the bulk of their financial support comes from small donors. In reality, it's the mix that matters.

This is all a good fight for the local Republican party: the opportunity to determine the broad direction from which specific strategy will grow. Companies and non-profit organizations go through this on a regular basis with strategic evaluations designed to respond to changing times and politics is no different.

Radio Blast From The Past

I'm out of town attending the Northwest Broadcast News Association's annual meeting, part of the Midwest Journalism Convention in Minneapolis with RTNDA, AP broadcasters in Minnesota and SPJ members from a six state region on hand. Just in time I get a nice reminder of the impact radio news has -- even the stuff I can't believe made it on the air.
Growing up in Medina in the 70's was a great time for radio; as a high schooler with a driver's license you were either a WMMS or WGCL listener, surfing off what was left of WIXY.

And then there was the Big 8:



As a professional I guess I should cringe when listening to these newscasts but I've got to admit I thought CKLW's news was the most amazing thing I'd ever heard. We didn't listen to the station for the music...it was 20-20 News that had me sitting at the feet of Byron MacGregor and his news department. Later, trips as an adult to Detroit helped confirm for me the pictures painted by those words screaming along the Lake Erie shoreline weren't show biz, even if the delivery was.
Outrageous? Absolutely, but MAN what a blast listening to those guys!

Is Being Anti-Hillary Anti-Woman?

I've been giving this more thought than normal (memo to my more-youthful-by-the-day pal Diana: hold chuckle here, please) after today's media maelstrom following Hillary Clinton's "mis-speak" about a trip to Bosnia a dozen years ago. In the event you missed it -- YouTube's loaded chock-full of reports and clip postings from the CBS News coverage since the network dug up it's original footage to show the Senator's memory had a few holes in it. Of course, in today's computer age, that means everyone has video -- including this posting.



Why this comes to mind today is the conversation I had with some friends and fellow professionals in the communications business as we met the other night, performing our duties as screening judges for scholarships awarded to aspiring journalists. Among those present: two dudes and three ladies. My friend Sarah feels a loss by Clinton means a huge setback for the chances of a woman ever becoming President, which spurred a quick debate.

Is it really anti-woman to be anti-Hillary?

Sarah argues Hillary has to overcome the voters who won't vote for a woman, no matter who she is. I argue the decision in 2008 has as much, if not more, to do with Clinton's position as such a polarizing political force and that her candidacy actually clears the way for other women to succeed. Would voter reaction be just as swift and negative, for example, to an Elizabeth Dole (who can argue more executive experience at the cabinet level and while CEO of the Red Cross?) or a Kay Bailey Hutchinson among the Republicans? What about high-profile campaigning Governors Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS), Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) or the five other women top state executives who merged politics with experience as a CEO to win?
Switch the argument to race and chief executives of color show an even wider margin in terms of representation, a far wider chasm in representative politics than the gender gap.

Characterizing a no vote for Hillary as one solely based on chauvinism is a dangerous thing; is the parallel then to demand the litmus test for women in power needs to be this line in the sand of Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign for President? By this reckoning voters of African-American heritage are traitors for not voting for Obama; the same can be held true for Hispanic-Americans not holding bigger sway for Richardson. Does that mean McCain wins the United Kingdom roots by default? By this logic winning an election truly is a numbers game where only more seasoned (read: elderly) white candidates should win since that is the biggest block of voters heading to the polls. Where does this end?

The hope should be that each candidate -- all candidates -- are weighed not by gender, race, religion or age but because we think she or he will do the best job, as defined by what we think most important when we step into the booth.

Earlier Clinton family campaigns rode to victory on the strategy "it's the economy, stupid." Modern campaigns should take a page from that strategy and admit "it's the person, dummy" that build the foundation for what voters consider worthy of filling in the circle on Election Day.

Klinger v Arshinoff: Mano et Mano

The die may be cast with plenty of debate ahead in the hallways of Cuyahoga Falls City Hall as Carol Klinger, at-large GOP member of City Council will face-off as the standard bearer for the New Summit Republicans in their bid to depose Alex Arshinkoff as chairman of the county party.

The primary election March 4th only set the table for more moves by both sides; Arshinkoff says he picked up the majority of contested seats among the 470-or so Central Committee members but the group backed by State Senator Kevin Coughlin claims a secret ballot will show their support runs much deeper so long as voter choices won't be public knowledge.

In the middle of all this: Cuyahoga Falls, ground zero for Summit County's GOP. It's not Hudson, Bath Township, Twinsburg or Green that play big (although new Board of Elections member Don Varian is from Bath). The Falls is where the heavy lifting comes to play, complete with Arshinkoff loyalist Mayor Don Robart now in the position of working against one of his own City Council allies in Klinger. Add Coughlin as a Falls resident to the mix and you really get a sense of how this battle is more like a siblings war then a simple neighborhood brawl.

Still waiting to hear on when the local party moves beyond the certifications from the Board of Elections and sets a date for the full Central Committee to meet and vote.

A TV News Geek's Dream

Now THIS is what I call cool. My friend Andrew Finlayson is the VP of News at WFLD-TV, the Fox station in Chicago. While there on a visit last fall he told me about a project they were working on called LiveNewsCameras.com, giving web users the opportunity to see the news from dozens, if not hundreds, of streaming sources thanks to the ability to pull in satellite feeds and video web streams.



This idea of a web aggregator is not new; satellite and cable systems basically provide the same service, but what makes this unique is it is web-based and allows users to watch the mundane to the sublime. From Al Jazeera (which has a technically proficient stream that loads quickly, even seeing the scrolling news updates in Arabic going from left to right as opposed to our version of right to left) to boats sitting in the bay on Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles.

This is the new cable...

Well, I Swear!

We're posting some of the segments available from Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's videotaped deposition in the Summit County GOP lawsuit challenging her decision to boot Alex Arshinkoff from the Board of Elections -- and, as reported, local Democrat boss Wayne Jones figures prominently.

This is old news to folks following at home on this blog, our reporting on AkronNewsNow.com, the Akron Beacon Journal and Eric Mansfield's reporting on WKYC (as well as his own blog) in what is becoming the best thing since Lost for local political junkies but now the actual video chunks are available.

As detailed earlier, Summit County Democrat Finance Chairman Jones figures prominently not only in the decision making process Brunner used to depose Arshinkoff and deny the Republican Party their hand-picked replacement (Brian Daley of Hudson) but also her choice to pick Bath Township attorney Don Varian to represent the local GOP on the Board of Elections. Jones, for his part, is unapologetic about his efforts to get Arshinkoff and Daley blacklisted -- even telling reporter Tina Kaufmann he'd like to see Arshinkoff and rival Kevin Coughlin "kill each other" in their ongoing struggle for control of the local party apparatus.

What will be interesting to watch is the feedback Brunner gets from all of this; after all, her Republican predecessor Ken Blackwell only suspended Jones from serving on the Board of Elections a few years ago after a ham-handed attempt by Jones and friends to use a trumped-up political committee operating out of a Cuyahoga Falls post office box to buy media time. Now one would think that kind of thing would be enough to trigger more questions from a Secretary of State looking into the conduct of the contentious Summit County Board of Elections -- one might even opine that the political infighting on Grant Street would be enough to trigger a sweep 'em all out mentality similar to Brunner's call to replace the entire Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, but this time apparently only the GOP gets that level of scrutiny.

A GOP source who claims to have discussed the suspension at the time tells me Blackwell didn't want to impose the ultimate sanction on Jones because he felt that would be overstepping his bounds over the wishes of local political organizations charged with electing their own representatives to serve on the board. Despite the frequent criticism Blackwell earned while in the state's top Elections Office, it bears noting he did understand more about due process than what Brunner's office apparently felt was necessary before giving long-time Jones rival Arshinkoff the boot and blowing off Daley's selection as irrelevant without as much as an open hearing for both to address and rebut the charges contained in the package of clippings hand-carried to her office by a subordinate.

This may very well have unintended consequences: Arshinkoff is getting exactly the kind of support he needs because he's now under the gun of what appears to be unfair and partisan administration of executive power from Columbus. Brunner is now forced to openly testify she doesn't need to define what "competent" is after applying the tar and feathers to two duly-elected representatives of the opposite party. Jones comes off looking like a brute, something even the most rough-and-tumble political leader should try to avoid when running roughshod over his rivals.

These things have a way of stacking the deck and refocusing the debate on the process, not necessarily the substance of any discussion on whether Arshinkoff and Daley are fit to serve. The central questions Jones wanted answered seem to be lost in the swirl of Roman Empire-esque intrigue worthy of Nero without the wine and fiddling.

More From The Mud Pits...

A clarification and update this evening on the route the "anonymous" material targeting Alex Arshinkoff took from the law offices of Wayne Jones in Akron to the Columbus offices of Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

Brunner's videotaped deposition was released today on DVD; at over a gig of data it is unlikely we will post the entire piece but we are working on pulling excerpts.

An update on our report last Friday: the Secretary's man in Summit County is James Hardy. He was deposed last week and noted he dropped off the envelope after picking it up from the Jones office at Roetzel and Andress. In an email today, Hardy (also an Akron School Board member) offers additional insight and a correction to our report:

"One correction: I knew the package was about Arshinkoff, I just didn't read it. And I didn't read it on purpose. Craig probably heard me wrong and I don't blame him, when he called me I was still a little flustered from my deposition. I don't normally get deposed everyday.

But I knew as soon as I got in the car to go to Wayne's office that this probably had to do with Alex. But, it's my job to send information up and send information down the food chain, and that's what I did in this situation. But I didn't want you to read my deposition and say, "Hey, James said he didn't know the package was about Alex?"

In fact, I did the same thing for Alex a couple months before. Alex was having a hard time getting Senator Coughlin's campaign finance reports from our office and so I received a phone call from Angela McMillen, the Ex. Director of the Summit GOP, and asked if I could meet her for lunch. I did, and was more than happy to get the bureaucracy working for them so they could get the info they wanted. They were very happy with my services then (I still have the emails praising me), but I doubt they feel the same way now:)"

James added his own emoticon at the end; he's always been a straight shooter since we first met just ahead of his race for the school board. It's good to see he still has a sense of humour, even after going through the deposition mill.

I've gotten other interesting responses to this story, not all in the form to share (I'm always amazed by how some have such a dominating command of at least four letters of the English language) but would like to add at no time have I ever claimed there was any law broken. In fact, my previous post on playing hardball deals with the political strategies, not any legal liability. I don't believe there's anything illegal about using the shadows of "anonymous" to plant a pitchfork in the back of one's political rivals. I do think the folks doing the pitching, however, should face the consequences when people find out what they've done.

Does this mean Alex is a lock to retain his post as Chairman of the Summit County GOP? The conventional wisdom must be that any interference from the opposition such as Wayne's actions ought to help, especially in an environment where it pays to be paranoid. Critics of Arshinkoff's rule offer a grudging admiration of how this plays to his advantage, telling me they marvel at his ability to re-focus the debate away from their questions and attacks on his performance.

What is interesting is the political junkies here in Summit County are getting a rare, more open look at the kind of back-stabbing that goes on as the players in the game pitch hardball; it's the world we pretend is the poison of Washington politics right here at home.

Pigs In Mud

The phrase "play hardball" isn't just about America's unique game; it denotes the winner-take-all mentality and whatever it takes to win mindset we voters love in our sports teams but say we don't want from our elected leaders -- but the results speak differently.

Supporters of Presidential candidates employ a constant mantra of apologies and resignation for ill-tempered, foolish outbursts designed to grab 20 seconds of air time; the candidates themselves play political pinball evading denunciation of the nonsense that erupts from the lips of friends and family, trying not to give aid to their enemies while spanking the exuberance of their allies.

A powerful state's Governor fades into exile after investigators of money-laundering hit the mother lode of sex, money and power -- even to the point of wiretapping the bedroom and phone calls of lovers. We've learned nothing from the kill 'em all impeachment pain of ten years ago. Everyone loses, but the powers-that-be continue to think as long as they lose less they win.

The latest chapter in the Summit County "Elephant Wars" battle between Alex Arshinkoff and Kevin Coughlin has now officially turned into a three-ring circus; a menage a trois of local political heavyweights that now includes Democrat Party boss Wayne Jones, thanks to his behind-the-scenes no-longer "anonymous" sniping at Arshinkoff. Both AkronNewsNow.com and the Akron Beacon Journal have provided quite a chronicle of the spectacle, a not normally seen view of what happens behind closed doors on an unfortunately fairly routine basis.

I was reminded of all this when going over some of our recent coverage, of all things, from Winter Haven and the Indians getting ready for the 2008 campaign. Manager Eric Wedge -- now with two children, a Manager of the Year award tucked in his belt and that oh-so-close season last year says he tells his players the game "Isn't your life; it's not your wife."

This is not to say Wedge doesn't want to win; it's pretty apparent he wants to bring that World Series gold to fans and a community spending far too much time as the butt of jokes from outsiders. It is a reflection of a man who's come to terms with the things that really matter in life and the journey it takes to get there. Former Indians third baseman and now Mahoning Valley Scrappers Manager Travis Fryman tells a similar tale of how the game almost destroyed his marriage, his family, and the life he worked so hard to build. Only when he realized the destructive power of such single-minded pursuit was he able to turn things around and save the people closest to him.

I admire Wedge, Fryman, and the entire Indians organization for their pursuit of a championship while keeping an eye on the core values they believe will get them to the promised land. The mindset clearly filters from the top office to the players, even down to the folks who keep the machinery of baseball's business rolling in the background, away from our view.

What does it say about Summit County's level of discourse when the whispering campaigns of political abuse, campaign shenanigans and even sexual preference (and that brush doesn't just paint one side, I must add) leak out as "evidence" placed in "anonymous" Manila folders hand-delivered by a state employee from a party boss's law office to the state official? When Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, ultimately charged with determining what "competent" means, can hold such "evidence" in higher regard without the due process of holding hearings in the open before tossing aside the wishes of the citizens who elected their duly-appointed representatives?

This entire case speaks of Gulag-type kangaroo courts employed by Soviet-style tyrants; should Ohio's business of managing elections and political parties really come down to which side does a better job of Khmer Rouge-style slash and burn attacks or is our expectation that, once elected, our public officials do the people's business with dignity and responsibility without the stench of the partisanship that got them to the dance? At what point do the bricks really start flying toward the glass houses these holders of our public trust live behind, and do we as an electorate really want to see that kind of game? When it's our game being played don't we hold the way it is conducted as high as the results?

"It's not your life; it's not your wife," says a leader of men we cheer for to bring honor and a championship back to Northeast Ohio in a game designed for boys. There have been enough attempts, especially in the past nine months, to use sleazy, shadowy attacks behind the curtain of "anonymous" as if that somehow make the attackers clean in Summit County's game designed by old men.

It doesn't.

Wayne's World, Party On!

In my last blog I asked if Jennifer Brunner was hiding anything with repeated attempts to block making her deposition in the Summit County GOP's lawsuit against her public -- the answer is, maybe she should have.

This is not exactly a pretty sight; the Democrat Ohio Secretary of State explaining the advice she was getting from the Summit County Democratic Party finance boss on how to blow out the Republican Party Chairman from the local board of elections. This could turn into a real mess and a real headache for Brunner, who to date as managed to avoid the uber partisan label that helped tag Ken Blackwell into a think-tank gig rather than the Governor's Mansion. The transcript reads less than favorable; when the video gets out it'll be worse, especially as fodder for the next statewide election when Brunner will have to better explain why four Republicans were bad enough elections officials in Ohio's 88 counties but no Democrats?

Our story details just some of the issues arising from the transcript of Brunner's deposition, as well as a key part of the story which had been missing: who dropped off the "mystery package" from Mr. Anonymous that led so quickly to Arshinkoff's unseating? It now appears it was Brunner's man in Akron, local school board member James Hardy, who told us he did indeed deliver a package (he says he didn't know what was inside) from Wayne Jones to the Secretary of State's office in Columbus. From law office to Elections Officer, hand-delivery; great service if you can get it, and in this case local Democrats targeting local Republicans got the gold standard.

The most honest individuals in this case of a political knife-fight are the two who all of this really centers around: Arshinkoff says they're trying to ruin him (they are) and Jones proudly says yes he did want his bitter rival out and even hopes Arshinkoff and GOP challenger Kevin Coughlin "kill each other" in their fight for control of the Summit Republican Party.

This latest round of blasting away may have some unintended consequences; for Brunner, it casts a shadow on her ability to remain impartial and above the fray. For Arshinkoff, it may be just the ticket to alert Republican Central Committee members that the barbarians at the gate should be turned away and in turn his leadership retained at the top of the local party. This strengthens his charges that putting him in the cross hairs has been nothing but a Jones-inspired scheme to hold real control over both parties.

There's an old adage: if it waddles like a duck, smells like a duck and sounds like a duck, it's a duck.

Quack.

Is She Hiding Something?

The ruling yesterday by the Ohio Supreme Court denying the third bid by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to slip out of having her decision yanking Alex Arshinkoff off the Summit County Board of Elections speaks volumes -- even though the state's top elections officer wants to remain remarkably quiet.

The latest is the videotaped deposition by the Secretary where she has to answer questions from her detractors, namely Arshinkoff and the Summit County GOP on just what led her to take the unique position of removing him from the Board. Just what in particular did he do to warrant this action? Arshinkoff has many detractors, most objecting to what they say is his heavy-handed use of power (or abuse of power depending on your perspective) but any decision to tell any local party their choice can't serve must be followed up by a clear, public disclosure of what the issues were.

Arshinkoff, no stranger to the machinations of hardball politics given his history of trying to build patronage jobs loyal to GOP office holders, says his woes lie at the feet of nemesis Wayne Jones (also no stranger, one must add, to hardball politics) and the alleged conspiracy of state Democrat and local Democrat banding together to control Summit County's Republican Party.

Now I'm not saying Arshinkoff is right; but I am a firm believer in the observation that"...just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you." Does it strike anyone, honestly, as a stretch to think that Jones and other Democrat power-brokers would take advantage of more friendly ears in Columbus to rid themselves of a more-often-than-not over-the-top pain in the neck like Alex? From a political power building perspective, it absolutely makes sense they would work hard to minimize their opponent's impact and power base and clear the way for their slate of candidates (and issues and cronies) to do better at the ballot box and in the halls of government. That's not corruption; it's politics, played by adults who fully understand the stakes involved and what it may take to win.

Hopefully, now that the Ohio Supreme Court has decided yet again that sunshine pokes it's rays even into the Secretary of State's decisions, we'll get an honest and clear review of just what's in that file that caused Brunner to pull the trigger on Arshinkoff and the party's properly-elected representative to replace him.

Questions we'd like to see answered:

• Just what did she say in her deposition? We'd like to hear and see ourselves, not only the tape but a transcript as well;
• What role did local Democrats and State Senator Kevin Coughlin's camp play in desposing Alex from his empire, if any? They are clearly stakeholders in this fight -- Democrats in ridding themselves of a bitter rival, the New Republicans to benefit from Arshinkoff's diminished stature;
• Does that anti-Alex file include letters from Arshinkoff critics speaking for themselves or does it resemble more a Google search of newspaper articles? Example: should an opposite-party Secretary of State really base such a decision on the controversial Free Times article alleging trolling in Highland Square, or was her investigation more substantive than a collection of clippings?

The honeymoon on Brunner should be long past on forcing the process out in the open, much as it was when she explained her reasoning for replacing the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. In that case, she was able to make a clear and compelling case that their mismanagment put the state's largest block of voters at a disadvantage and hurt the system we need the most confidence in; but in the Arshinkoff case using as an excuse an abrasive and sometimes abusive personality should require more than just saying he's a jerk and other elected officials don't like him.

Can anyone imagine Republican Ken Blackwell getting away with removing duly-elected Democrat local party representatives from local political boards because they weren't liked? Just how long would those howls of indignation have lasted?

Death Penalty, GOP Wars and The Don's War Chest

The verdict is in from the jury: life in prison for Cameron Williams, no parole for 30 years the recommendation after more than a full day of deliberations. Despite the yapping from the pundits following the Bobby Cutts, Jr. case the decision to levy the ultimate is something no juror takes as an easy decision. A prominent member of local media, I am told, served as a member of the jury and it will be interesting to note his thoughts on the process behind the closed doors of the jury room once some of the dust settles.

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There's a move afoot by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to put under lock and key her videotaped deposition in the ongoing fight over her decision to yank Alex Arshinkoff from the Summit County Board of Elections -- and deny the local GOP's choice as a successor, Brian Daley. Why? Shouldn't the voters who still have decisions to make in this ongoing saga get a more complete understanding of how she made her decisions, by what prompting, and with what evidence? The file on Arshinkoff ought to be displayed in public view as well so the people deciding his fate as chairman of the Summit County GOP -- those hundreds and hundreds of local Central Committee members -- gain a perspective on how their representative lost the post and why their choice to replace him didn't make the grade according to Brunner. Seeing her deposition and the tale told under oath may shed more light on whether charges of Democrat cronyism and intrigue between Akron Democrat bosses and the Statehouse hold water or are just hot air in a political fight to the death on the other side of the aisle.

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The pain in Mayor Plusquellic's keester -- besides this blogger and others who attract his ire from time to time -- has most consistently been the American Friends Service Committee, which today unveiled a report charging the Mayor's 2007 re-election effort set a record for ignoring the campaign spending "reforms" Akron voters clearly put on the books. Here's a spreadsheet from the AFSC -- you'll need Excel or Open Office Calc to read it -- of the folks with deep pockets the group charges exceeded the $300 limit. I asked AFSC's Greg Coleridge about his definition of "fundraising season", since the Mayor's supporters have split those hairs in the past by insisting there are two seasons: primary and general election:

"The original law (Subsection B) titled “Fundraising Season” says that candidates for Mayor and Council can only raise funds for an election or re-election from December 1 prior to a General Election to the Thursday preceding the General Election. That’s one season. The limits established by the law (Subsection D) were $300 for mayor and at-large council and $100 for ward council. We believe when you add these 2 together, a candidate can only raise $300 or $100 maximum from any stipulated source (i.e. person, PAC, party and campaign committee, but not company) since the “season” encompasses both the primary and general elections. Hope this is clearer than mud."

The Mayor's office was quick to weigh in -- after all, this is becoming a routine with every city election:

"Every time there’s a campaign, Mr. Coleridge sings the same tune. Our law director has said repeatedly that Akron’s Code of Ordinances specifies that the campaign contribution limit is $300 per person, per election. That means per primary and per general election. In 2007, I was a candidate in both. The U.S. District Court found that the ‘fundraising season’ was unconstitutional. Coleridge agreed and stipulated in that court that it was unconstitutional, yet he continues to misrepresent and whine about this after every election."

I've always believed there are two election seasons, so a check for $600 ought to be legal when covering the two periods. To be fair, any candidate running for Mayor should err on the side of caution and get two checks -- one for the primary, one for the general, each for $300 -- if they want to make that argument, but then Greg is right on the money in one aspect: this stuff is all clearer than mud, and a great example of what happens when politicians and lawyers write laws covering themselves. Should have had a bricklayer do it -- at least it would stand up.

Post updated 5:29pm with Plusquellic response

Tuesdays With Alex

Summit County GOP Chairman Alex Arshinkoff did something he usually never does today: a sit-down with reporters, an actual, honest-to-God news conference to talk about the counting from his vantage point of Central Committee members who will decide the direction of the party.

This is the election that keeps on giving; members of the Central Committee will be the ones to elect the local GOP Executive Committee, which in turn elects the Chairman. That's the way it's been for the better part of three decades with Arshinkoff at the helm, either as the saviour of the local Republican effort or the devil taking the local party down (depending on your point of view.)

Just about a third of the more than 450 committee posts were contested in last Tuesday's primary election and Alex says his side picked up 87; he says rival State Senator Kevin Coughlin's troops took 72 with four still ties. No decision on when the Central Committee as a whole meets, says Arshinkoff, until the primary numbers are certified by the Summit County Board of Elections. When I spoke with Coughlin last Wednesday he expected such a meeting could come as early as the end of March but much depends on final counting at the BOE. Nice to see both sides agree on something here.

AkronNewsNow's Tina Kaufmann has posted her story here, complete with audio from Arshinkoff and Coughlin reaction. However, we can note a couple of things to watch for:

• Just how much of a battle can we expect over the four ties?
• Arshinkoff says a handful (seven) committee positions could actually be claimed by both sides as supporters -- folks on the Alex-Kevin fence;
• Just what will the rules be in the actual voting? Coughlin indicated he thinks he will pick up quiet support from members if they cast secret ballots.

All interesting issues to consider ahead of the next round in what we've been calling the "Elephant Wars" in this classic struggle for control of the party that realistically doesn't stand a chance of achieving dominant wins with half the county (Akron) still 9-1 in the blue but the suburbs more to the purple or red.

Summit County is important to state Republicans because it's one of those gateway counties; to the north lies the Democrat Fortress of Solitude in Cleveland, to the south the GOP's promised land of rolling hills, farms, and subdivisions. When Coughlin talks about how Summit GOP candidates should do better he's talking about the suburban races the Republicans actually have a chance of winning; when Arshinkoff talks about staying competitive he's really talking about keeping the Democrats at no more than 60-65% which means a Republican candidate has a chance when the 'burbs and rural areas start to kick in.

At least, that's been the model that worked for the past three decades -- maybe this year will be different with the first election since 1952 to feature a Presidential ticket led by candidates with virtually zero true government executive experience. Even in the Reagan v Mondale, Bush 41 v Dukakis and Clinton 2 v Dole races at least one of the candidates had a clue on what holding the big office really means -- statewide or nationally.

This election, though, is different. No clear decision on who has more real experience, no matter how many times Hillary's red phone rings at three in the morning and McCain draws on his heroic history. I get a sense from listening to supporters (and detractors) that this election has more to do with who the heart says to vote for instead of the brain, and that may be enough to short-circuit the traditional wisdom of how to build a winner in Ohio -- and make no mistake we've earned our role as a microcosm for the rest of the country. It is also why the 35% solution for the GOP in Summit County may be a strategy outdated by the unique nature of candidates we're expecting to choose based on whether they uplift, repulse, or follow despite core value misgivings.

Election Watching From Florida

Personal note to my pal Diana Keough in Atlanta: I know, I know...no posts post-election? Hold on a minute, there's a good reason -- sort of.

The reason is I've been workin' here in Winter Haven field producing WAKR's Ray Horner Show during Wahoo Week. We had the honor (thanks to the Indians) to call yesterday's 4-1 Cleveland-Atlanta spring game, unfortunately a near-no hitter broken up by Danny Sandoval with two out in the bottom of the ninth. Here's the call as Danny got the hit we were waiting for.

at right: The only reason I'm puffin' away on a Rocky Patel Sungrown puro is to chase away the mosquitos swarming the tent before the sun rises along the banks of Lake Lulu at the ballpark.

Kids, don't try the dangerous behavior at home...these things are best left to the professionals.

Our game broadcast was great fun, with Indians VP Bobby DiBiasio, Akron Beacon Journal Indians beat reporter Sheldon Ocker and Indians Network producer extraordinaire Jim Rosenhaus joining us for the coverage.

Wednesday was also hectic with WAKR's post-election coverage earlier that morning, with live interviews including County Executive Russ Pry, State Senator Kevin Coughlin, school officials from Stow, Coventry and Barberton as well as KSU's Steven Hook and UA's John Green. The Summit County GOP battle between Coughlin and Alex Arshinkoff (the "elephant wars") continue with the next 30-45 days critical in determining the direction the local party takes after the anti-Alex faction scored impressive wins in contested central committee races.

More later...back to slappin' skeeters...

Political Suck-Up

Tick Tick Tick...only hours, really, as the campaigns try to convince us they are our only hope. I'd normally says this is what separates the men from the boys but that's a tad bit outdated...

Chelsea brings a busload of Hillaristas to the University of Akron campus to showcase the "Women for Change Tour", all the big guns they can muster for that one last push in what is geographically the center of the Northeast Ohio war for the Democratic Presidential Nomination (DPN). It'll be interesting to see the contrast from Obama's six-thousand strong standing-in-the-cold crowd a week ago at the convention center named after Akron's most illustrious First Amendment journalist. Will it showcase his best appearance to win the hearts and minds on a campaign built on our jobs and wallets?

Bill Clinton came through the area today as part of the DPN push for Hillary; the campaign won't admit it but it is clear to the naked eye his contribution has been better relegated to smaller, more intimate events -- or they just wanted to avoid any repeat of South Carolina or that quickie quote ABC's Charlie Gibson pointed out a week ago, telling Hillary supporters Obama hasn't really been part of anything good in the recent past. Today the FFH (future or former First Husband based on how the vote turns out Tuesday) visited Wayne County and New Philadelphia as part of his tour along Routes 224 and 30 through the Heart of it All; four days to go and the best the ex-President gets is south of the voter-heavy snowbelt? What a difference three months make since those snows of Iowa...

Obama is holding another Town Hall meeting, of all places in Parma, a city with a rick history of not seeing there really isn't a difference between black and white on so many levels. It is a hotbed of Democrat politics (to be a Republican in Parma is living in Seven Hills) and Hillary's best support has some from older Democrats, according to some of the demographic analysis of Ohio voters we've seen. Will he outdraw the First Daughter and FFH?

Best voting bribe so far: Eat'n Park is offering free coffee to anyone sporting an "I voted" sticker Tuesday. A voting stub will work, too if you remember to ask for one.