Does Kerry really want to win Ohio?

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/thomas_suddes/index.ssf?/base/opinion/108195452211880.xml

Maybe 2004 will be different. But at this phase of the so-called ground campaign, Democrats must be wearing camouflage. Compared to Bush's Ohio operation, Kerry's seems low profile.

The above is from a conservative but usually honest and knowledgeable source. I was at the Cleveland Ohio meeting of the Stonewall (LBGT) Democrats and no one from the Kerry campaign was there. My heavily Democratic county has no discernable Kerry presence. I have no clue where to get signs. Kerry has to gain control of his Ohio campaign. He has to give some direction to these disparate groups. He can't depend on the DFA or the Stonewall Democrats or labor unions. Not because we are untrustworthy but because we are not mind readers. People can not sell a message that they don't know.

Ohio is supposed to be a battle ground state. We are supposed to matter. Do we?

Just something I read somewhere this week, can't remember where.

but what we need are people to run a campaign here. Bush has a chair in every county. Kerry has none. Bush has a headqaurters in my county, and has had one for well over a year, Kerry has none. My county votes over 60% Democratic most of the time. We need people.

You in Cuyahoga? I suspect the campaign is probably hitting non-gimmes at this early stage, thinking (probably rightly) that us up here in Cleveland, Lakewood, Parma, Cle Heights, etc. etc. etc. don't need as much attention as the less dem-saturated counties downstate.

I am in Ashtabula County which is a small but Democratic county. We have just under 100k people. We have 2 out of 3 Democratic commisioners. We have all but one countywide office in Democratic hands (an auditor who only won due to the utter corruption of a Democrat). We have a Democratic state Rep and have had one as long as I can remember. We have a Democratic state Sen.

I'm glad to know Ashtabula's so heavily dem, though. My best friend recently moved to Painesville and he's despairing about all the Bush bumper stickers there, so I guess I just assumed that everything east of Rt. 91 (or thereabouts) went repub.

Conneaut, Ashtabula, and Geneva. Basicly north of I90 is Democratic south of I90 is Republican. The people largly live north of 90.

Not to incite anything, but I am wondering if Kerry is truly wanting to be President. I could list some things that make me wonder about this however, I am lazy about it right now. For those that have seen my posts, you know I am just not excited yet about this election. Your message just adds to some 'clues' that make me wonder about the Kerry campaign.

I am open for discussion about this....

Edit:Spelling

On TV and radio ads nationally when Bush is doing a perfectly good job of fucking up his chances to get re-selected.

It's the old Rope-A-Dope do-da. Brilliant.

Kerry will be campaigning in every state. Right now, he's recovering from shoulder surgery and probably working on his message and his platform. Timing is everything and there's no point in shooting from the hip when you still have several months before the conventions. There will be plenty of time for yard signs (they're not even legal in my town until 2 weeks before the elections), debates, and campaign activities.

Right now, as we watch * self-destruct, it's ok for Kerry to be retreating in order to advance later. It's actually probably a pretty good tactic.

It isn't that I expect Kerry to be there I expect him to have people there. I know Kerry isn't going to campout in Ohio but his people should.

Patience. Kerry has got to be thrifty with money and careful not to create too many openings for Bush. After the convention he'll come after him like hellfire. By then the Iraq situation will be clearer as will the economy and he'll have the dough to go after him strongly.

As rampant as we are about it, most people won't be really evaluating this except what happens in Sept. and Oct.

He had a rally in Akron where 4000 people showed up and only 2300 could fit in the space.

He visited plants in Youngstown.

He had a rally in Cleveland, over 2000 again.

He held a rally in Toledo where over 2000 showed up.

He visited Merietta.

He was just at Ohio State where over 3000 people showed up.


He will be in Ohio 50 more times before this campaign is over. His campaign, and dozens of other groups, will spend upwards of 50 million in the state by November.

So, Ohio will be important. Yes.

again I don't expect Kerry to be at every event. Nor do I expect his campaign to be at every event. But when at least 40 and more likely 50 energized motivated gay and lesbian folk show up to learn how to elect Kerry, it would have been good to have had a Kerry campaign presence. It would be nice to have headquarters in at least major Democratic cities. So far nothing.

he has to be careful about where he spends. i live in a mostly democratic area and based on tv ads it seems only bush has a presence here, but in reality it's a democratic area and kerry is still leading here. i don't want him to spend time and money here when he doesn't need to worry about winning here. i want him to worry about places where he doesn't have support on his side, but could still get more to help him win.

This was all about voter turnout. And while, admittedly the CSD have some very able people in charge of this effort, they aren't the Kerry campaign. I know resources are tight. But the only shot we have at Ohio is a massive turnout in the big 8 cites and the Democratic counties.

we do things here without the official campaign involvement. raise money or other things. but i guess if you really want them to, you can consider contacting an office in another part of ohio where he does have an office and making suggestions to them. or you can just post the suggestions on the online forum or blog on kerry's website

except a very small one in Columbus which is staffed by one. To put the distance in perspective, I am closer to Pittsburg, Buffalo, and Toledo than I am to Columbus.

I'm a pianist, and I played at Wally O'Dell's house last year...

Spoooooooky...pictures of him and Shrub on the piano...YUK...


:P


BTW, I'm in Columbus, working hard...I'm worried I'm seeing too many of shrub's commercials and not enough Kerry.

but the good news is that even with all those bush ads an dlack of kerry ads the polls still show either kerry ahead by a bit or even. i'm hoping as kerry raises more money they will use much of that to step up advertising in especially swing states as we get closer to the elections.

Kerry staffers will be in Ohio prior to the convention which is much earlier than in most states and earlier than in other elections. (I've heard staffers will arrive in June, but if anyone asks you, "before the convention" is a safe answer.)

Until then, why not step-up and help? You could say a few words about Kerry and pass out flyers. I attend functions to promote Kerry several times a week. I know that volunteers in your area would love help.

Or, you could contact the Ohio Kerry HQ and ask for a surrogate speaker. The Ohio HQ is starting to rev up again and volunteers are there almost everyday to answer questions. If you need the number, please feel free to PM me.

Finally a real answer. It should be noted that I am not asking to do nothing, but I am asking for some sign he is taking this state seriously. Even though I still think Gore was right to flee Ohio, it still was very deflating. I live close enough to PA that I can help there instead if that is more important.

Another NE Ohioian checking in and while I completely understand Kerry not running tv/radio spots this early I agree with dsc that the lack of street level organization is disturbing. Ohio was winnable for Gore and would have made the Fla. fiasco little but a footnote. Bush is so very vulnerable this time out (it's about the jobs stupid) and may I point out that no republican in modern history has taken the whitehouse without taking OH, perhaps not that significant but forgive me for wanting to see that streak to continue with Kerry taking the buckeye state.

We know Kerry will win out in Cleveland,Toledo,Youngstown and Columbus while Bush will pull Cincy and hold support in many of the small towns where churches outnumber taverns. The key will be turn out. Very few of my more conservative friends seem enthusiastic about GW (though not many people are on fire for Kerry), however you wish to phrase it we need the proles to the polls. The antidote for money is time, there are plenty with time to spend and if there is direction and leadership from precinct to state level we wont need all that many 30 second spots, if we don't have the required organization I don't think any level of media blitz will matter.

Basicly what we have now is a bunch of people united by hatred of Bush. That works for us but, and I know this is almost sacreligious, but not everyone hates Bush. We need to have a positive, pro Kerry message, and we can't supply it. We can supply lots of messages but we need one, unified message.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

No repub has ever won without Ohio. We must win, I saw kerry in Cincinnati a week ago and he was great.

www.johnkerry.com

to define himself. Just as the chimpster is slowing down.

patience, these things take time and money. Check out Kerry's webpage on how to help.