According to red-state.com

Yet as disheartening to core GOP voters as the pulling of TEL from the ballot is, no great advantage is accruing to Blackwell's gubernatorial rival, Democrat Ted Strickland. Some of the pressure against TEL was coming from the leaders of big business who rely on government spending at the state and local level, especially on infrastructure such as roads and sewers, as well as on education.

These business leaders, who tend to be major GOP supporters, were preparing to throw a lot of money to see TEL defeated. They had the success of last year's Issue 1 ("Third Frontier Part Deux", the state-subsidized high-tech initiative) as an example. Despite conservative efforts to thwart Third Frontier, a program inexorably linked to unpopular incumbent GOP governor Bob Taft, the massive, business-led effort helped the issue pass.

The money that would have been spent to defeat TEL...and, with Blackwell linked to TEL, would also have served indirectly to aid Strickland...might now be directed to helping the Republican nominee close the fundraising gap with his Democratic challenger. Furthermore, Democrats were relying on the extensive opposition to TEL among local government officials and other Republicans uneasy about Blackwell, to propel Strickland into the governor's mansion. With TEL gone, that removes an issue that divided Republicans and had the potential to attract to Strickland a significant number of moderate GOP voters.

From the PD

With luck, political muscle and at least $25 million, Cleveland hopes to transform The Q into the home court of the Republican Party during the final months of the 2008 presidential election.

Cleveland is one of just four cities to submit bids Monday to host the 2008 Republican National Convention, a five-day affair that begins Sept. 1. Before Cleveland can think about the 50,000 potential visitors, worldwide attention and a potential $100 million windfall for local businesses, the city must top New York City and two other metropolitan areas, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Tampa-St. Petersburg.

Bob Bennett, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, helped city officials prepare Cleveland's proposal.

He said Cleveland has a better than 25 percent chance of landing the mammoth affair.

And the Number 1 reason to consider Cleveland for the Republican Convention:

Who won? An Ohio State med student says Ken Blackwell won their support.

Of course, what one says to a group of doctors and what one does are two entirely different matters. However, judging by their speeches, Blackwell was clearly the most physician-friendly. While Strickland appreciates the job doctors do, he neglects to really understand the hardships under our current health care system. While education and job training are good, and will surely bring industry and businesses to the state, they'll do little for an OB/GYN practicing in northeast Ohio who can barely afford to see patients. Health care access should be a priority for whichever candidate is elected, but that candidate should remember that in order to offer care, they must first be able to afford their practice.

The OSMA Political Action Committee will officially makes its decision this summer, though I think many doctors across Ohio already made up their minds on Saturday.

His relationship with Mrs. Bill Clinton of course (No, not that kind of relationship -- not even Teddy has that bad of taste!)

From The Columbus Dispatch:

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Ted Strickland quietly slipped into New York City on Friday for a fundraiser hosted by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.

Known for its openness, the Strickland campaign was unusually tightlipped about the event. Keith Dailey, Strickland campaign spokesman, said it was held at a private residence, but he declined to name the owner, saying only that "it’s not anyone famous."

Dailey said about 100 people attended the fundraiser, but he would not say how much money was raised. Gubernatorial candidates can accept individual contributions of up to $10,000.

Saturday night, Strickland was the beneficiary of a fund raiser in Toledo headlined by Sen. John Kerry, of Massachusetts, the 2004 Democratic nominee for president.

Teddy is quite liberal with the company he keeps, huh?

UPDATE: I was not the only one to pick up on the "relationship" angle.

From Openers

The bipartisanship tends to dissolve when it comes to the big issues of abortion rights and gay marriage.

It's about to dissolve on other things, too, because Democrats don't want to help DeWine and other Republicans portray themselves as cross-the-aisle, intra party guys, according to Roll Call.

The newspaper, citing unnamed Democratic sources, reported today that Democratic leaders are concerned that displays of bipartisanship could help Republicans in tough reelection races, including DeWine's. That means they want Democrats to stop co-sponsoring bills with DeWine and other Republicans, to stop writing letters together, to stop holding joint events, Roll Call says.

Think about it: Whenever a Democrat criticizes the No Child Left Behind education bill, a Republican pipes up to note that Ted Kennedy was one of the bill's champions. Sure, the bill has played out differently than many envisioned. For starters, a lot less money is available to help schools comply. But still, Ted Kennedy helped sponsor it. . . .

So until November, Democratic leaders hope to take away those kinds of GOP opportunities.

It's all about politics.

from the Akron Beacon Journal-

Teenagers who live in poverty are 50 percent more likely to be overweight than those in wealthier families, a gap that has appeared in the last two decades and may be tied to inactivity, soft drinks and skipped breakfasts, scientists said Tuesday.

The findings, culled from national health surveys dating to the 1970s, shed light on obesity among U.S. youths. Although study after study has documented a doubling of teen obesity rates over the past 30 years, the new research shows that the problem is more concentrated among low-income families.

Our country is so wealthy and capitalism is so successful that one could afford to constantly overeat and still be considered poor.