Here it is, check it out for yourself. Truthaboutted.com

From the cantonrep.com

Blackwell consistently portrayed Strickland as a liberal Democrat who favors taxes. He said that in Strickland's 12 years in Congress, he voted to increase taxes 31 times and voted against 52 tax cuts.

"Mr. Strickland right now is nothing more than a big tax raiser," Blackwell said.

Strickland's campaign did not dispute Blackwell's facts, but immediately released four congressional votes where Strickland did vote for tax cuts or tax credits, including a $1,000 per child tax credit in 2003.

Strickland, meanwhile, tried to link Blackwell to the government corruption scandal that overtook the state beginning in April 2005. The scandal began with the state insurance fund for injured workers' unorthodox $50 million investment in rare coins and has led to charges against 14 current or former government officials on ethics, theft and bribery charges.

That includes Republican Gov. Bob Taft, who pleaded no contest in August 2005 to accepting golf outings and other gifts.

Strickland said Republicans had levied a "corruption tax" on the state, which he defined as "the pay-to-play system that has been presided over by Bob Taft and Ken Blackwell and others that has wasted multiple millions of Ohio dollars."

Blackwell received $3,000 in campaign contributions from the Toledo-area coin dealer, Tom Noe, at the heart of his scandal. Like many Republicans, Blackwell returned the money.

But having first been elected secretary of state in 1998, Blackwell had the least responsibility of any statewide elected official for overseeing investments made by the Bureau of Workers' Compensation.

The (Toledo) Blade throws the yellow flag at Tax ... er ... Ted Strickland's newest campaign commercial:

The Ad: "Tax cuts"

The claims: That Mr. Strickland voted to cut taxes for married couples, parents, and families with children going to college; that while Mr. Strickland has "a plan to control the cost of health care," Mr. Blackwell "would force everyone to buy health insurance - that could cost an average Ohio family without coverage over $4,800 a year."

Fact-check (part 1): Because they include so many votes, particularly on taxes, Congressional records are easily manipulated in campaign ads to show only the side of a candidate that he wants voters to see. Ohio has plenty of examples this year, including this ad, which the state GOP says "grossly distorts" Mr. Strickland's record.

Mr. Strickland's campaign cites specific votes to back up each claim that Mr. Strickland supported tax cuts. Those include a $1,000 child tax credit and easing the so-called "marriage penalty" for joint filers.

But, as the GOP is quick to point out, Mr. Strickland opposed other tax cuts in Congress, including some with similar aims. It's impossible to get into the context of each vote - some cuts are coupled with other tax increases, for example, or further cuts in entirely different areas.

It's fair to say that Mr. Strickland indeed supported the cuts he cites. But in Congress, he has opposed more proposed cuts than he has voted for.

Mr. Strickland has in fact accumulated a massive record of opposing tax relief for the middle class and everyone else. (See the gory details) While The Blade has chosen to be kind to Mr. Strickland, I, as a defender of the common man, cannot overlook his horrible habit of taking much-needed money from the men and women who make Ohio such a great state and wasting it.

Fact check (part 2): Mr. Strickland is wrong to say Mr. Blackwell "would force everyone to buy health insurance." The state's poorest residents would still qualify for government health care under the Blackwell plan. Most Ohioans, though, would have to purchase coverage. It's also problematic for Mr. Strickland to estimate how much buying coverage would cost an Ohio family. He cites an e-Healthinsurance.com study, but it's not clear how accurately it would approximate the costs under Mr. Blackwell's plan. Mr. Blackwell's campaign has not estimated those costs publicly.

The forced health care debate is a distinction without a difference as those who are too poor to afford insurance will be required to purchase coverage as they climb the economic ladder. In addition, I find it hard to believe that poor Ohioans will be allowed to reject government health care and any future mandates that come with government interference in the private lives of Ohioans.

The Blade is correct to question e-Healthinsurance.com and any cost claims that they or Strickland make. Since e-Healthinsurance.com was quick to state that they were not upset that the Strickland campaign used their information (the site contains legalese stating that this is a no-no), I immediately have suspicions about the political leanings of those who run the site and create the studies. As for the actual costs, I do not believe that anyone can predict them, but if Medicare and Medicaid is any indication, any estimate will probably be too low.

Once again, Mr. Strickland has been caught fudging the truth and providing inaccurate information about his own record and that of Mr. Blackwell.

Want the truth? Consult Who is Ted? and Tell the Truth, Ted.

Heh

http://www.faroutbrown.com

The Other Paper provided an interesting wrap-up of the Blackwell-Strickland debate's highlights, and declared that "though Blackwell appeared uncharacteristically nervous during the opening remarks, he won the debate by delivering the smoother performance."

As far as the highlights go, here are some of the best.

Least convincing no-tax pledge:

Strickland said, "I do not intend to raise taxes."

Second least convincing no-tax pledge:

"No tax increases are needed to support the Turnaround Ohio plan," Strickland said in the debate. "Tax increases are not a part of my plan. Tax increases would not be good for Ohio, and I am not planning to raise taxes. I think that's about as clear as I can be."

Third least convincing no-tax pledge:

"I'm saying to you that Ken Blackwell is wrong," Strickland said. "I have never said that I'm going to raise taxes. I've said that tax increases are not needed in Ohio."

Most unnecessary disclosure

"Every morning when I get out of bed, I'm going to look in the mirror and say, 'Governor Strickland, what are you going to do today to create jobs for Ohioans to provide economic security for Ohio's families?' His wife, Frances, would probably prefer it if he just brushed his teeth like a normal person."

And the grand prize goes to...

Worst Braincramp

Perhaps because he's such a rural, small-town guy, Strickland at one point seemed unable to think of the name of Ohio's most famous city.

"I have worked with all the big city mayors -- who, by the way, are supporting me -- including Mayor Jay Williams here in Youngstown, the mayor of Cincinnati, the mayor of Dayton, the mayor of Columbus, um..."

Come on Ted. It's got three major-league sports teams. Drew Carey is from there. Your running mate, who is sitting right there in the audience, is from there. Rhymes with "Sleeveland."

"Uh, uh, the mayor of Toledo..."

Later in the debate, Strickland finally did drop the name of Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, who had been a Strickland backer prior to the debate.

Once he finally struggled through that sentence, Blackwell's comeback was golden: They're not supporting Strickland because he has a plan, they're supporting him because they're Democrats, and that's why their cities are failing.

From thisweeknews.com

Several times, with increasing energy, Strickland said he did not intend to raise taxes, although he avoided a reporter's question asking him to take a no-tax-increase pledge.

Hmmmmm....I wonder if they'll instead roll back Taft's 21% tax cut of this year. Speaking of which, that was the most poorly publicized tax cut in history.