From the PD

The state's network of publicly funded, privately operated charter schools is constitutional, a sharply split Ohio Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

The 4-3 ruling was a big win for charter school operators and removes the uncertainty that dogged the state's 305 charter schools and the 72,000 students who attend them.

"This decision lifts a cloud that was hanging over the program," said Chad Readler, the lawyer who defended the suit on behalf of about 100 charter school operators. "This decision allows all schools to return their focus to education, not litigation."

Another reason why judges are so important.

Another TV spot

from WND.com

Here are several of the areas where Strickland is flat lying:

1. Ted Strickland has claimed or implied that the campaign and congressional employee who committed sexual misconduct in the presence of minors was a minor figure. The person in question was Strickland's 1998 campaign manager. After the campaign, the person is yet listed in the Interim Congressional Directory for October 2000 as a "special adviser" to Strickland's congressional office. Strickland maintains that the person in question left his congressional office in 1999.

2. Ted Strickland has stated that he accepted the lying denial of the 1998 campaign manager that the accusations of the sexual misconduct criminal misdemeanors were false. The congressman has argued that he was not inclined to believe anonymous communications such as that disclosing the sexual misconduct. It is now come to light that Strickland was also presented with Washington County Sheriff's office arrest records that documented the sexual misconduct accusations.

3. As a trained psychologist, Strickland should be familiar with abundant scientific literature documenting that employees under duress often lie about embarrassing background disclosures. Why did Strickland not first conduct an Ohio police record search before confronting his 1998 campaign manager for answers?

4. Federal Election Commissions document that the candidate was reimbursed over $9,000 in 1999 for travel expenses. Was Strickland reimbursed from campaign funds for the Italy re-election celebration he shared alone with his 1998 campaign manager, a trip Mrs. Strickland did not take with the two men? What other Ohio or Washington, D.C., travel could have justified a $9,000 reimbursement from campaign funds?

5. After leaving the Strickland congressional office, the Strickland campaign manager in question ended up on the congressional staff of now-discredited New Jersey Democratic Rep. Robert Guy Torricelli. Did Strickland write a letter of recommendation for his former campaign manager, continuing to ignore or otherwise disregard accusations of criminal sexual misconduct that turned out to be substantiated?

From the review:

In the “Behind the scenes in Washington” editorial by Robert Novak (The Review 10/13/06), I was amazed to learn Ted Strickland assailed the House for voting to “condemn a scientific study”. Specifically, an American Psychological Association (APA) study said that adult-child sex could be “good for children”. As noted by Mr. Novak, Mr. Strickland abstained from voting on the measure directly, joining 12 others only in voting “present”. Happily most of the Representatives voted 355 in favor on a House resolution condemning the study.

An APA study needed? The mere suggestion that adult-child sex can be good for a child is reprehensible.

There is nothing scientific about this miserable pap posed as such by the APA, and it not only smacks of an agenda-driven scheme by some politicians to court the gay vote, but would encourage pedophilia if granted status. The irreparable harm caused to a child brought about by a sick-minded adult seeking gratification of an unwholesome lust is totally wrong by any standard of decency.

‘I fail abysmally to understand how this evil behavior could be good for children.

The APA withdrew the study. But what does this say about Ted Strickland? If, as a former Methodist minister and a psychologist, he does not have his ducks in a row on an issue as basic as this one, what can Ohioans expect of him as a governor?

Mr. Strickland is confused. Can adult-child sex be good for children? The answer, Mr. Strickland, is NO.

Ohio needs to elect a governor with his head on straight. That man is Ken Blackwell.

Gail A. Wickstrom
Newell

The Columbus Post notes that "throughout the years, Blackwell has stayed close to the black community and convinced skeptics with his arguments that he did not suppress the black vote in the 2004 election."

And "as an entrepreneur, Blackwell turned around a struggling radio conglomerate and eventually sold it to black businesswoman Cathy Hughes of Radio One demonstrating a desire to support black businesses."

The endorsement is online here in a PDF.

From the PeeDee Opener's

DeWine grabbed an endorsement Thursday from Ohio's Fraternal Order of Police. The 25,000-member group's president, Nick DiMarco, praised DeWine's voting record on law enforcement issues and his work as a former county prosecutor.

DiMarco said the senator supported funding for bullet-proof vests and co-sponsored a bill that allows public safety officers to carry weapons across state lines.

"Working in law enforcement most of his career, he understands the demands," said DiMarco.

and this

While Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell hardly needs more conservative credentials, former House Speaker and GOP hero Newt Gingrich campaigned for him Tuesday, bashing Democrat gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland for his votes as a six-term congressman to raise taxes.

But more importantly, Gingrich’s visit raised about $200,000 for cash-strapped Blackwell, who’s held his gun powder for the final 10 days or so of the campaign. Exactly how much he has will be clear today when the candidates file their latest campaign finance reports.

Here goes the bomb...

Senate

Connecticut: Ned Lamont
Maryland: Ben Cardin
Michigan: Debbie Stanbenow
Missouri: Claire McCaskill
Montana: Jon Tester
New Jersey: Bob Menendez
Tennessee: Harold Ford
Virginia: James Webb

Democrat Held Seats

(CO-03): John Salazar
(GA-03): Jim Marshall
(GA-12): John Barrow
(IA-03): Leonard Boswell
(IL-08): Melissa Bean
(IL-17): Phil Hare
(IN-07): Julia Carson
(NC-13): Brad Miller
(PA-12): John Murtha
(WV-01): Alan Mollohan

Republican Held Seats

(AZ-08): Gabrielle Giffords
(CT-04): Diane Farrell
(CT-05): Chris Murphy
(CO-07): Ed Perlmutter
(IA-01): Bruce Braley
(IL-06): Tammy Duckworth
(IN-02): Joe Donnelly
(IN-08): Brad Ellsworth
(IN-09): Baron Hill
(FL-13): Christine Jennings
(FL-16): Tim Mahoney
(FL-22): Ron Klein
(KY-03): John Yarmuth
(NC-01): Heath Shuler
(MN-06): Patty Wetterling
(NM-01): Patricia Madrid
(NY-20): Kirsten Gillibrand
(NY-24): Michael Arcuri
(NY-26): Jack Davis
(OH-15): Mary Jo Kilroy
(OH-18): Zack Space
(PA-06): Lois Murphy
(PA-08): Patrick Murphy
(PA-07): Joe Sestak
(PA-10): Chris Carney
(VA-02): Phil Kellam
(WI-08): Steve Kagen

On the day the Toledo Blade releases its ridiculous endorsement of Jennifer Brunner, the Hartmann camp releases documents found on computers in the Secretary of State's office after Sherrod Brown left that prove that Brown was actively using state staff, equipment and resources to raise money and play politics.

Brunner was deeply involved in, even been a leader of, the efforts to raise money for Brown from the Secretary of State's office.

I have some thoughts on the Blade endorsement at Lincoln Logs, and click over to Brunner Blunders to read about her fundraising prowess (and click the PDFs to see intra-office memos outlining the political activities)

Here's what he came up with, though; and supposedly, these are the best "reasons" from his biggest shill/apologist:

1. "Ted Strickland has proven himself to have a strong moral character." [Note: I think this one was a joke.]
2. "Strickland proved himself to be an able political operative, navigating the dicey waters of a contentious ODP chair race, and early primary opponents..."
3. "His fundraising demonstrated strong and deep support within the state and the party."
4. "Strickland also understands the needs of people in Ohio's rural areas..."
5. "...(S)electing Lee Fisher as his running mate..."

Wow! The enumeration of Strickland's innovations in all of his executive positions and titles, each and every one with progressive oversight of larger and more diverse staffs and budgetary responsibility is impressive. Likewise, the citing of the influence and political capital that he has attained with such rapid and lofty advancement through the ranks of the federal power structure in a mere 12 years of government service is nothing short of amazing. How he has lifted his district from poverty to the forefront of a 21st Century economy coupled with his lengthy list of TS's bold ideas, vision, and concrete plans to implement them have inspired me.

What was I thinking? How did I miss these stellar qualification to run a state with 56,000 employees and a $25 billion budget while managing its economic transition and reform of its education funding, health care, and tax systems?!

I feel better now about possibly having TS's hand in my back pocket-- no pun intended. Don't you?

From openers

Fox, star of the sitcom "Family Ties," has been helping other Democrats this week. He would have gotten plenty of publicity on his own, but Limbaugh, the popular conservative radio host, helped him out by suggesting that Fox was exaggerating his involuntary body movements.

"He is exaggerating the effects of the disease," Limbaugh said on Tuesday. "He's moving all around and shaking and it's purely an act..."

Limbaugh later backed down.

Rush's reply

RUSH: Now, before we get to the audio sound bites, I want to try to explain to you what the whole point of this is to me. This is not about Parkinson's disease to me -- and this is not about Michael J. Fox and it never was. To me, it is not personal and never has been. I don't know him. I've never met him. I know him only through his career as an actor and a political activist. I think when anyone climbs into the arena of ideas, the political arena of ideas, particularly during a heated campaign; they do not get the special privilege of being the only fighter allowed to throw a punch. There are not special people among us who get to enter the political arena of ideas and say whatever they want.

They can mislead. They can misquote. They can misrepresent. They can even lie -- and yet we're supposed to, if they are victims of something, stand back, be compassionate, be tolerant, and understand, and not respond. Sorry. I don't follow the script. Daffy Duck could have done a commercial for Claire McCaskill saying the same things that Fox did, misleading about stem cell research and Jim Talent or in Maryland with Ben Cardin and Michael Steele, and my reaction would have been the same. I would have reacted and responded to Daffy Duck. Now, the idea that certain people because of their victim status are allowed to enter the fray with impunity is something I am not going to subscribe to. This is a strategy. It is a tactic that the Democrats have used for as long as I have been observing politics, and I'm sorry, the days are over where I follow the script.

It may sound cold-hearted or mean-spirited, but, ladies and gentlemen, I have my I ideas, and I have my principles, and I think they're right, and I think they should prevail, and when people who are running for office represent the things I believe in are lied about or are misrepresented, you can rest assured I am going to defend those principles and ideas and the people who stand for them and represent them. I am not going to be fooled or lulled into standing aside. I'm not going to be intimidated under the pretext that some people have a protected, insured right to say whatever they want simply because they are unfortunate, they are victims or what have you.

The Drive-By Media today, in most instances, is acting like a hysterical mother whose afraid her little boy won't be able to defend himself after he picked a fight, and so they are attacking me and others for being incentive, cold-hearted, cruel, mocking, what have you. I don't know whether Michael Fox assumed that he would step into the arena of ideas and have impunity, whether anybody would be prone to respond to what he said, but I stand by what I said. I take back none of what I said. I wouldn't rephrase it any differently. It is what I believe; it is what I think. It is what I have found to be true. Let's go the audio sound bites. Interestingly enough we heard yesterday that Inside Edition was doing a piece on this, and I had my doubts about this.

With the left getting jumpy about Rush telling the truth about embryonic stem cell research, it now looks like Mike Fox is coming to Ohio to campaign for Sherrod Brown.

Now we all love Teen Wolf and Back to the Future, but when someone enters into the political arena of ideas, a disability doesn't give someone the right to lie about an issue without fear of being corrected by those who know the truth. This is just as appalling as when John Edwards claimed that Christopher Reeves would be able to walk again if John Kerry and he would be elected in 2004.

Mike Fox's attack ad plays on the hopes and fears of Americans who want serious diseases to be cured. Now, Fox's smear campaign is coming to Ohio to attack Mike DeWine. Fox should be ashamed for cheapening his cause with sleazy political activism.

For more information, make sure to read this article from the Weekly Standard which sets the record straight on stem cells & Fox's disgusting attack ad. And here is a list of all the benefits of using human stem cells vs. the lack of benefits for using embryonic stem cells.

Once you cut through the crap, it comes down to the left continuing their crusade to define when life begins, so they can hurry up and kill babies before they are born. And darnit, they want government to pay for this life-destroying research, too!

Go Positive! This is a great ad from Michael Steel's Senate race. It makes him look like a good guy while still attcking his opponent.

From openers

The Republican National Committee confirms it will not be on the air in the final week of Mike DeWine's campaign, canceling its ad reservations throughout Ohio.

Aaron McLear, RNC spokesman, says the party will continue its on-the-ground efforts and staff support for Ohio Republicans, and says he understands DeWine has about $2.8 million available for his own commercials.

But no more money for RNC ads as of Tuesday. The party canceled its air time reservations.

1. DeWine has $2.8 million, he can and should buy his own TV for the last week.

2. RNC staffers have already landed in NE Ohio for the GOTV effort, they aren't giving up on DeWine, just letting him spend his own money. Which is what they should do.

I'll have more at AOL, but SUSA has been all over the place and is useless. We have two good polls, Rasmussen and MD showing DeWine is 8 points behind at most.

Remember that Survey USA poll had Jean Schmidt up 30 points against Bob McEwen. She won by less than 10 as I recall.

As promised.

from an email:

Here is my plan to keep smoking nazi liberals from voting for Issue 4: Why don't we start wrapping cigarettes and cigars sold in Ohio with American flags? Then, since the flags would be burned, it becomes a free speech issue, and the left will vote against banning the public use of these new, tobacco-filled symbols of dissent against American imperialism.

I like it! The Issue 4 people should jump on this idea asap.

From cleveland.com

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Thursday added Ohio and 11 other states to the list of areas where its pharmacies will fill certain generic prescriptions for $4.

Customers can now buy 30-day supplies of 143 generic drugs at all 158 Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club pharmacies in Ohio.

“No one in Ohio should have to cut pills in half, decide between taking medicine and putting food on the table, or go without medicines altogether,” Wal-Mart President and Chief Executive Lee Scott said in a prepared statement.

Lisa Perry, pharmacy manager of the Elyria Wal-Mart, said the list of eligible medications represents nearly a quarter of the generic prescriptions Wal-Mart already dispenses, including 14 of the 20 most commonly prescribed medications listed on the Web site www.rxlist.com.

The Blackwell Blog has this video

This guy sells drugs near our childrens' schools, and that same person is invited to and attends a Ted Strickland fundraiser.

Did you also notice that the Gay People's Chronicle was also invited to this fundraiser? They quickly flash a list of invites on the screen and that is one of them.