Paul Hackett (D) vying to be first Iraq war vet in Congress

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1121679066300520.xml&coll=2

Cleveland-born man vying to be first Iraq war vet in Congress

Monday, July 18, 2005

Ripley, Ohio

-- Back in Korea in 1952, Robert Preston picked up a Purple Heart when a bullet smashed his legs, and life ever since hasn't exactly been a stretch of ease or material comfort.

The 69-year-old disabled veteran is the kind of guy who perks up when he hears that someone else who has seen combat wants to represent him in Congress.

After all, there aren't many veterans in the U.S. Capitol these days, and the number seems to dwindle every year.

That's why Preston is keeping a close eye on Paul Hackett, a Marine Reserve major just back from Iraq who wants to prove that a Democrat can win southern Ohio's 2nd Congressional District, probably the state's most Republican slice...

[Algorem]

1. "We need a lot of help with the Paul Hackett Congressional campaign"-

from Ohio Forum-"in the 2nd Congressional District (southwest Ohio) We only have 3 weeks and if we win it will be HUGE!! Please let me know if you can help us in anyway or want more info on Hackett."-

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=172x6810

"OH-02: First Paul Hackett Commercial"-

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=172x6945 -

"The Hackett for Congress campaign has released its first commercial: A Call to Service. Democrat Paul Hackett is running in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District's August 2nd special election to replace Rob Portman.



The Hackett for Congress campaign has stated that these ads will start running tomorrow.

A Call to Service - 60 Second Ad
A Call to Service - 30 Second Ad

You will need QuickTime to view these videos.

Hackett is a Marine who just returned from serving in Iraq. He volunteered to serve despite his objections to the war. His platform can be summed up by this statement he made in the first debate against his opponent Jean Schmidt:



I’m for limited government, I’m for fiscal responsibility, I’m for a strong national defense, and I’m for fair trade. What do these concepts stand for? That means I don’t need Washington to tell me how to live my personal live, or how to pray to my God. And I don’t need Washington to dictate to my wife the decisions that she makes with her doctor, any more than I need Washington to tell me which guns I can keep in my gun safe.

On Tuesday James Carville will be the featured speaker at a fundraiser for Hackett in Cincinnati.

To volunteer and learn more about Paul, check out his web site.
To get up to the minute information on the race, check out my Ohio 2nd Blog.
To help get these ads on the air, go to the campaign's Act Blue page..."

[fudge stripe cookays]

4. This is great!

Hackett may be getting some money from us in the future. If he gets in maybe he can help Ohio with that whole "voting machine" issue!

FSC

[roseBudd]

5. Any thoughts on how to capitalize on all the newly registered voters

in Ohio from 04? I imagine many if not most may not realize their is a special election. I have ideas from my GOTV efforts from the Kerry campaign. I call one of them Operation Barber Shop.

[KittyWampus]

40. Sounds Like My Kind Of Free Thinking, Staraight Talking Democrat

[belle]

45. PERFECT.

and, uh, Mr. Hackett, I dunno what you're doing in '08, but...

[MeDeMax]

48. site is HackettForCongress.com --- n/t

[onehandle]

2. If this "war" created a generation of pissed Military Dems...

...many who ran for office, it would be the only good result.

Republicans of course have "other priorities".

[GOPFighter]

3. Super!

As usual Democrats not only serve their country in combat, they also want to serve their country in Congress, while Republicans spend their life safely at home getting rich, and bitching about "liberals ruining America".

[Neshanic]

6. So let's see what the RW does with his Purple Heart.

You know the guys in Ohio that are too chicken to serve, but have no problem telling him that he did not diserve his Purple Heart.

His was probably faking those wounds and injuries. Yep, me thinks the RWnuts probably made a big boo-boo with tearing apart people that serve. This war is right now, the guys coming back are right now. They opened a box they can't shut.

He sounds like a great guy. I like his sraightforward platform. We need plain talk and lots more like him.

[progressoid]

8. I think the Korean Vet got the Purple Heart, not Hackett

[Ninga]

7. Calling all southern OHIO DU'ers! Please do what you can to help Paul win

He may need bodies on the ground as well as dollars.

I found Paul's web site:

http://www.hackettforcongress.com/

It looks like he was endorsed by the Cincinnati Enquirer....WOW!

This could be a paradigm shift for OHIO.

GO PAUL!!!

[Sparkman]

9. This guy thinks like the military. NO mention of 100K dead Iraqis, or OIL

He wants continued occupation, "until 140,000 trained Iraqis" can handle the "Insurgents". THIS IS THE SAME KILLING SYNDROME THAT CONTINUES THE ANTAGONISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST, IGNORE THE DEAD CHILD AND PUSH THE MISSION! The U.S. is the guilty mass murderer in Iraq, and those who can't embrace that in their political campaign are just a different handle on the same tool.

[stpalm]

10. wow

You sound like what a conservative thinks a liberal sounds like.

[Sparkman]

18. AND I feel like a Limburger stereotype! Anything else stpalm?

[brentspeak]

11. You sure don't sound like a Democrat

More like a caricature of one from the Rush Limbaugh show.

[Sparkman]

19. AND I feel caricaturized! Anything more to heap on pile?

[gatorboy]

12. LOL! Good effort at "outrage" though!

There's also a little bit of foam on the side of your mouth you should probably get....

[Sparkman]

17. Thanks, I'll get that froth. Anything else wrong?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

13. Thanks from Iraq...

Having come in and turned our country inside out and butchered us by the thousands, now you're going to leave us sitting atop a heap of smoldering rubble, up to our armpits in jihadists. Thanks. Really.

[Sparkman]

20. Yes, your'e spot on, now I see your point. anymore help in my education?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

28. Always glad to help...

nt

[thebigidea]

29. you honestly think anyone in Iraq but our puppets want us to stay?

they don't give a shit about Powell's madeup pottery barn crap.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

30. Yes.

We're talking about people who are unemployed because the factory where they worked was bombed to smithereens. We're talking about people who only have electricity a few hours a day and running water not at all. We're talking about people who have no interest in jihad but don't feel safe walking down the street because the next vehicle they pass might be packed with explosives.

Stay the course in not an option. We need France, Germany, Russia and the Arab League to step in and assume the majority of the peace-keeping duties. We need the United Nations to broker a deal among the Sunni's, the Shites, and the Kurds. We our need military advisors to train the Iraqi army and police force; and we need the Corps of Engineers to restore basic infrastructure.

Bush made a god-awful mess, and even though I was opposed to this little rape-and-pillage adventure in the first place, I believe we have a moral obligation to make it right.

[Sparkman]

31. thanks for the reply. IF we could fix this mess, we should. BUT NO WAY!

The Iraqi street wisdom, I hope you've heard, is that U.S. military can't fix the jihad 'cause it's homegrown mostly assisted by outsiders. So what's the sol'n to a problem caused by U.S. military aggression? A change in both leadership at home, folloow up by implementation in country of operation, and non-violence on the part of the Iraqi people. Vietnam ONLY stabilized AFTER THE U.S. AGRESSORS LEFT. To date, "democracy has yet to have been imposed...

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

32. Beware of easy comparisons...

Iraq isn't Vietnam, and you're dealing with a different kind of enemy. We can't stop Jihad with the military, I agree. We stop it by draining the reservior of hatred that we built up during the Cold War -- and increased immeasurably during the past three years. That starts by making it clear to Iraqi's that they control their own destiny. We adopt a "hands off" policy toward reconstruction of the country's oil industry, and all oil proceeds go through the United Nations to be held in trust for the Iraqi government until such time that it can do so indepenently.

And speaking of the Iraqi government, we need to have something more than a Potemkin Village election like we had earlier this year. As I said in the previous post, we'll need the U.N. to broker a deal among the principles before that happens -- and it could mean the breakup of Iraq as we currently know it.

The cop on the beat in downtown Baghdad should be an Iraqi, backed up by soldiers from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and maybe even Iran. The training that the U.S. provides to the Iraqi army and police force should take place (as John Kerry suggested) in a third party Arab nation. To the extent that it's possible and practical, U.S. troops should be removed from Iraq -- at least from the population centers. We can still provide a degree of border security without running into conflict with the locals.

I agree that we should get out of Iraq as soon as possible, but I repeat that it would be morally irresponsible for us to trash their country and then leave when we decide we're no longer interested.

[Sparkman]

33. Give up control to the U.N.-nevr hap/Oil $$ to U.N.-we already owe/...

If the U.S. would tolerate ANY comprehensive election or poll, it would immediately prove the left's claim that IRAQ WANTS U.S. GONE NOW
Your work is admirable, sincerely, and maybe the tunnel's light is that we not allow our country to be taken over by the fascist's that will continue to muddy our bloody Godless history of genocide & imperialism, SO THAT FUTURE WAR PROFITEERS HAVE A HARDER SELL.

[CAcyclist]

39. Don't Let Sparkman Hijack The Thread

Ohio isn't going to decide what does or doesn't get done in Iraq. Let's focus on the whole picture of this candidate - I really like the way he lays things out. I may have to send him some money.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

43. He's a dream come true for an Ohio election...

His pro-hunting stance will wins lots of votes in rural SE Ohio. Doesn't hurt that his opponent is an ethically-challenged religious lunatic. It's a good example of how the Republican conservative base can influence candidate selection.

[thebigidea]

34. yes, i'm sure France, Germany, and Russia are very keen on helping Bush

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

36. I'm sure they're not...

But with a new president, perhaps....

[stanwyck]

14. Nice try

but I saw an interview with Hackett and you've completed misrepresented him.
The right should be scared. Another liberal warrior who stands in sharp contrast to the poser president, an AWOL cowboy who borrowed a flight suit to impress the easily fooled.

[Sparkman]

22. I hope that he is a liberal, and can fix the mess the death, we caused.

[femrap]

51. I wondered if anyone was going to notice.....

I live in this hell hole of Cincinnati and have listened to Hackett on a couple of occasions....repug lite w/ way too much machismo knuckle-dragging. And he loves to kill rabbit, squirrel, and deer. He informed our group that Kerry made a big mistake by killing a goose...only 'elitists' kill geese. (This meeting was in an urban setting, not out in the rural farm lands of Ohio....as a result, I didn't think he was too sharp either....didn't speak to his audience.)

But he's better than 'Mean Jean' Schmidt....head of our local pro-life (Pro-Birth) group in Cincy.

Given how repug this area is....maybe he is a decent choice....

All that animal killing by Hackett and the NRA still endorses Mean Jean???

[lizzieforkerry]

16. We need lots and lots of bodies for our GOTV!!!

Please let me know if you can help or have signed up to help on the web site and haven't heard anything yet!

[sasquatch]

35. Who's he running against?

I don't know what my district is but I know Mike Turner is my congressman.

[Catchawave]

15. Also, David Ashe, Virginia's 2nd District

also an Iraq vet, just announced he'll run against Thelma Drake in 2006. He lost to her in 2004 after tons of out-of-state RNC money financed her smear campaign against David. There's more in the Virginia Forum!

More info at his website: http://www.davidasheforcongress.com/

[Pirate Smile]

25. Great news. I love it.

[UrbScotty]

27. Thank you!

Go Paul and David!

[Doctor_J]

21. Hopefully he will bring it

He'll have to get down in the mud with whatever sleazy GOP POS he's running against. His ads should be liberally peppered with "draft-dodger", "chicken-hawk", "coward", and "hypocrite". The best D is a good O.

[UrbScotty]

23. Go Paul! I hope Diebold isn't there. (nt)

[lizzieforkerry]

26. This race includes the county that shut out the press

during the ballot counting citing a (BOGUS) Homeland Security threat. They completely botched (on purpose) the recount. Andy came in to go over the books and we found some crazy stuff. This is why he needs MONEY. If everyone gives him 10 bucks it would make a huge difference! This is a Republican cesspool, and he actually has a chance!

[devilgrrl]

24. I knew this guy when I was in college

At the time he was a Reaganite kill them all wingnut! However, it seems that he's changed his stripes - it's good to see.

[democracyindanger]

37. What a difference a day makes

Great myDD post comparing Hackett and his competition:

10/25/04: What a Difference a Day Makes
by ttagaris

From the diaries--Chris
On the last play from scrimmage in the 3rd quarter, Cincinnati Bengals running back Rudi Johnson took the handoff from Carson Palmer and scampered 36 yards to the end zone giving the team a comfortable 20-10 lead. The Bengals would not look back, presumably to the delight of Jean Schmidt and the 65,806 fans at Paul Brown Stadium watching Cincinnati's first Monday Night Football game at home in a decade a half.

In Iraq, Marine Corps Major Paul Hackett and the men in his unit were en route by military transport helicopter from Ramadi to Fallujah where they served as gatekeepers for supplies coming in and out of the city notorious for some of the worst violence seen in the war.

October 25, 2004 was a defining day in the lives of the two candidates running for election in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District. For Major Paul Hackett, the Democratic candidate in the special election, the day began his critical work in stopping any untoward supplies from entering the city, keeping the military and Iraqi civillians from further harms way.

For Jean Schmidt, the Republican candidate, her evening about town is now the focus of a Ohio ethics investigation for her failure to disclose gifts accepted from a global bio-tech lobbyist.

...

http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/7/13/123946/744

[Tweed]

41. Everyone should read this post above!

[OzarkDem]

42. More at Grow Ohio

Cong. Sherrod Brown's web site, including details of Jean's day at the game..

http://www.growohio.org/story/2005/7/13/12441/5526

[OhioBlue]

38. kick n/t

[WMliberal]

44. umm, hate to break it to Hackett, but he's not the first Iraq vet to run..

Someone ran last fall against Ed Schrock in Virginia Beach's district and lost.

[lizzieforkerry]

50. He's not the first vet to run...he will be the first Iraq vet in Congress

if he wins. The guy you are talking about lost.

[Algorem]

46. Losses bring war home

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050719/NEWS01/507190347/-1/CINCI

OWENSVILLE - In this northern Clermont County village of 800, there is no issue the two candidates for Congress could talk about that hits closer to home than a war halfway around the world.

Here, in a grove of oaks and elms behind St. Louis Catholic Church, is a grave so new that the sod has yet to settle, a grave covered with red-white-and-blue flowers and a brass plaque noting that the person buried here earned the Purple Heart when he gave his life for his country.

It is the grave of 21-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Nick Erdy, an Owensville native whom many here remember as a young boy, building forts and playing soldier.

He died May 11 in Ubaydi, Iraq, when a roadside bomb blew up his armored transport vehicle...

[Algorem]

47. Ohio Republican Chairman: GOP will rid itself of 'bad apples'

Scandals fault of both parties, Bennett says

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050719/NEWS01/507190350/-1/CINCI

SHARONVILLE - ...

Although the state scandals commanded much attention at Monday's fund-raiser, Bennett and other speakers used the event to whip up excitement and support for Republican Jean Schmidt in her race against Democrat Paul Hackett for the 2nd Congressional District seat. The election is Aug. 2.

Former U.S. Rep. Rob McEwen and Hamilton County Commissioner Pat DeWine, two of the opponents Schmidt defeated in the contentious GOP June 14 primary, attended the fund-raiser in a show of support for her.

Schmidt acknowledged that it's not enough for her just to win in a Congressional district Republicans have dominated for years. She needs to win by a big margin.

"A small victory will energize the Democrats for next year," Schmidt said...

[iwantmycountryback]

49. If Hackett loses this one

Maybe we could convince him to just run for Senator.;)