Senator Paul Hackett?

[julialnyc]

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_08_21.php#006320
(August 22, 2005 -- 01:50 PM EDT // link // print)

Senator Paul Hackett? You're all probably familiar with Paul Hackett, the anti-war Iraq veteran who recently made a stunningly strong showing in a special House election in a blood-red Republican district near Cincinnati. I saw the closing days of Hackett's campaign first-hand, and, while he wasn't always the smoothest candidate, it was amazing to watch how the one-liner "Just Back from Iraq" stopped people in their tracks and made them listen.

It now looks increasingly likely that Hackett will run for Senate next year, against the vulnerable Republican incumbent Mike DeWine. This Cincinnati Post article has current details, including the decision by one top Ohio Democrat to skip the race and the signal from another that he probably won't run -- developments which appear to make Hackett the Dems' de facto candidate.

That's got to terrify DeWine. Although a statewide campaign could test Hackett's raw political skills, he'd be an instant celebrity candidate on par with, say, Barak Obama. And given that Hackett, who thrilled liberals by calling Bush a chicken hawk and an S.O.B., raised around half a million dollars online for his House special election, imagine what he could do in a marquee Senate battle.

But a Hackett Senate bid would channel the same intraparty tensions discussed below. Many Democrats feel Hackett was too anti-Bush for his own good, that his blazing rhetoric may have scared off some war-weary Republicans who nevertheless respect the president. Needless to say, Hackett's liberal champions don't buy that. So if party consultants convince Hackett to hold back on the Bush-bashing in a Senate race, his liberal-blog-fueled fundraising could dry up fast. But Hackett's a cocksure, shoot-from-the-hip kind of guy -- he even lapsed into a Robert De Niro "Are you talkin' to me?" imitation during his House concession speech -- and it's not clear anyone can tell him what to say in the first place.

The Cincy Post says Hackett may soon visit Washington to meet with party leaders about the race. If so, I assume this would be a key topic of conversation.

-- Michael Crowley

[nickgutierrez]

1. Too "anti-Bush" for his own good?

He damn near won a heavily Republican district. How is that a bad result, aside from the loss itself?

[julialnyc]

2. read the column below the Hackett one and I think you can tell where

that's coming from.

God we need guys like Hackett to tell the guys who are scared of people being too"anti-Bush" to shut up!

[Tesla]

3. Go Paul, Go Paul, Go Paul!!!

We need someone willing to put it out in OHIO!!!!

[BOSSHOG]

4. Senator Shinseki from Hawaii??

The former Army Chief of Staff who told bush the truth and got fired.

Hackett and Shinseki serving in the Senator for President Clark. Put the adults back in charge. Military men don't want war for war's sake.

[katsy]

5. Are these guys really on our side?

<<<< "So if party consultants convince Hackett to hold back on the Bush-bashing in a Senate race, his liberal-blog-fueled fundraising could dry up fast. But Hackett's a cocksure, shoot-from-the-hip kind of guy -- he even lapsed into a Robert De Niro "Are you talkin' to me?" imitation during his House concession speech -- and it's not clear anyone can tell him what to say in the first place." >>>>


I'd like to see Hackett tell party consultants to fuck off.

We need few if any party consultants and more straight shooting.

Speak your mind Mr. Hackett.

[converted_democrat]

6. He'll cream DeWine. Period.

People of Ohio are sick of the Republicans on every level. We really should make a bigger deal of what has happened to Ohio over the course of the last few years, it really is sad. It stands as a perfect example of why Pubs should not have a run in charge of anything, especially a whole state.


edit- for my awful grammer

[julialnyc]

7. DeWine is one of the lowest polled senators!

Go Paul!!

[ohio_liberal]

8. Oh hell yes!

I hope and pray he runs. I firmly believe he can win, especially in some of the more moderate areas. The fact that he's so nice to look at is a little added bonus. I wouldn't mind having a hot senator. :evilgrin: