NRCC Memo Email: "Hackett Ran as a Republican" Uh, yeah.

[elehhhhna]

MEMO
To: GOP Friends
From: Carl Forti, Communications Director
Ed Patru, Deputy Communications Director
Re: OH-02 Special Election

Date: August ,2005
National Republicans last night retained the OH-02 Congressional seat vacated by Ambassador Rob Portman. Republican Jean Schmidt defeated Democrat Paul Hackett. The following post-election analysis may be helpful to you as you discuss the race and its implications.



Republicans Won; Democrats Lost – Republican Jean Schmidt defeated Democrat Paul Hackett by a comfortable margin, 52%-48%. Turnout in last night’s special election was 29%.



Hackett Ran as a Republican – Despite Hackett’s best efforts to nationalize the OH-02 special election, and the national media’s extraordinary interest in the race, the election was a local race and Hackett ran as a Republican. Two of his TV ads – including his closing ad – bore images of the President.



Democrats Failed to Create Wind on Ethics – Despite Democrat attempts to link Schmidt to the cloud of controversy in Columbus, Hackett still failed to win. What happened in Ohio was a microcosm of the strategy Democrats are aiming to employ nationally, namely, they are attempting to defeat Republicans by creating an anti-Republican wind.



Democrats Failed in OH-02 Despite Enormous Help – Even with an extraordinary amount of national media attention showered on Hackett, a huge last-minute influx of money from Democrat-affiliated special interests and other liberal online groups, and aggressive help from online bloggers, Democrats failed in OH-02. Despite all the national attention and online support, national Democrats failed to support Hackett. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi did not donate to the Hackett campaign. DCCC Chair Rahm Emanuel also failed to lend his personal financial support to Hackett.



The President Remains Popular Among Republicans – The OH-02 special demonstrated that the President remains immensely popular among Republican base voters, and that Democrat attempts to make congressional elections a referendum on the President’s policies in districts where Republicans outnumber Democrats will not work.



National Democrats Are Extremely Vulnerable on the Issue of Taxes – Democrat Paul Hackett was defeated largely as a result of his positions on taxes. OH-02 demonstrated emphatically that national Democrats do not have credibility on the tax message and they continue to be extremely vulnerable on the issue.



National Democrats Wasted Money They Don’t Have on OH-02 – National Democrats spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the special at a time when they have less than a third of the COH net resources available to them than the national Republicans have.

[stray cat]

1. Calling Bush a "chicken hawk" was sure complementary!

[politicaholic]

2. Hackett ran as a wha...?

duhhhh, am I missing something? I thought he was clearly a democrat and nothing but.
:shrug:

Actually, they might point out in a round about wishy washy fashion that they have an inkling of an idea of what dems are doing, but clearly their own superiority issues are clouding their judgement. I say, "Keep it up, jerkoff!"
:rofl:

[marbuc]

4. I've heard he supports gun rights

but I think the similarity ends there. Calling Bush an SOB is clearly NOT Republican like. Will they have us forget the freakish devotion Repubs show towards our version of the Dear Leader?

[Trish1168]

3. anti-republican wind?

from this:
Democrats Failed to Create Wind on Ethics – Despite Democrat attempts to link Schmidt to the cloud of controversy in Columbus, Hackett still failed to win. What happened in Ohio was a microcosm of the strategy Democrats are aiming to employ nationally, namely, they are attempting to defeat Republicans by creating an anti-Republican wind.

It seems to me the republicans passed wind a while ago, and it stinks. Democrats are simply trying to clear the air.

[HootieMcBoob]

5. So, the GOP is for Universal Healthcare? n/t

[louis-t]

6. These are mere talking points

They send them out to operatives and pretend they speak the truth. They know they are lies and so do most people.

[deadparrot]

7. Yeah, that's why the Republican Party dropped $500K worth of ads

into the race to "bury" Hackett.

Republican, indeed.

[kansasblue]

8. "ran as a Republican" vs "defeated as a result of his positions on taxes"

can't have it both ways

[Ilsa]

9. Only 29%???

Only 29% turnout? I am so saddened by this.

[Richardo]

10. I got your 'anti-Republican wind' coming out my ass.

What a stupid phrase.

What happened in Ohio was a microcosm of the strategy Democrats are aiming to employ nationally, namely, they are attempting to defeat Republicans by creating an anti-Republican wind.

[warrens]

11. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Ran two pictures of Bush, calling him every name in the book, and they take that as a COMPLIMENT?

Delusional, dishonest, and sleazy. That's our GOP.

[d_b]

16. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

is right.

[FrenchieCat]

12. They are just covering their asses to explain the fact

that they *lost* beaucoup points.

I would feel sorry for them feeling like they have to frame Hackett in this manner in order to have an excuse for the miserable failure they have in the White House, and his failed policies.

Smucks!

[carnie_sf]

13. And we see

the RW spin machine at its sleazy best. Trying to paint Hackett as a Repuke would be laughable if I didn't think the majority of the Faux/CNN viewers out there would believe it.

[Raiden]

14. How dumb do they think we are!?

They put a "D" right next to his name on the ballot; unless they do things differently in Ohio, which is possible, but doubtful.

He almost won because he ran a better campaign

[gratuitous]

15. 52-48 was a "comfortable" margin?

Gee, considering that district hasn't gone Republican less than 60% in the last 20 years, I'd say that 52-48 was razor-thin. Especially with a 29% turnout. Which means that Schmidt can credibly lay claim to the hearts and minds of 15% of all the voters in her district.

But keep whistling, RNCC. The graveyard awaits. And if you clowns have to spend half a million dollars on every ultrasafe seat in the country, you're gonna have damn little left for anything else.

Hee, hee, hee.

[wli]

17. just barely enough to dodge a recount

We'll probably see more fur fly in the next few days.