Evacuation Lifted

The roads are open and people can finally go home to the East End and Columbia Tusclum. Lets hope traffic gets back to normal as well. Yesterday and this morning is was horrible all over the East Side of the Metro Area.

Campaign Websites

Brian from The Brian and Joe Radio Show has a great summary of the campaign websites for Cincinnati Council Candidates and Cincinnati Mayor Candidates.

Very Big Day for Federated

The Big Merger is complete.

Mayoral Forum

A fairly relaxed event. None of the candidates scored big, but one played it way to safe. Korte has his summary and the results of the WCPO poll giving Pepper a very slight edge over Reece, followed by Mallory then Winburn.

Reece, Mallory, and Winburn all did fairly well, but did not jump out with anything to grab the masses. Pepper lost the expectations game. He was on the defensive or just stayed to positive to make a big impression on anyone. As the assumed frontrunner, he under performed in comparison.

Jeffre gave a good effort, but was too rehearsed. He would win the most improved campaigner, but he sounded like he was relying on his political consultant's coaching, instead of being himself. It came across as artificial. Grisco and Noble were comic relief. Noble, who bills herself as "Queen," actual used the word "penis" in a debate. The crowd, including myself, could barely hold back the laughter. Even the camera man was cracking up. She used the word in a semi-reasonable manner, but it is not the thing people want to hear their mayor say, especially when you are wearing "Chuck Taylor Hightops."

Winburn turned me off early. He stayed on his message, but that was the problem. He was all FOP all the time. He referenced the FOP constantly and he repeated a random statistic of "467 murders on the streets of Cincinnati," but I never heard him place a time frame for that. Is that in the last 5 years, 10 years? I think he is pushing that number higher, to make crime look worse than it is. That is misleading and playing the fears of the white voters he is out to get. He lost 95% of the black vote when he stood there next to Keith Fangman and praised the police. If he wants to praise the police, he should have had the Sentinels there too.

Overall it was a very good event. WCET puts on a first rate show and Give Back Cincinnati and Legacy did a great job organizing it. The crowd was not full, but there at least 150 to a max of 200 people there. I think the studio was set up for 250. The questions were pointed toward YP's, which I think was a bit of a shame. I would have like to hear much more variety of questions. Many of them covered the same issues and got repeated answers. No one asked anything controversial.

My order on who "won" the debate is only for fun and are based only on my impressions:

Mallory
Reece
Winburn
Pepper
Jeffre
Grisco
Noble

This forum gave some good exposure for all candidates, but did not shake up the race much. Pepper still would assumed to be a lock to make the finals, but anyone of the other top 3 could make it with him. Reece shows no signs of her residency scandal. Time will tell.

Why Wait? Stop Crime Now!

If CPD Sgt. Harry Roberts knows a secret to reducing violent crime in Cincinnati, why is he waiting until Charlie Winburn is mayor to tell us?

Cincinnati Police Sgt. Harry Roberts made Cincinnati voters a personal guarantee Monday: Elect Charlie Winburn mayor, and violent crime will go down almost immediately.

It will be a cold day in 'Hell' before Winburn is elected mayor, so why not just start reducing crime now? Harry, if you have the answers to solving crime, lets hear them.

His answer I am sure was meant to be that if only the mayor to be would support the police contract, then violent crime would go down. Now, why does that sound like extortion to me? How supporting a contract reduces crime is beyond me. I mean, proactive policing is the thing that might work and oh maybe STOPPING THE SLOWDOWN just might helps things along.

So, Cincinnati voters, I guess we have a police gun to our heads. If you want violent crime to go down, only a vote for Winburn will get it for you, so sayeth the FOP.

I really would like to know why Winburn supports this union over other unions. How many other unions play with the lives of the citizens of the city, just so a couple of people, and I do mean just a few, can get senior management jobs in the CPD? The police union just continues to look like the sleaziest bunch of thugs, playing the protection racket to line their own pockets with a few measly promotions.

I also was laughing when the FOP talk about Winburn being the "only candidate" for this and for that. Well, he is the only Republican endorsed candidate in the race, so guess what, that was a big reason for their actions. The local FOP is an arm of the group.

Last night I got the robocall from Roberts. I hung up before it finished spewing propaganda. I really hate being a registered independent. The damn GOP thinks my vote is up for grabs.

Tanker Leak Media Coverage

I give the local media an A-. The Enquirer reviews the TV news.

Ernie "I am the Law" Fletcher

I guess the rule of law is a negative when it comes to Kentucky Republicans. Who wants investigations when you hold the governorship? If you want an abuse of power, well you have it. This will not turn off many Republicans either, which is so sad. The state of politics today is so low that as long as their side "wins," few care what is done to get them there. You can be sure that if Fletcher was a Democrat, FOX News and talk radio would be calling for impeachment at best and coup de tat at a worse.

East Side Evacuation

For information on the Evacuation, check WCPO and the Enquirer. WCPO is reporting that a curfew may be established for tonight. I hope just in the evacuation area.

I myself live to the East of the area, within a couple miles. I know several people who live in the affected area and hope they are coping with the hassle. I for one hope the parties responsible for leaving this stuff around for 9 months get punished. I have been walking on the Lunken Bike Trail near this tanker for months and did not know it.

Tanker Leak

I live fairly close to this tanker leak, so I was a bit concerned when I heard about it last night, after I had driven by the general area. This morning Columbia Parkway is closed off in the area, so I am concerned about anyone living in the area. If the road is still closed today, it must have been a bigger leak than they thought, or someone is being really cautious.

Hackett Riding Wave

After his narrow loss for the 2nd district Paul Hackett is still garnering plenty of attention from local and national politicos.

Will Hackett seek another office? Will he run again in 2006 against Schmidt?

Bronson Blames Clinton for 9/11

I will never cease to be amazed at the level of out right ignorance and spiteful hate Peter Bronson has for former President Bill Clinton. Ok, the guy got a bj in the oval office. We get it. He was not the first and will not be the last man (or President) to cheat on his wife. How Peter can twist his puritan sexual loathing of Clinton into a mind numbing attack where he blames Bill Clinton for 9/11, is simplly lost on me:

Not even the Pentagon budget can buy a force field to protect President Bush from the press-corps lasers. But former President Clinton is still bulletproof.

During his administration in 2000, a top-secret Pentagon project called Able Danger tracked al-Qaida terrorists, and uncovered a cell including Mohamed Atta, leader of the 9/11 hijackers, according to officers who worked on the project.

But the Clinton administration had put up a wall of rules to keep the FBI from talking to the CIA. Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., said attempts to alert the FBI were blocked by Clinton lawyers. "They said, 'He's here legally. He's either got a green card or he's got a visa. So you can't even touch him - it doesn't matter what information you have.'''

That might be a big story - "White House kept FBI from stopping 9/11 terrorists" - but it can't get past the invulnerable Clinton force-field.

Here we have Peter living in a FOX News world, sucking on his FOX News Pacifier. He writes for a large newspaper, yet seems to believe the fantasy that somehow his heroes don't get a pass. I would just like to ask him how big a price George Bush has paid for either being a complete idiot or for lying to the public. Bush either was a fool and trusted invalid information, or he knowingly presented bad information to the American puclic. Ether way he gave bad information to the public and sent us into a war we were told was needed because Iraq was a threat to us. Once again, to educate those few remaining diehard war supporters, Iraq was not a threat to the USA and had no connection to 9/11. I say this with fact on my side. If you, like Bronson, somehow think the truth is not getting out about the threat of Iraq on the USA or of it's alleged connection to 9/11, then I guess you should be more pissed at FOX News for not reporting the truth you want to hear.

Fantasy man, Peter Bronson, seems to not get out much beyond his cul-de sac and the way he writes his tripe column this week, you would think he is only reading FreeRepublic.com and listening to Sean Hannity. I mean, your average mainstream Republican does not hold these types of views. So either Peter is playing the antagonist to my protagonist or he is really just off on some lunatic extreme right wing snakebite induced bender. Either way, I hope people don't buy into his mythical propaganda, but I am sure some suckers will. Someone will like the views they hear, want to believe them, find them a boost to their political identity, and buy into it.

Reece Ruled a Resident

The Vice Mayor 'officially' lives lives in Cincinnati, at least as the Board of Elections is concerned. With the evidence she had on her side it would have been very difficult to prove otherwise. You don't have to sleep in a residence every night to 'live' there. Utility bills cover it.

What is still on the table, but doesn't seem to be going anywhere, are the signatures that may have been gather by her family, who have given up their registration status.

What Kimball Perry's article illustrates best are the severe issues Nate Livingston has:

After board chairman Tim Burke told Livingston they were only interested in allegations from the last six years, Livingston became angry.

He yelled at Burke, repeatedly screaming at him to "be quiet" and "shut up." When Livingston continued to yell but also stood up to confront Burke, a Hamilton County sheriff's deputy at the meeting for security purposes yelled at Livingston several times to sit down.

"Don't give me no more lectures," Livingston screamed at Burke.

After that, Livingston told the board he didn't think they were taking his complaint seriously and asked them to dismiss it so he could present it instead to law-enforcement authorities.

The word "unhinged" comes to mind. It will come to no shock that I will be attacked by him for highlighting his childish temper tantrum, but what I say is nothing compared to the shame having this in the Enquirer brings. For once Nate actually had a valid issue to go after, and then he lets the chip on his shoulder ruin it.

31 Council Candidates?

Damn, that is just way to big a number.

At this point I don't know how many will get on the ballot. The obscure candidates tend to have problems getting enough valid signatures.

Props to Bronson

I have to give Peter Bronson some occasional credit, but I am doing it a day late so not to make it flowing with praise, and confuse my readers too much.

A pretty good column from Bronson on Huggy Bear. He walked the line on being too harsh on Zimpher. Pete has to please the meat eating UC fans out there, but did not really have that big a problem with this her views, more her timing and style.

He had a good line too, actually very timely: "But if Huggins is the Venezuelan dictator of coaches, Zimpher sounds like the Pat "Hit Man" Robertson of college presidents."

I actually chuckled.

Thanks Maggie!

Maggie Downs is Leaving Cincinnati. It is very sad to see her go. I have enjoyed her writing and am happy to be able to call her a friend. The Enquirer will have a hole in it and so will the many friends she has made here in town.

I personally wish her well in her journey out West, and hope she can find life as good there as I think she found it here.

Maggie, please don't be a stranger to Cincinnati. We would love to have to back. Take Care and Be Well!

CEA's Tomorrow

Hey, don't forget the CEA Theater Awards take place tomorrow night. Tickets are 20 bucks at the door. 8PM at CCM's Corbett Auditorium.

Roller Boogie Reece

CityBeat has a profile of the mayoral candidate.

CityBeat also covers the remaining candidates for mayor in one article and do a send up of Justin Jeffre's attempts to get a front page article, like the above one for Reece.

Counterpoint on Huggins' dismissal

I am once again put in the unenviable position of having to defend Bob Huggins, who I despise, but…

If you want to make the case that he should be fired because of the off-the-court behavior of his players, fair enough, though I would argue that incidents have decreased over the past several years. If it’s because of the DUI, they should have done it last year when it happened. If it’s because of the grad rates, it should have happened five years ago, instead of now when 11 players have received degrees in the past four years. If it’s because of low player GPA, then I suggest that the school hire an attorney that can spell the word ‘team’, or at least use a spell checker. And if they just wanted him gone, then Zimpher should have had the guts to do it in March, instead of wait until after all the UCATS donation came in to pull this (and if she has any integrity she’ll give a full refund to any donor that wants their money back).

Those who say that firing Huggins will improve the academic image of the university are fooling themselves. Show me one graduate of UC that didn’t get a job because Bob Huggins tarnished the reputation of their education. I don’t know where anyone got this idea that UC is a borderline Ivy league school; it’s average at best. Maybe the reason for its low academic reputation is that it just isn’t that good. Why have Michigan, who has been racked with probation issues, and Tulane, who went through point shaving scandals, not had issues with their reputations? Because they’re great academic schools.

And don’t think that UC is going to get anything better than a third-tier coach that will be nothing more than a puppet for Zimpher. Last year’s recruiting class stunk because Huggins was a lame duck coach; this year’s will be worse, because Andy Kennedy (or whomever is the interim coach) knows they’ll be gone in a year. No established coach, or even a decent up-and-comer for that matter, would take this job with two lost classes; if you think one would, I challenge you to give me names and I’ll tell you why they won’t come here. Also, if I’m the incoming coach, I want specific guidelines on what the academic expectations are. If graduating 11 players in four years isn’t good enough, then what are the parameters?

In the end, it’s Nancy’s school, and if she wants to fire him, she’s got every right to. But I think she’s isolated herself so much from any dissenting opinions that she doesn’t fully grasp what she’s gotten herself into here. And when the donations stop flowing in (and they’ve already lost a $4 million one) and she has to start raising tuition significantly, she’s going to have to explain why this was a good idea.

Adam

Reality Bytes

Part of the Problem with College Sports

The letters to the editor today illustrate what is wrong with college sports. The vast majority of the letters are upset. They want Huggins to stay. Why? They want the team to win. Well, that is something they should expect from the Bengals and the Reds, two professional sports teams whose only purpose is to entertain them with wins. College athletes are there to get an education. I know that is not how the big time colleges act, but it should be. The players here are not pieces of meat. They should be given a real education. The players that come here should want an education. If they want ONLY to go to the NBA, don't bring them here.

Huggins Gone!!!

I can't help but GLOAT over this one. I didn't like his style and methods. He is part of what is wrong with college sports today. UC has taken a step up in my opinion.

More from War All the Time, QCF's official blog. They are saying Skip Prosser will be back in town as coach. That would be a coup, if true.

Ohio U. is Number Two Party School

Yea, they can party. They can't play football. This actually is a really hated "honor" for school officials. OU is a good school, but suffers from a 'bad' image of slackers, hippies, pot heads, and outcasts. I am sure people are shocked I did not go there.

Robot Republicans

It is sad yet true that so many Republican voters are mindless drones who are driven to vote by code words:

Winburn is using direct mail and recorded phone calls aimed at Republican voters in an effort to remind them that he is the endorsed Republican in the race. As a councilman, Pepper often did better in Republican wards than the endorsed Republican candidates.

Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell and U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Westwood, have been targeting Republican households in recorded messages that campaign operatives call "robocalls."

"Charlie Winburn was a strong conservative voice on City Council for eight years," Chabot says. "As a family man himself, Charlie believes in the family values important to Cincinnati Republicans. Charlie Winburn is the only endorsed Republican candidate for mayor."

I know that Dems can be swayed too, but Winburn is trying to ring a bell in hopes that his base will start salivating. The sad part is, as the last two elections show, it works with mindless drones out there who vote either by party line or the "family values" drivel.

New WVXU Website

91.7 WVXU's website has a new url (www.wvxu.org) and a really new look. The site is much better than the old site. The X-Star website was not very good and was in a really old format, never getting much of an update.

This site is dynamic and offers quite a bit. It could use more first hand local news, instead of WCPO syndication. They are set up for it, but have not produced much yet.

An Enqurier guest column remembers the old WVXU.

CEA's This Friday

Make sure you buy your tickets now for the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards for Theater this Friday. Come out and support Local theater!

DeWine in Trouble?

Interesting speculation on next year's Race for the U.S. Senate. Mike DeWine should be worried both about Taft bringing down the GOP in Ohio as much as he should worry about the old conservative guard not forgetting his independence streak against killing the filibuster.

This Is How You Shill For Big Oil

I know sometimes that reporters use Press Releases as the basis for their articles, but since when editors allow columnists to just write a story based on a Oil Industry Lobbyists? If this was not so straight forward I would say someone was paid. Instead of it being a columnist, that someone may be Gannett, Inc.

Home Town News for Wes Flinn

Just weeks after he left town, Wes Flinn is already making the newspaper in North Adams, his new home. It is a great article.

More Bad Journalism

In the same article about the Reeces we get this side story:

"Suburbanites for Winburn

Suburban Republican leaders endorsed Charlie Winburn on Thursday for mayor of Cincinnati, calling him the only candidate who can make Cincinnati a safe place to live.

The supporters included Mayors Robert Bemmes of Reading, Rick Bryan of Blue Ash, David Collins of Deer Park, Richard Ellison of Elmwood Place, Jay Gohman of Terrace Park, Brad Greenberg of Loveland, Virgil Lovitt of Sharonville, Dan Policastro of Mariemont, James Rolfes of North Bend and Theodore Shannon of Fairfax.

Others included Township Trustees Cliff Bishop, Sycamore; Tom Bryan and Joseph Honerlaw, Springfield, Keith Corman, Colerain; Russ Jackson and Peggy Reis, Anderson; Jodie Leis, Kathy Wagner and Eric Minamyer, Symmes; and Chuck Mitchell and Tony Upton, Green.

Vice mayors include Joe Schickel, Loveland; Clara Pugh, Forest Park; and Joe Schickel, Loveland.

Clerks: Heather Harlow, Colerain Township, and Tom Straus, Green Township.

Council members include Jim Sumner and Henry Stacey, Blue Ash; Kerry Rabe, Sharonville; Mark Quarry, Silverton; and Mike Mestemaker, Cheviot."

Now, the nice editors created a totally misleading subheading saying "Suburbanites for Winburn" which misleads the reader. It should have read "Suburnban Republican Leaders for Winburn," but that ends up sounding like a "Water is Wet" headline. What also is bad here is that the rest of section just lists the leaders out. This is right from a press release, not original reporting at all. This is not even news. This is a free campaign commercial for Winburn. At least the Pepper section on this article had quotes from the campaign. They could have gotten something from Winburn to use. Hell, there should have been quotes in the press release that they could have used.

This goes to show that the GOP leaders in the rest of the country are either stupid or just loyal partisans. I hope it is the latter, but it could of course be both.

Reece Family Pull Registrations

Every member of Reece family, except the Vice Mayor, pulled their voter registrations after being questioned on their residency. They were all obviously playing some type of game with voting and got caught. It has been rather obvious, but for some reason now, action was taken.

This will hurt Reece, but odds I think were already against her making the top two anyway.

Thank You!

I wish to put out a big thank you to Adam and Josh for filling in for me while I was on vacation. I think they did a great job, and carried forth the blog with gusto! Things may or may not get back to normal now; I am still recovering a bit.

Religious Freedom, Only for the Monotheistic

Family Order To Keep Boy From Wicca Thrown Out

Taft Pleas "No Contest"

Taft cops a plea with the Prosecutor. Talk about falling on your own sword. Bob Taft has done just that.

This is the first time I believe an Ohio Governor has ever been in court on criminal charges while governor.

UPDATE: No jail time, $1,000 fine on all four counts. Taft also must meaningfully but apologize to everyone in the State.

Home!

After arriving at the Fairbanks, Alaska Airport at 10:30 PM last night (3:30 AM Cincy Time) I landed this afternoon at about 1:45 PM. I connected in Seattle, which by the way has poor signs directing you where the various concourses are. I had the almost guess.

I am tired. I don't have to work tomorrow, and am staying up today as late up to my normal bedtime as possible to try and rid myself of some of the impending jet lag and Red-Eye flight schedule. I had maybe 3 to 4 hours sleep between the two plane legs.

I had a great time on my cruise/land tour of Alaska, but I must tell you I am happy to be home. It was a long time away, and it was a bit too long.

Gov. Taft Charged With Ethics Violations

Ohio Governor Bob Taft is being charge with 4 misdemeanor violations of the Ohio Ethic's Laws.

Will he resign? Will he be found guilty? Will this do anything beyond making a despised governor, even more despised?

The Banks saga, day 3145

Somebody wake me when this whole thing is over. Now the county has to meet with the Cincinnati Planning Commission to ensure there are 'no more delays'? Wasn't this a selling point of voting for the Reds' park to be at the Wedge instead of Broadway Commons? Seven years later and we're still going through this crap? How much longer until this thing gets built? I only plan on being around another 40-50 years, I'd like to see it in my lifetime.

Adam

Reality Bytes

Lytle tunnel narrowed for next 10 days

I've got an idea for truckers: when you go through a tunnel or come upon a sharp turn in the highway, slow down! Now our poor brethren to the south have to deal with what will be ridiculous traffic for the next couple weeks.

Adam

Reality Bytes

Why ultra-religious people scare the shit out of me

Allow me to go all Wes Flinn here and comment on a letter to the editor in the Enquirer from yesterday. Let's go to Williamstown, KY, where fine woman Norma Oliver comments on Mike Wagers, the cabbie that called the police to report the whereabouts of Jennifer and George Hyatte:

I think this was a good thing. I prayed with my husband that the Lord would reveal the whereabouts of George and Jennifer Hyatte to the proper authorities, but most of all I prayed that they would do no harm to anyone else and that they would give up peacefully.
I think I also heard another comment made on TV coverage of someone else praying that they'd give up peacefully and that there be no more harm done. I think it worked out perfect and God's hands were all over this!

Holy shit!! So because this woman (and maybe/maybe not another person) prayed for a peaceful end, she thinks that's what caused it to happen? I'm not condemning prayer, but to think that your prayer helped police capture a criminal? Good lord! And what's scary is that I think there's a lot of people like her out there. And didn't Wagers get contacted to call police based on a news flash on TV? Are we now saying that God speaks through CNN and MSNBC (though I've always looked as Lester Holt as a Christ-like figure anyways).

More importantly, what's the converse of this way of thought? If someone dies or contracts a rare disease, do we then tell them they didn't pray hard enough for it not to happen? Or when the Patriots beat the Eagles in last year's Super Bowl, do we tell the Eagles that God must not have liked them as much as he did the Patriots? Where does it end?

Adam

Reality Bytes

Redistricting ballot measure

It's probably a good thing to have an independent commission draw up lines for congressional districs. However, I'm not a big fan of doing this to 'make races more competitive'. I thought the purpose of districs was to have counties/areas with similar interests represented by the same congressman/woman. Granted some current districts could probably use some reshaping, and that's all well and good to take the decision out of the lawmaker's hands. But let's not do it strictly to make races more competitive.

Adam

Reality Bytes

Delta Delta Delta needs some help ya help ya help ya

Delta finally sells off regional carrier ASA for $425 million, but then says it still might not prevent them from filing Chapter 11. This begs the question, what is CVG going to do when Delta goes under, what will the city use the Delta customer service building for, and how silly will the city leaders feel for giving Delta all the perks it did to keep their offices downtown? Oh wait, never mind, the government will most likely continue to bail them out so they can continue losing money.

Adam

Reality Bytes

Reds/Bengals leaders go off

Why does Reds COO (Cheap Operating Officer) John Allen continue to deny rumors that they're looking to deal Ken Griffey Jr.? It makes sense to do. If you want to build a winner over the next several years, you deal Griffey, get out from under that God awful contract, get some prospects, and spend the money on pitching. If you want to stare at a superstar that has maybe a few years left and won't help the club win on his own, you keep him, but people want to see a winner in the end. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis goes off on 1st round David Pollack for holding out. Good for him. I'm all for an athlete getting theirs, but at a certain point you either want to play or you don't. It's only about $200K that they're bickering about (I know that's a lot, but in sports parlance it's not all that much). Compromise, suck it up, sign the deal, and get your ass into camp.

Adam

Reality Bytes

CPS improves ratings

On the surface it looks great for Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Rosa Blackwell that its schools' ratings have improved from academic emergency to continuous improvement in just two years. However, given the population shifts to the suburbs, I don't think it's going to have quite the effect on enrollment that the Enquirer thinks it will. It's a great thing, but there's still a perception that the suburban schools are better, one that will likely take several years of consistent high performance for CPS to overcome. And there is a certain percentage of the population that would just rather live in the suburbs. But this is a good start.

Adam

Reality Bytes

Bigg's supports local health-food company

Bigg's Hyper-market, a tri-state native company, is stepping up to support another Cincinnati based business, Bright Future Foods. Specializing in an "on-the-go snack" version of edamame called "Ma-Me!", Bright Future is hoping to claim it's stake in the booming health food market. Bright Future is not your typical health-food company. According to the Cincinnati Business Courier

Bright Future plans to donate 10 percent of its net profit to the Bright Future Adoption Foundation, which is dedicated to helping bring children and prospective parents together through adoption.

In addition, the company

awarded the production contract for the brand to a food manufacturing facility in Southeastern Ohio launched by The Appalachian Center for Economic Networks, of Athens, which is working to revitalize a depressed economy in that part of the state.

According to a Bigg's press release, "Following the introductory phase, we expect Ma-Me! will be offered in all 14 of our stores."

Anne Chambers, CEO of Bright Future Foods, explains that the company's dual mission is

to create healthier futures for people by introducing them to the health benefits of soy, and to call attention to adopting as a wonderful way to create a family.

Bright Future is hoping to follow the Biggs offering with a national roll-out.

It is nice to see socially responsible local business supporting each other and taking actions to revitalize the region.

Taft won't comment on resignation

Governor Taft has finally taken responsibility for the "errors and omissions" in his ethics statements.

"I'm responsible for them, absolutely. It's my responsibility to file a correct report,"

This admission is well past due.

When asked whether the investigation regarding 60 unreported golf outings would lead to his resignation, Taft responded by saying

We are not going to talk about [that]. This process is still not complete; it's not finished. It wouldn't be proper to answer a number of those questions until the Ethics Commission provides its reports, and we provide the information to the public.

It looks to me like Taft will be resigning.

Columbus resident Mike Short labeled this admission by Taft "the tip of the iceberg."

Short continued by saying

I think he's betrayed the state. If his mission is to take care of the people, and generate business and income for the state, he's gone about it the wrong way.

Short indicated that if Taft refuses to step down, the legislature should remove him from office.


In related news, Ohio's probe into the coingate scandal is now expected to cost $6.5 million.

This post was made by Josh Nelson of Cincinnati News.

I WANT ANSWERS!!

Since it's a slow news day, and since the media has allowed itself to become distracted by the new shiny object known as John Roberts, I think it's time to put the Valerie Plame situation back in the spotlight. So in a perfect world, here is a list of questions that I would like to have answered by this administration:

1. What exactly did Karl Rove say to Matt Cooper of Time magazine, and what did Scooter Libby discuss with New York Times reporter Judith Miller during early July 2003?
2. If Rove specifically referred Valerie Plame or Joe Wilson’s wife, why did he need to identify her, instead of just saying some mid-level staffer from the CIA sent him? And why did Rove not confirm with the CIA whether her identity was classified or not?
3. Who saw the classified state department memo issued on July 7, 2003, that specifically named Plame, and whom did they inform about the contents of this memo?
4. How did journalist Robert Novak learn of her identity, and what communication did he have with other members of the government?
5. If Plame’s identification was not classified as some claim, why did Bush’s own Justice Department and the special prosecutor determine that the criminal referral from the CIA had merit? Why did 11 former CIA agents feel compelled to send a letter to Congress denouncing this claim? Further, why has former CIA agent Larry Johnson, a Republican, ripped this administration over its handling of the situation?
6. Even if we assume that Joe Wilson is a hack and was sent to Niger by his wife (neither of which are true, but for argument’s sake we’ll say so), how does that justify the leak of her name to the press?
7. Explain how this administration has cooperated with the investigation.
8. Why did President Bush’s standards for dismissing anyone that leaked her name change? If the president’s standard now is that no one convicted of a felony can work in his administration, does that only apply to this case, or do previous convictions (Iran-Contragate for example) apply as well? Or do they receive grandfathered protection?
9. Help us understand why White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan issued blanket denials that Rove and Scooter Libby were not involved in the leak. Did he know that they were involved and decide on his own to deny? Was McClellan told to deny that Rove and Libby were involved? Or was McClellan informed by the administration that Rove and Libby were not involved?
10. Scott McClellan has refused to answer any queries on Rove or Libby’s involvement recently, citing that he cannot comment on an ongoing investigation. Then how was Attorney General Alberto Gonzales able to comment just two weeks ago that he did not have any knowledge of Ms. Plame and her role at the CIA? What is the administration’s exact position on commenting on this matter, and which one conflicted with its policy?
11. Why did the CIA have to notify the Justice department four times that a criminal act may have been committed before launching an investigation? Why was former Attorney General John Ashcroft so reluctant to assign a special prosecutor to the case? Would it have anything to do with his close working relationship with Rove over the previous 20 years?
12. Why, when the DOJ informed (at the time White House counsel) Gonzales was informed on the evening of Monday, September 29, 2003, to save all documents relating to the Plame situation, did they then tell him it was ok to wait until the next morning to inform the White House staff? Why did he then tell Andrew Card about this on that Monday evening before informing the staff? Whom did Card discuss this with during the 12 hour time period? And why should we believe that this 12 hour window is not in fact the ‘Plamegate’ version of the 18 minute gap in the Nixon tapes?
13. Why did the Intelligence Committee not have time to investigate this issue, but yet it has time now to hold hearings on whether the CIA protects the cover of its agents strongly enough and the validity of the Fitzgerald investigation? Is Pat Roberts (Kansas senator, co-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee) being ordered to convene these hearings by the administration?

Adam

Reality Bytes

The power of religion?

Enquirer editor Byron McCauley pens an interesting piece today on the topic of religion in politics. I actually don't disagree with some of his piece; I don't expect politicians to leave their religion at the door. If someone conducts themselves by the tenets of their religion in their private life, I have no problem with them being the same way in public office. Having said that, I would hope that behaving that way includes keeping it to themselves; there's a difference between following a religion intensely and preaching the gospel and using the word God every third word).

My problem lately has been that candidates, especially on the national level, have felt this need to 'out-religion' each other. Every candidate has felt the need to be shown going to worship every Sunday, and discuss the depth of their faith. And I don't think it's because of their deep belief in religion so much as they're afraid that they'll lose votes if they don't. And that part bothers me. Why should it matter? It doesn't make a difference to me whether someone is deeply religious, somewhat religious, or doesn't worship much at all; that has no direct effect on their ability to govern.

Beyond that, does this mean that atheists/agnostics cannot run for public office now? Is Griffin screwed because he thinks of God as a sky fairy?

Adam

Reality Bytes

Iceberg! Right Ahead!

A little scene from my cruise. I am now in Anchorage and will traveling on a land tour for a few more days. I may post a few more pictures from my journey.

This picture is of a Glacier, the Hubbard Glacier to be precise.

ATP Tennis Masters starts today

For those of you that have never checked out the Tennis Masters tournament at the Lindner Center, I highly recommend it. It starts today and runs through the 21st. Other than the four grand slams, this is the tennis tournament in the world. Every major player comes here. Even if you're not a huge tennis fan, the atmosphere is almost carnival like. There's shops and activities everywhere, and ample alcohol for your desire. It's worth a day or evening just to check it out.

Adam

Reality Bytes

Alicia Reece's Residency Questioned

Something very interesting is brewing for the Reece Family. Now, if it only wasn't Nate bringing this up, it might have a lot more credibility and respectability behind it. I am not going to let a good scandal go un-noticed though, so I shall be watching how this turns out. If people remember, Damon Lynch went though something similar in 2003 when he ran the first time for City Council.

Philosophical/legal question

Over the past week the Enquirer has published two stories about males found guilty of attempted murder: Jesse Gandy and Benjamin White (I can't find the Enquirer link on the White case so I pulled the Post's). I realize they're both juveniles, but I'm not really focusing on the particulars of the case.

The greater question I've always had is, why do people get lighter sentences for attempted murder than for murder? The intent is the same; you're trying to end another person's life. That's why they call it attempted murder. Why should you get a lighter sentence because you didn't 'succeed' at it? Is there a belief that you have less of a chance of committing another crime if you didn't actually kill the person? Maybe the argument is facetious or naive, but I would really like to understand from a legal or other perspective why this is.

I'm sure some people will say, 'that's like comparing shoplifting with robbing a bank of millions'. I would say that the analogy above is more comparable to a singular murder to multiple murders. In the end the intent is still the same, you're just comparing volumes.

UPDATE: Whoops, forgot to sign the post. That happens when you blog with 4 hours sleep.

Adam

Reality Bytes

Bengals start preseason tonight

Hear that Bengal growlin'
Mean and angaree
Here he comes a prowlin'
Lean and hungaree
An offensive brute
Run pass or boot
And defensively he's rough, tough
Cincinnati Bengals
That's the team we're gonna cheer to victory
Touchdown Bengals
Get some points up on that board
And win a game for Cincinnati

Update: see above

Adam

Reality Bytes