WLW's Idea of 9/11 Commemoration
WLW's Mike McConnell’s guest was Richard Miniter formerly from the Wall Street Journal and he is promoting his book blaming Bill Clinton for not getting Osama Bin Laden. The Blame Clinton crowd, of which WLW and Clear Channel are charter members, has stooped to an all time low. This guy claims to have proof of connections between Iraq and Al-Qaeda. If this exists, why was it not presented at the UN as a reason for attacking Iraq? Yes, you can now surmise that his claims of proof are just bullshit.


Everyone will be able to watch next summer during the campaign as WLW airs someone who will blame not finding WMD in Iraq on Clinton, as well as every other conservative talk radio station and FOX News. That will be their "meme" of choice to deflect Bush's WMD problem. This is the new tone of politics? It sounds like the old games of Dick Nixon. "Rat fucking" has lost the illegality and just become the Wurlitzer. Lady of Spain where are you?

Spencer vs. Cranley
The Spencer and Cranley camps have been duking it out over at cincymusic.com's message boards regarding the Main Street development issue. Lots of people stirring up the pot and just messing around, but a lot of good debate. The McMain Street battle wages on!

Kathy Y. Wilson Baffles Me
Her latest column is just all over the map. It is oddly as personal as any blogger could be and then some. She frets over being called "racist" by CityBeat News Editor Greg Flannery for criticizing other blacks. That is a ludicrous accusation on Greg's part. It is brought forward because of the revision of the meaning of the word "racism" by transnational progressives out there. I am not a tranzi, as some call them. I am an old school liberal. I don't change the rules when you want to make new enemies. A racist to some today is anyone they want to tar as bad, just because they oppose your policies or your opinions. Racism is like patriotism. Both terms are used as red herrings. Both terms are just the latest incarnations of demagoguery that was most famously illustrated in the communist witch-hunts of the late 1940's and 1950's.

I wish Greg had used a better term to classify Kathy. He could have used classist or elitist or just accused her of being prejudice. Using the "R" word is just the 50-foot pickle people like to use to beat others over the head. I just wished these comments from Kathy’s column were not really what many people believe:

"Racism is based on economics," I said. "They make more money than I do, and there's no way I can oppress them."

Racism for the record is generally the belief that a particular race of people or all other race outside of one own is inherently inferior. A race is "a group of people of common ancestry, distinguished from others by physical characteristics, such as hair type, color of eyes and skin, stature, etc. Principal races are Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid." Economics is not part of racism. Economics might play a factor in discrimination, but discrimination is not solely the result of one’s race. If a black person is poor it is not because they are black. If a white person is rich it is not because they are white. Capitalist societies have poor people. If you want to be a communist, fine, don't use race as the means to draw people into the revolution by creating a feeling of victim hood that can be blamed on your mark.

UPDATE: Greg Flannery emailed to correct me on a big point from Kathy's column. He did not call her a "racist". Instead, read Kathy's words:

He accused me of lumping all white T-shirt wearers together as dealers, of calling for their "extinction." He called my conclusions racist.

Greg's point is valid, and I apologize for the mistake. I would argue however that if a person draws racist conclusions, they would almost certainly be considered a de facto racist, so the distinction on paper is clear, in reality it is not. I still would contend my point was correct. Kathy's conclusions were not racist. She was either generalizing being prejudice, or just absolutely correct. The whole issue she talked about was about culture, not about race. That is another confusion people seem to make on purpose all to often.

Damon Lynch and Wife are "separated"
CityBeat has reported something that either I missed in the previous accounts of the Lynch residency issue or that the rest of the media did not report:

Kenneth Lawson, Lynch's attorney, presented affidavits from Damon and Johanna Lynch attesting to their marital separation.

So is this a real separation or a fake one? A minister's marriage is really in trouble, if we assume they did not lie in their affidavits, something I hope they are not willing to do. How is this not news? How come CityBeat reported this and not the Enquirer or the Post or any of the TV stations? Does CityBeat have either the inside scoop on the issue? Since this is all public record, I doubt that. Does CityBeat not fear being attacked by the CBUF, while the rest of the media does fear that?

All of my questions are interesting, but that still leaves one concern out there. Should this be an issue? I would say, in this case, it is fair game. Part of my position is clouded by the hypocrisy of any clergyman who can't keep his marriage in working order, but I think it still fair game because of the residency issue. Lynch's credibility is low, at least with those paying attention. The status of his marriage directly impacts that issue. The gory detail are not an issue, but the general status was and is. Now, does it matter if he or his wife is shacking up with anyone right now? Not at all. It makes for good blog fodder, but that is about it.

Overall the CityBeat article was a very straight forward article. It was as balanced as I have seen from one of their news stories. I hope they keep this kind of reporting up.

UPDATE: I missed the Post's report of Lynch's separation:

For Lynch, the challenge triggered an embarrassing look into his personal life that forced the Over-the-Rhine pastor to disclose publicly that he and his wife have separated. In an affidavit filed with the elections board Friday, Lynch stated that he has lived at the condo since at least mid-July.

That was very obvious, but I still missed it. Thanks to "Dolla" in the comments for correcting me.

UC "Child" Porn Professor
Ok, this guy sounds sick, but I have a question. How did people know what files he had on his computer?

Sharonville Police started investigating Luebbe two months ago after they were contacted by a computer technician at Micro Center in Sharonville, where Luebbe had taken his computer for repairs. The technician found several images of minors having sex, according to a police report. A police search of the computer turned up several hundred images of child pornography, according to police and prosecutors.

How did the computer technician find these pictures? Were the files called "child porn.jpg" or something similar? Why was this guy checking out these files? Are their known files out there that are "marked" child porn files that computer tech's can scan for? The only other way was that this technician was looking this guys files. Why would the technician look at his files? I also would like to know if these minors were teenagers or under 13 or 14. This makes a difference. If these are pictures of a 17 year old, then that is not the same thing as a 7 year old. Police don't seem to care to indicate a difference, but there is one. My grandmother was married at age 16 to my then 26-year-old grandfather, back in 1936. If they wanted to marry today instead of then, I would never have existed. My grandfather would have been labeled a sex offender and put in jail.

Now, I don't advise dating teenagers, unless you are a teenager, but this man will likely be mistreated in prison, even before he is convicted because we have a vengeful police force and a media that will exploit a sex crime faster than any other crime.

Vigilancia Politica 20030910
Well, another one. It was a slow week for stuff, but I made a little change. I included links to all of the stories I referenced for the candidates. They are organized by topic, as opposed to candidate. I am limited by some issues in the goxray.com site code. Let me know how bad this one is. I am not jumping for joy at it. I guess the stories are not as juicy as the last couple weeks have been, so I am going through a slight news withdrawal. I guess I have to go read up another fix.

Dick's in Town
Dick was in town shilling for the Kentucky GOP. I watch his motorcade roll down Sixth Street while I ate lunch. I was surprised to see an ambulance in the caravan. That might be standard issue for the VP and President, but with Chaney's health problems, it just looks like he could pop and artery over a big pothole.

I am more interested where Simon Leis's bill for extra police protection is? I saw at least one sheriff’s vehicle out securing the area. Dick was only in town to raise money for the GOP, or at least that was that was announced. When Bill Clinton did that Simon Leis sent a bill to the White House for providing security. Leis was sure to make it a big media event too. When he was not paid, he even went to court to try and recover the $8,490.34 from the Democratic Party. He wasn't playing politics with his office now was he? Is that an abuse of power? Ah, yeah, it is. Leis is getting more and more like J. Edgar Hoover everyday. If you ever see him in drag, you better leave town.

A big insult to the state of Kentucky: the VP is in town to raise money for a gubernatorial candidate and they hold the event in Ohio.

Spenser Hits Cranley Plan
Charter Committee Candidate Nick Spenser speaks out with a bite on Councilman John Cranley's plan to hire a consultant to study the Main Street entertainment district. The new little man has hit the original little man on council with a reasoned challenge to the hurry up and study an issue, instead of acting on it, plan. Nick is right on target with his criticism. Spending $100,000 bucks on a guy to state the obvious is pointless. If they guy has "contacts" then just admit what you are doing, paying a fee to try and lobby corporations to invest in new entertainment outlets in the Main Street. The better option is the fund local entrepreneurs or local corporations to invest in the city. Keep the money local, keep the control local, and you will make an authentic Cincinnati destination, not a carbon copy of someplace else.

Proof of the Ignorance and/or Stupidity of the American People
I am not surprised.

Nearly seven in 10 Americans believe it is likely that ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was personally involved in the Sept. 11 attacks, says a poll out almost two years after the terrorists' strike against this country.

People do not pay attention and they generally want to believe stuff, no matter how invalid to settle their fears. This just makes me sick that these same morons are charged with picking our leaders. Well, a large number of people, not this high, do not believe in evolution, so it makes sense where the numbers come from.

UPDATE: It appears that K-Lo at the Corner is either delusional or a big fan of Machiavelli, she says in a short post "AMERICANS GET THE WAR ON TERROR." No K-Lo they don't. All of the Muslim terrorist groups are not part of some vast Islamist-wing conspiracy. Bin Laden and company don't give a rat's ass about Israel, and I know you and the rest of the Neo-Con army knows this, but why do they continue the lie? The only other possible thing is that they actually think Saddam was behind 9/11. This is the OJ-fication of the right. They have managed to convince themselves something is true, even though all known evidence says otherwise. I guess George is looking for the WMD as intensely as OJ is looking for the real killers. If it is Iraq, we can justify an attack.

UPDATE#2: Kevin Drum of Calpundit fame found similar problems with K-Lo's post above.

Details on the Lynch Residency Hearing
Korte has the details. The vote was unanimous. The GOP seems not to want to make this a real issue. Pete Witte instead indicated that he will not let the issue die. He will let the legal challenge drop, but he will go after Lynch as an outsider, using the "carpetbagging" charge leveled on Hillary Clinton in her run for Senate in NY. It did not work against Hillary, but Cincinnati is not New York, in about a million different ways.

The barbs quoted in Korte's article are harsh and bodes well for those expecting a nasty campaign. Witte's comments included

But he said he would "go on the campaign trail and show that I'm the complete opposite of Damon Lynch."

"I don't consider our police to be rapists, racists and murderers, and I don't think that kind of rhetoric is going to make sure our neighborhoods are safer places for our families to live," he said.

Lynch did not back down and surprisingly did not try and retract his letter maligning the police:

"I stand by those words. Police officers in this city have done those things," he said.

I could be haste here and throw out a Betty Davis quote, but alas I would rather just genuflect on the moment. We have a real live campaign folks. We might actually have dueling press releases, and real live arguments at a debate. With an action filled debate, might a local TV or radio station actually consider broadcasting live such debate? Could we really experience politics here in stuffy Cincinnati?
...
...
Nah! I expect to get the same tired old blah blah blah from the broadcast outlets. The papers will be sleeping through this, except for Korte. We might have 1230thebuzz do something, but they would likely only stick to Lynch's team, leaving the rest to beg WLW to care about a city that does not contain most of their listeners. Same old, same old.

More on the Lynch residency issue from the Post.

Anti-Miami Bias?
A Miami football player does something really stupid, gets busted by the cops, will be punished by the courts and by the school. This news draws a prominent Metro section article in the Enquirer? I must once again make my own personal bias known. I am a Miami graduate and I have been suffering from a Don Quixote syndrome for years in regards to the anti-Miami coverage in the Cincinnati Press. I have looked towards both a UC and Ohio U alumni as the culprits. Both schools have no love towards Miami. Now, my charge at windmills is partially tongue in cheek and partially real. I do see an overall negative spin against Miami sports and the school in general. There is no vast anti-Miami conspiracy, but when UC quarterback Gino Guidugli was arrested for assault I don't think it got this level of coverage.

The other contributing element of this is the player's name, Parseghian, which is big in college football history. This story was given far to much coverage for what the underlying crime involved. Well, Miami will, as usual, survive. I think we need a full-blown journalism school.

Simon Leis at the Harvest Home Parade
A friend pointed me to this article:

Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis Jr. (and the 12-foot-tall inflatable doll of him) brings out his entire arsenal, including helicopters, mounted patrols, paddy wagons and a K-9 unit with a barking German shepherd in back.

Little did we know that the mighty Simon Leis doll is something of a tradition as this articles from CityBeat can attest: 03/19/2003 and 03/22/2001. This reminds me of "Otto" the autopilot from the movie Airplane. I think I need to conjure up the "Stay Puff Marshmallow Man" to battle the Simon Leis blow-up doll. Why doesn't the Hustler store sell these? Leis has been screw the Flynts for 30 years, why can't someone else return the favor?

Lynch Officially on Ballot
With no explanation reported the Board of Elections has certified Damon Lynch III to appear on the ballot for Cincinnati City Council. This was not a major surprise. I am sure the GOP is both happy and sad. They would like nothing better than damaging the reputation of Damon Lynch, but they are equally happy to have someone that they hope will bring out the conservative vote.

My wonder know, will the gloves stay off or will Pete Witte try to bloody up his knuckles a little more? Pete can still push the issue of the alleged lack of payment of non-city resident tuition for Walnut Hills School that Lynch's should have paid for his kid(s) that attended that school. Will this issue die? Now that they ballot issue is decided will the Enquirer unless Greg Korte on Lynch, or would they prefer to keep in the race to make it fun? I would find it much more fun if they went after this issue. Where any laws broken? What political reporter can resist a case of possible law breaking by a candidate for public office? If this issue goes unsettled, I hope I never hear Damon Lynch ever utter the words "white privilege." I don't really want to be physically sick, but that level of hypocrisy would make me bring up lunch and breakfast.

Denise Smith-Amos's column was a bit wishy washy. If you want to remedy the issue, you have to dig into his personal life. If the allegation is that he is lying about where he is living, then you have to find out where he is living, thus the personal questions. I guess the Board of Elections chose to follow Denise’s formula. The details don’t matter, the overall appearance of democracy is better than the rule of law, kind of like how the Florida election was decided. Bush after all “appeared to have won,” so that was good enough for the SCOTUS.

McMain Street?
After reading this article I have the feeling that Main Street may not be a vibrant strip of cutting edge bars and restaurants and instead become a tourist trap. A Hard Rock Cafe? Are they serious? Why not just open a fast food joint? Don't make your marquee establishments outside corporate businesses. We need local business to thrive, not remote corporate cookie cutter franchises.

Again, if you want a feel for the nightlife here in Cincinnati, Cincinnati Tomorrow has a great weekly event where they take you to vibrant and "happening" places around town, with a heavy focus on the Main Street area. I have to apologize to those folks for missing last night’s event. My mind was up for it, but my body was not. I will though be joining them in the coming weeks.

My advice to the City, keep the crap the wimpish suburbanites want on the riverfront, let the urbanists have Main Street. Give Main Street the same attention you are giving it, just keep out the national chains.

The Kroger Garage
This is clearly the next issue that each council candidate has to answer. I will try and get them all to answer for my VigPol column next week, but I would guess the tap dancing on it will rival that of the Late Gregory Hines. Alicia seems like she is gunning for a grandstanding record. Here is a media round up of articles:
Enquirer: Greg Korte, Greg again.
Post: Kevin Osborne
WCPO: Here

CityBeat Error
I think Stephanie Dunlap needs to review the facts about Cynthia McKinney. She wrote

Speakers also included the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, former U.S. Rep. Walter Fauntroy (D-Wash., D.C.) and former U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.), widely considered to have lost reelection because of her vocal opposition to invading Iraq.

Cynthia McKinney lost in the Democratic primary because she opposed the resolution authorizing use of force against Afghanistan, not Iraq. The primary was held in August of last year before the vote to authorize the use of force in Iraq. She did not support the Iraq War, but no, she lost because of Afganistan and her desire to investigate the possibility that Bush knew about 9/11 before it happened. Tin foil hats might be standard issue for some at CityBeat, but the rest of us liberals would rather keep the nut cases out of the spot light.

Sponsored by Brian Garry for Council
Greg Flannery's column this week writes this about council candidate Brian Garry:

The Rev. Damon Lynch III wasn't the only city council candidate who joined the 40th Anniversary March on Washington last week. Brian Garry, another independent candidate, also went. That's not the only activity the two candidates share. Lynch, like Garry, is reaching out to young African Americans in inner city neighborhoods. Garry has been going to "Short Vine" Street in Corryville on Sunday nights for several weeks, saying he wants to represent urban youth. Lynch also is campaigning there.

When Harry Belafonte visited last week, Lynch took him to Ollie's, a restaurant in Over-the-Rhine. If Garry and Lynch can mobilize thousands of young black voters, they might be able to channel a political force that's never really been felt in Cincinnati.

Shill is just too week a word for this. Ok, Greg and City Beat like Brian Garry. Fine, but honest questions are being raised about a council candidate's credibility and what does CityBeat report? They instead heap praise on him, (the him being Damon Lynch of course). Why not just roll over and endorse Damon Lynch now, save us from the suspense.

I see Greg mentioned Harry Belafonte’s visit. No mention of Cynthia McKinney, I wonder why?

Lynch-Gate
Okay folks, I think I am willing to come out and state the obvious here: this is now officially a scandal. Today's articles have the goods, just don't connect the dots: Greg Korte, Roy Wood, and Kevin Osborne. Now, all of the dots are not clear, but I think enough is there to point to the truth. The two bottom line issue are that Damon Lynch lied to Greg Korte when he said he has been living in Price Hill for 2 years, and his son's enrollment at a Cincinnati Public school without being a city resident raises the issue of out of city tuition. Now the facts.

Lynch's Lie?
What Lynch said in Korte's 08/26/2003 column:

Lynch himself seems nonplussed by the issue. "I've lived there for two years," he said of his Price Hill pad. "It's public record. It's easy to prove - just ask my neighbors. It's a real non-issue, and anyone who raises it is ignoring other issues that need to be discussed."

Now the comments from Ken Lawson, Lynch's lawyer:

Regardless, Lynch has lived in the condo for months, often staying there after working at his church until late at night, Lawson added.

and the report confirming Lynch was a resident of Woodlawn as of June 2003

But Lynch has claimed a 2.5 percent property tax credit on his Woodlawn residence, most recently in June. The state credit, which saves Lynch $77.06 yearly in taxes, may only be claimed on property that is owner-occupied.

So what does this say? To me it says that last week Lynch claimed he had lived in Price Hill for two years, but this week his lawyer says he lived there only a matter of "months. " As of June this year Lynch "declared" to the State of Ohio that he was a resident of Ohio by his act of accepting the special state tax credit. In my opinion that is clearly a lie. In an effort to get on the ballot at the last minute, Damon Lynch was not honest to the public. Is this a crime? I don't think so. Should this be reported in the big press? Well, the pieces are there, but why is no one connecting the dots?

Walnut Hills Tuition
This is a thorny issue for the Lynch family. The Post reported today:

One of Lynch's sons, Eric, attends Walnut Hills High School within the city and doesn't pay non-city resident tuition, which would be about $6,200 annually.

This is where questions need to be asked. How long as Eric Lynch attended Walnut Hills High School? Did he attend last year when his family was claiming residency in Woodlawn? If so, then did the Lynch family pay tution for last year or prior years? Will he now pay tuition for the current year? Does this rise to the level of fraud? Is anyone in a place of power asking these questions? Is the School Board asking these questions? Is Mike Allen asking?

What is keeping Greg Korte from exploring these two issues? The Post's Kevin Osborne has taken on this issue, why not Korte? Larry Frazier was torn apart in a Korte column, but not Lynch. Is he holding back or being held back? Maggie Downs had a column on Convergys held back during the debate on that issue, is Korte being held back in a similar manner until Lynch's ballot status is resolved? It would be odd since these issues directly relate to his residency status and his motives for owning two residences. This makes me wonder. If I can see these facts, I would think others would.

Jene Galvin earned the title of "Stupid Galvin" this week by doing Damon Lynch's dirty laundry.

"Politically, this is the cheapest of political shots and, sadly, it has racial overtones," said Jene Galvin, an adviser to Lynch.

Come on Jene, don't play the race card. Make Lynch do it himself. If a man is going to cry racism, one would hope he is going to make the claim himself, instead of using his white surrogate to shield him from hypocrisy. I wonder if Nate Livingston's challenge to Pat DeWine's residency has "racial overtones?" Hmm, I wonder what Gene would say about that?

UPDATE: Chris Anderson adds some comments. His opinion of Jene Galvin's tactics are akin to mine, but he brings up the hypocricy with a much more vivid view.

Chris Anderson Returns!
And with a roar towards Krogers.

Vigilancia Politica 20030903
I don't know if this one is as good as the last column, but at least it is done. I have some more fun at the expense of a few candidates and other political cast members. If anyone see any areas need address please let me know. I am considering having a theme week next week, maybe a profile of the criminal records for all candidates. I don't know, but that might be worth checking.