Ken Blackwell goes off the deep end

raytri · #1 (**permalink**) 10-25-2006, 06:38 PM

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaind...920.xml&coll=2

Quote:

With polls showing him so far behind that he could drag the entire Republican ticket down to defeat, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell launched an attack last week that took political discourse in Ohio to unplumbed depths.

In the last of four debates, Blackwell accused his Democratic rival for governor, Rep. Ted Strickland, of covering up for a campaign staff member who exposed himself to children and supporting the platform of NAMBLA, the North American Man/Boy Love Association.

By the week's end, the allegations had become more bizarre and outlandish.

Way to go, guys.

Vergilius · #2 (**permalink**) 10-25-2006, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Pullins has repeatedly questioned Strickland's sexuality in interviews and on his political blog. Recently, he took his attacks to a new level, publishing lurid allegations about Strickland without any evidence.

Pullins said as much in a disclaimer he included: "WARNING: As I stated above, these are entirely rumors at this point with no substantiation whatsoever!"

Politics have gotten so shameless.

JP5 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-25-2006, 07:07 PM

"Way to go guys???" Who are you referring to in that remark?

raytri · #4 (**permalink**) 10-25-2006, 07:11 PM

It was an eye-rolling reference to Blackwell and his supporters. I guess I should have included the eye-roll.

ICantBreathe · #5 (**permalink**) 10-26-2006, 05:36 AM

Blackwell is nothing more than vile scum. And he was long before he ever made this statement. He's just getting very desperate because he knows he going to lose his position. With as pathetic as he is, you'd think he would lose by a landslide, but mark my words, it will be fairly close. You just wouldn't believe the number of rednecks in Ohio that will blindly support any Republican candidate.

JavaBlack · #6 (**permalink**) 10-26-2006, 05:45 AM

I'm really glad that in Michigan our candidates are focused on economics and they're both plenty useless. It's made the exaggerated attack ads stay within the realm of decency, despite being really annoying.

I've heard there was a senator somewhere being attacked as a pervert because he funded health study funds of which maybe a grant or two (out of thousands) went to studies of sexual psychology or behavior.

Soometimes I just hate people. You can blame these slime politicians all you like. They're not the ones eating up these exaggerated and sometimes flat-out LYING attack ads year in and year out. The fact that these ads still keep popping up show that many of our voters are still idiots.

Beagle66 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-26-2006, 06:02 AM

When a political party was do desperate?

And with every single dispicable thing the GOP does, it backfires.

I keep wondering if Karl Rove isn't secretly maneuvering things so that the Democrats take control of Congress so the Republican Party can then blame Democrats for Iraq in 2008 (although I'll bet he doesn't want control of the senate to shift since senate terms are 6 years and a shift in the senate could last quite a while) .

ICantBreathe · #8 (**permalink**) 10-26-2006, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beagle66";p=&quot

When a political party was do desperate?

The Democratic party has been just as desperate in recent times, they just aren't nearly as good at the theatrics as the GOP.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beagle66";p=&quot

And with every single dispicable thing the GOP does, it backfires.

You give them too little credit. The GOP has lately been very very good at manipulating the American people via framing and other techniques.

The12thMan · #9 (**permalink**) 10-26-2006, 08:39 AM

I fail to see why it's OK for the Democrats to try to pin Foley's guilt onto other Republicans, but Strickland can hire a convicted sex offender and should be left alone. Strickland employed a congressional staffer who had been convicted of exposing himself to children. Don't we all agree that it is absurd to hire a man for such a job without doing a criminal background check?

There's a little spin to the NAMBLA claim too. Blackwell did not say that Strickland supported the platform of NAMBLA, rather he said that NAMBLA applauded his vote on a specific resolution. Why should a fact like that be off the table? Strickland had the opportunity to explain his reason for not voting for the resolution.

Quote:

...To recap, Blackwell said Strickland did not vote for a resolution condemning sex between adults and children as a U.S. congressman.

That vote led NAMBLA, an organization that promotes sex between adults and consenting minors, to applaud Strickland, Blackwell said. Blackwell also said Strickland knew, employed and traveled with a man convicted of exposing himself to young children in Washington and Athens counties.

``It goes right at his judgment,'' Blackwell said.

The accusations were raised at the same time Republican candidates around the country are attempting to distance themselves from the scandal enveloping U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., who resigned after acknowledging he sent sexually graphic text messages to former House pages. Strickland appeared before reporters after the debate to elaborate on his responses to Blackwell's accusations.

The Democrat reiterated he never knowingly employed anyone in his campaign or congressional office that did not share his same values. But he does acknowledge a former employee was convicted of exposing himself.

As for the resolution, Strickland said he did not vote for or against the idea, but instead was recorded as present.

He said he supported a number of the ideas in the resolution, but could not vote yes because it contained a sentence he did not agree with.

That sentence, Strickland said, stated that sexually exploited children are unable to develop healthy affectionate relationships in later life, have sexual dysfunctions and have a tendency to become sexual abusers as adults.

Strickland said he did not believe that as a human being or psychologist, and he also believes God would not condemn a young victim to never having a chance to lead a normal adult life....

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/15777857.htm

Strickland was one of 13 who were recorded as present. Here's a link to the resolution.
http://www.paedosexualitaet.de/scien...lution107.html

Whereas the Supreme Court has recognized that `sexually exploited children are unable to develop healthy affectionate relationships in later life, have sexual dysfunctions, and have a tendency to become sexual abusers as adults' (New York v. Ferber, 458 U.S. 747, 758, n.9 (1982));

Facts do have a tendency to get in the way, don't they?

raytri · #10 (**permalink**) 10-26-2006, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The12thMan";p=&quot

I fail to see why it's OK for the Democrats to try to pin Foley's guilt onto other Republicans, but Strickland can hire a convicted sex offender and should be left alone.

The difference between a sitting member of Congress and a staffer, for one. The question turns on what Strickland knew, not something he personally did.

I think Strickland was a bit incurious. But the charge in question appears to have been minor, as well. It was a misdemeanor, and the record has since been sealed.

Quote:

Don't we all agree that it is absurd to hire a man for such a job without doing a criminal background check?

Depends on the job.

Quote:

There's a little spin to the NAMBLA claim too. Blackwell did not say that Strickland supported the platform of NAMBLA, rather he said that NAMBLA applauded his vote on a specific resolution. Why should a fact like that be off the table? Strickland had the opportunity to explain his reason for not voting for the resolution.

At the risk of invoking Godwin's Law, the American Nazi party applauds anti-immigrant measures. Should candidates bring that up when debating Republicans? Trying to associate your opponent with extremist groups that happen to agree with a specific vote is intellectually and ethically vapid.

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