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Tuesday, July 26, 2005

OH-2: Liveblogging INSIDE the Hackett Debate

Posted by Tim Tagaris

The marvels of modern technology. I am literally sitting in the debate room, ready to live-blog the Hackett v. Schmidt debate. Please let everyone know and check back for live updates often. I will probably be able to upload photos as we go, and will have video later tonight or tomorrow.

http://www.actblue.com/list/hackett

Opening Statements: Paul Hackett begins. "I want to serve as your next Congressman in Washington. I grew up the son of a traveling salesmen... I've been blessed, and to whom much is given, much is expected... I didn't get a call from the government, I called them. It was the best way I knew how to support the troops.

Jean Schmidt: "I am the REPUBLICAN nominee for congress... I've done a lot of walking, and more importantly a lot of listening." Urgh! She just played the London & Egypt terrorism card. "THE ENEMIES OF FREEDOM ARE STILL ON THE MARCH!!!" (Grab your duct tape.

Flat Tax! She wants a "real discussion on a flat tax." Wow. More soon....

Paul: While Bob Taft and Jean Schmidt should have been worried about... they were worried about investing money in rare coins."

I gotta be honest, I am losing connectivity by the second, so this is getting very frustrating (I will keep trying).

UPDATE 2: Education

Paul: “We need strong leaders willing to stand up to one party rule in Columbus and Washington, D.C. that got us into this place.

Schmidt: NCLB is the first step to creating an educated workplace. We have 50 states with 50 different attitudes towards education.

Energy:

Schmidt: We must reduce our dependency on foreign oil. The person who uses the most foreign oil generally gets to sit down with the cartel and decide what the prices are going to be. We are about to lose that seat.

She goes on to ethanol.

Paul: "We need to spend on our money on scientific research and education, and do it wisely. He talked about China as well. "In the first 2 years when this energy bill takes effect, it will allow for $40 billion dollars worth of sugar-based ethanol will decimate the farming communities in Southern Ohio.

UPDATE 3:

Health Care:

Jean - Expand the health care savings account, and look at tort reform to reduce the cost overall and look at that as a solution to reduce it.

Social Security:

The moderator asked directly if they supported privatization.

Paul: No.

1.) The government shouldn't spend Soc. Sec. money on anything else.

2.) Raise the income level. Increase the income level to $150,000. "If freedom isn't free, the wealthiest have to pay their share too."

Jean:

I've repeatedly stated what I am for or against with Social Security.

I won't cut benefits, I'm opposed to raising the cap and the retirement age, and I am opposed to privatization.

"Raising the cap won't solve the problem. You only push the problem another few years out."

In other words, she literally has no solution, at all. I'd be curious to see how her stance on privatization has changed if anyone can dig that up.

AHHHHH!

She just said it, she is "for personal savings account." And she did it all drawn out like, like it was something different than privatization.

UPDATE 4:

Posted at 05:44 PM in Ohio | Technorati

Comments

Tim:

Is this being televised anywhere? C-SPAN? I'd love to watch it.

If not, will there be video or transcripts available?

Thanks for liveblogging by the way.

Posted by: docciavelli at July 26, 2005 06:28 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

See the CNN Video Clip here – length 2 minutes 30 seconds - Link, or you can right click and download the clip – only 4 MB.

I was so excited, I sent in some more spare change via Act Blue

Posted by: Al Rodgers at July 26, 2005 07:43 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

We're back to the "Personal" vs. "Private" thing again, eh? Someone tell Schmidt that elderly voters don't care what you call it--it's still inordinate messing-around with a system that's served them fairly well for years.

Dare I say we've got a "flip-flop" on our hands to exploit?

As such, thanks for the link to the CNN video Al, but I'm specifically looking for video or transcript of the debate tonight.

Posted by: docciavelli at July 26, 2005 08:02 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

Al!

Thank you,and thank you again.

I have video of the debate that I will probably have up tomorrow.

Tim

Posted by: Tim Tagaris at July 26, 2005 08:09 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

Thanks for reporting on the debate.

We all need to get behind Paul Hackett. I've got my own race to run, but until next Wednesday I'm focused on Ohio's 2nd district.

Paul's refreshing honesty will be good for Portsmouth, good for Cincinnati, and a heartening win for the rest of Ohio.

   Jimmy Stewart
   Democratic Candidate for State Rep.,
   Ohio's 22nd District

Posted by: Jimmy Stewart at July 27, 2005 02:37 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

Paul Hackett in my opinion would be an excellent congressman. Jean Schmidt is a corrupt vile women who, like all republicans, cares only for the rich. She, like all republicans, wants to cut taxes BUT those tax cuts are focused at the wealthy 1% of Americans who back her campaign. Jean Schmidt is an idiot she has made so many blunders and the only reason she will be elected is because of the Congressional District she is running in. She wants to bring in MEGA FARMS, the second congressional district is in a farming community and in a farming state. She also tried to counter Paul Hackett's military record by stating her nephew was thinking of joining the military, BIG DEAL!!! Paul Hackett on the other hand has made gain after gain and destroyed Schmidt in the debate. He wants to raise taxes on the upper classes, protect farming communities, create an exit strategy for the idiotic war in Iraq, and bring more jobs to the district. Schmidt is in trouble and on August 2nd will pull off a narrow victory of Hackett. Hackett has a chance of winning and hopefully will. He is beginning to raise money and recieve endorsements from other Democrats across the nation. On August 2nd I hope the people of the 2nd Congressional District make the right choice and VOTE HACKETT!!!

Posted by: Craig at July 28, 2005 11:39 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment