Ohio Gov.: Clinton Is More Electable

Political Players: Ted Strickland Defends His Candidate, Predicts Wins In Ohio, Texas And Pennsylvania

(CBS)  Political Players is a weekly conversation with the leaders, consultants, and activists who shape American politics. This week, CBS News' Brian Goldsmith talked with Ohio Governor Ted Strickland about his presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, and the challenge she faces in his state's must-win Democratic primary on March 4.

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CBSNews.com: Governor, you must be disappointed with the fact that Senator Clinton has suffered through ten straight losses since February the 5th.

Ted Strickland: Well, of course, I would have preferred she had won those ten races. But I am pleased that the delegate count is fairly close. And I look forward to her potential wins in Texas, Ohio, and then Pennsylvania. And I think that will make her well-positioned to go the distance.

CBSNews.com: But she was the overwhelming favorite at the beginning of this race. She had so many assets at her disposal--and stratospheric poll numbers. What do you think went wrong?

Ted Strickland: Well, first of all, I think Barack Obama is a superb candidate. And he has had all the resources he could possibly need to compete. But I also think that Hillary Clinton never expected to walk away with the nomination without a fight.

And if you look at the states that she’s won-- New York, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Arizona, and I think that's going to include Ohio and Pennsylvania and hopefully Texas--I think she has won the states that are going to be critical for a Democrat to win in November in order to win the presidency.

Barack Obama has won some states that we probably don't have a realistic chance of winning in November under the best of circumstances. So it's a competitive race. I'm not willing to dance on her political grave. I think she has a very good chance of coming back and taking the lead and eventually winning the nomination.

CBSNews.com: But the problem with the argument that he's won a bunch of states the Democrats don't need is Wisconsin. That’s a critical state that has voted for Democrats in every election for twenty years. And their demographics are very similar to Ohio’s. So how do you explain her losing Wisconsin?

Ted Strickland: Well, I think Obama had the support of some of the political insiders there in Wisconsin, which I assume was helpful to him, including the support of Governor Jim Doyle. But, listen, Ohio in my judgment is unique among the states in its diversity. And it is more like America, I believe, than nearly any other state.

And so we'll just see what Ohio does. I think if the election were held today, Senator Clinton would win convincingly. But there are a couple of weeks to go and the people will eventually make the decision. And, of course, we will accept that decision. But I believe being only about 65 to 68 delegates behind at this time, it's so premature to assume that this contest is over.

As I said, if she comes back and wins Texas and Ohio and Pennsylvania, then she will have demonstrated that in the states that are essential to us winning in November that she is the stronger candidate.

CBSNews.com: What does she have to do now to win your state?

Ted Strickland: Well, Bill Clinton carried Ohio twice. Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton have spent a lot of time in Ohio.

When I was in Congress from rural Ohio, Hillary Clinton was in my congressional district at least five times herself campaigning for her husband and, at times, campaigning for me. And so I think Hillary Clinton understands the importance of campaigning throughout Ohio and that all parts of Ohio are essential to her win.

I also think she's got to do well in the debates. And the last and final debate will take place in in Cleveland, Ohio, next Tuesday night.

And I believe she does well in debates. But I think the debate in Ohio will be so widely watched that it could, in fact, be the determining factor in who carries Ohio. And Senator Clinton's message--economic growth, dealing with the mortgage foreclosure crisis, providing health care to all people, leaving no one out, her tactful approach to ending the Iraq war and withdrawing our troops in a safe manner--I think those are messages that the common sense folks in Ohio will embrace and will be attracted to.

[juan343]

The media acts as though no one opposed the undeclared war in Iraq from the beginning. Many Americans voiced their concerns, and were skeptical of the Bush assertion that this war would be swift and the insinuation that we wouldn''t have any American casualties because we would topple Saddam right away. Here we are many years later, and as many of us from the beginning suspected, many thousands of innocent Iraqi people are dead, thousands of our own (the bravest) Americans are dead or maimed. Obama gives a good speech, but he voted Yea (YES) to continue funding this undeclared War. Clinton and McCain also voted Yea to continue funding this undeclared Iraq War.
I hope the media loses in their ambition to anoint the next President.

[juan343]

Ron Paul is the only candidate that talks about going after Osama Bin Forgotten. Ron Paul is the only candidate that authorized targeted military action to take out the Osama Bin Laden network. Ron Paul is the only candidate that had the vision and leadership to vote against the Iraq war (when those in the media and Federal government were hell bent on invading this bystander country). Ron Paul is the only candidate that talks about securing our ports and border and is serious about it. This country is going to be a train wreck if McClinObama takes over the White House. I hope the American people wake up and give Ron Paul a shot. If Ron Paul can''t do it this time, I will guarantee you in four years, when the country is in worse shape and Osama Bin Forgotten hasn''t been captured by McClinObama, Ron Paul will emerge as a strong candidate for President.

[juan343]

Obama and Clinton are both electable, because the media will push for either one of these fakes to win. I hope a third party candidate crashes the party.

[juan343]

Obama wants to subsidize Health Care Insurance companies (hoping they will reduce their premiums to consumers), well that will just raise costs for the average consumer as the For-Profit Insurance companies will take out their share. So basically, we pay higher taxes to subsidize Health care insurance companies, and then get back less money through the proported lower premiums.
Obama wants to give $5000 grants to college students (sounds great), but then the colleges will raise tuition by $5000 (wanting to provide better professors pay, more facilities), and the students are in the same boat, meanwhile every American is paying higher taxes to subsidize this foolish plan.
Clinton wants Universal Health Care, well the VA system is one of the most inefficient systems (due to beurocracy, although Veterans do get good quality care) with very high costs. Now spread that on a national scale and that will be a disaster. Plus, all these proponents of this type of universal plan forget, universal health care equals less access to the newest treatments. As for preventive medicine theorists, Americans know if they lose weight they will lead a healthier lifestyle, but the rate of obesity continues to rise. Doctors and nurses can talk to patient''s until they are blue in the face, but until Americans accept individual responsibility for their own actions and lives, health care in America will never improve, even with universal health care.

[jack3213]

CLINTON IS A WOLF IN SHEEPS CLOTHING.
OBAMA IS A MUSLIM.

MCCAIN IS OUR NEXT PRESIDENT.
Very simple.

[eddynewhope]

Senator Obama seems to be dealing with the heat pretty well against the Clintons and their "opposition research" team is no slouch. Give credit where credit is due - Hillary has the highest paid team of political operatives in history working to discredit Obama and they have failed miserably.

[popstom1]

Ken Star spent 70 MILLION Trying prove that the clinton''s were all the bad thing in life the republican''s tryed the media has tryed now Obamanites are haveing a hand at it I vote Hillary Obama won''t take the heat

[user168-2009]

Hillary supporters, watch out for your donation $ - they are cold cuts and dips -

"There''s been a lot of talk about Hillary Clinton''s campaign financing and how they were running short of money... Maybe this is the reason:

Nearly $100,000 went for party platters and groceries before the Iowa caucuses, even though the partying mood evaporated quickly. Rooms at the Bellagio luxury hotel in Las Vegas consumed more than $25,000; the Four Seasons, another $5,000. And top consultants collected about $5 million in January, a month of crucial expenses and tough fund-raising. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton%u2019s latest campaign finance report, published Wednesday night, appeared even to her most stalwart supporters and donors to be a road map of her political and management failings. Several of them, echoing political analysts, expressed concerns that Mrs. Clinton%u2019s spending priorities amounted to costly errors in judgment that have hamstrung her competitiveness against Senator Barack Obama of Illinois."

America, watch out, Hillary and Bill wants to live like the "king and I" in the White House Castle they''ve been dreaming, with your $ - more cold cuts and dips!

[twoeyes2c]

Democrats do not be deceived by the independents and "others" voting in the democratic primaries for Obama. They are only voting to defeat Clinton so that Obama can be nominated. If he is nominated we will have another four years of the republican administration because McCain will get all of their votes plus the votes Clinton would have received. Clinton can beat McCain; Obama cannot! This political arena is a game; if you do not know the rules you can''t play. Clinton knows the rules;Obama is learning the game.

[eddynewhope]

Hillary is loosing and her supporters are getting more desperate and more shrill.

[kstar42]

Obama.... He is dishonest to the point of no integrity and selling American dream for his dream of money and power.

[user168-2009]

George Will recently reminded us yesterday about President James Buchanan. He had experience: 8 years as an ambassador, 10 years in the U.S. House of Reps, 10 years as a U.S. Senator, 4 years as the Sec of State. In 1856 he was elected president and in just four years earned the worst president in history award. (The current president may though soon usurp this award). He was followed by a president with only a single 2-year term in Congress. His name was Abraham Lincoln. He was challenged from day one and the country is still unified because of him. Go Obama.

Posted by Vet_SK


Thanks Vet_SK, Ohio Gov. is mainly returning his personal favor and ignoring the truth. He is just as brain-dead and narcissistic as Hillary.

[jason_randon]

O-Bomb-US Hussein Barack. You are all full of it.

[jason_randon]

November 4th 2004 Chicago Sun Times.
Senator Obama told the media when asked if he would run for President in 2008
His answer%u201D What a silly question, I have just been elected a Illinois Senator. I have never been to Washington and will serve out my term as Senator to the people of Illinois. I would have no idea what to do in Washington..

Mrs. Obama, sometimes things are not as they appear.
A brilliant speaker, Mr Obama often uses the rhetorical trick of rapidly repeating words and slogans and using catchy phrases that tend to attract young Americans, while having very little substance.
Favourites include the call: %u201CWe are the hope of the future. We are the ones we%u2019ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.%u201D

His real name is Barack Hussein Obama.

A very good tap dancer

[tulcak]

saying that clinton is more electable is like saying that there is no global warming. neither mccain nor clinton stand any chance. Obama has inspired us like no one has since martin luther king, jr. and robert kennedy. besides the democrats, he is attracting the majority of the independents, the cross-over republicans, and white males. neither mccain nor clinton have attracted any but small numbers from these groups. its all over folks, its President Obama for 8 years. its inevitable and its obvious.

[jack99123]

Only white guilt could explain the insanely
hyperbolic descriptions of Obama%u2019s %u201Celoquence.%u201D
His speeches are a run-on string of embarrassing,
sophomoric Hallmark bromides and blatant copies of others.
In 2001, he voted %u201Cpresent%u201D on a measure to keep
pornographic books and video stores 1,000 feet
away from schools and churches, and in 1999, he
voted against a requirement to make schools filter
internet pornography from school computers.
But the richest irony in the contrast is this:

Obama has admitted in his biography to using
cocaine in high school and college. Do you want a drug addict to be the President of the greatest nation on earth?

His former Roman Catholic and Muslim teachers,
along with two people who were identified by
Obama%u2019s grade-school teacher as childhood friends,
say Obama was registered by his family as a Muslim
at both of the schools he attended.
It is shameful that Hussein Obama argued that each and every member of the
military who volunteered to serve and died in Iraq
%u201Cwasted%u201D his/her life. Families of our brave soldiers will never forgive him for that. Will America join Europe, sticking its head in the
sand, enabling Islamism by ignoring it? Iran certainly
hopes so. Like Al Qaeda, Iran%u2019s leaders must be
praying every day that Americans turn to a candidate
like Barack Hussein Obama.
Hussein of Iraq must be laughing in his grave .

[redox21]

Obama the neophyte? The Clintons have made even bigger missteps than the Obamas. Bill dropped the ball big time in SC. Hillary keeps trying to shame Obama and it makes her look petty. The Obamas missteps have been minor, and their overall campaign has been close to flawless. That''s why Hillary''s 20-30 point leads have evaporated in a matter of weeks.

All Hillary has done in this election is slip backwards amongst her most faithful, and that should raise a big red flag for Democratic voters. She''s only shown potential to lose, not win, independent voters and that''s a sure ticket to McCain presidency.

[libra127]

"Vote Obama, at least he isn''t as liberal, or outright socialist, as Hillary is"
Posted by clgl_fubar at 11:54 PM : Feb 23, 2008

Sorry, this is NOT TRUE. Obama has been rated to be the MOST LIBERAL member of the Senate in 2007. See http://nj.nationaljournal.com/voteratings

These comments certainly square with the way Hillary is perceived by her admirers. She has gone through the kiss of fire and she''s still here. She would know how to deal with the Swiftboaters, she can stand up to McCain because the Administration in which she was the First Lady knew how to reach out to the rest of the world. They didn''t try to fight with everybody or insult our allies. They were not arrogant as the Bush Administration has been nor are they like the war monger McCain shows himself to be. Obama might be good, too, but he is still an unknown quantity. Hillary is gracious, diplomatic, and polished. Both Obama and his spouse have already made missteps typical of neophytes. America needs wisdom in the White House!

[loriscott2]

Part of the appeal of Obama is that he hasn''t been around Washington long enough to be tainted. He has pushed through more lesilation since he has been there than Hillary. So, for those he keep spouting what is NOT TRUE, find out first instead of repeating untruths. What exactly HAS Hillary done lately?

I will go for the smart one instead of the familiar dirty politician who polarizes.

Texas for Obama!