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Ohio GOP Still Chasing Undecideds; Dems Making Sure Supporters Pull The Lever
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- "Remember, there's early voting in Ohio so don't wait," said Barack Obama, at a rally in Toledo. There was a tinge of urgency in his voice. The candidate was in the Buckeye State this week because the race here is almost a dead heat. A CNN/Time poll puts Obama up by 3; the Ohio Newspaper Poll puts McCain up by 2.
"The race is going one way -- then the next day, it goes the other way. Ohio is flopping like a fish," said Jimmy Georgiades, operations manager at WKTX-AM 830 radio, a local station in Youngstown. Callers to WKTX are upset with both candidates. "We all want change, but to what? Neither candidate will give us an honest answer."
WKTX is a local station with an "ethnic playlist." That's radio jargon for an audience comprised of "working class people who busted their humps for this country. They built the bridges, worked the farms, and transported the goods," said Georgiades. In Ohio, these folks are also called the prized demographic, yet the Obama camp didn't buy air time on WKTX. Georgiades is fuming. "We may not have big numbers, but we reach the people who turn on their radios and stay with us all day." He won't be voting for either candidate.
WKTX isn't the only local radio station passed over by the Democrats. "They haven't spent a single penny at our station," said Skip Bednarczyk, station manager at JAMZ 101.9 (WRPB-FM), which airs a hip-hop playlist for a mostly urban audience. "Obama is taking this audience for granted, and it's a mistake because their commitment is softer than he thinks," Bednarczyk told OffTheBus.
The big political advertiser on JAMZ 101.9 this month is a national right-wing group called America's PAC, which is urging African Americans to vote for McCain. Their radio spots cover everything from warrantless wiretapping to school choice; the most inflammatory commercials mention abortion. Click below to listen to a spot airing on JAMZ 101.9.
Set to a R'n'B groove, here's an excerpt from that script:
From what does our community suffer? Is it some idiotic insult from Trent Lott or Bill Clinton? Or is it something deeper? Our community suffers from spouses who no longer consider marriage a sacrament. We suffer from children who grow up without a father's discipline, and from school's that teach our kids that they're no better than animals. Vote your values! Vote Republican.
The GOP must believe it can make inroads into Youngstown's urban community, because this month the second-biggest buy on the city's hip-hop air waves was made by the Mahoning County Republican Party.
Why Were Canvassers Ignoring Undecided Voters?
Both candidates have been trying to lock-in as many "likely" supporters as possible through early voting, in order to focus on undecided voters during the last days of the race, according to Bloomberg.com. "This strategy favors McCain," said Rich Beeson, political director of the Republican National Committee, who feels the GOP has a more targeted voter list.
Speaking off the record, an Obama staffer told OffTheBus his canvassers have been talking to undecided voters all along. But have they? Or is that wishful thinking? Canvassers in Youngstown encountered few "persuadables." Instead, they were assigned to register new voters and to help people leaning toward Obama feel good about their choice.
Kate Black, a non-profit consultant from New York City, drove 400 miles in a rented car to help out in Youngstown. "Obama is the first leader whose vision I embrace, and whose journey I respect and admire," she told OffTheBus. Black, who has a special interest in criminal justice reform, is most proud of helping register a man just released from prison who is now pursuing a degree in psychology and criminal justice at Youngstown State University. "People who vote become better citizens. They have a stake in society. Besides, America is a country where we believe in second chances."
According to Black, about 30 percent of the election officials in Ohio are not aware that individuals with misdemeanor convictions can vote in Ohio.
Volunteer Michele Hirsch, a freelance writer from New York City, was surprised by the apathy on Youngstown State's campus. "I'd hoped it would be brimming with eager, engaged kids, but it wasn't," she told OffTheBus. "One guy told me he was trying to unregister before the election. That's right! He was so dissatisfied with the candidates that he asked the Board of Elections how he might disenfranchise himself."
Now that registration is over, volunteers are going door-to-door with an updated list of talking points. "My canvassing conversations rarely turn into policy discussions," said Jonathan Geeting, an administrator for a NYC non-governmental organization. "Most people simply want a better feel for how the candidate will lead the country. I've found that a personal story goes a lot further." Geeting didn't sway any undecided voters, but he was pleased by the diversity of support for Obama, which included "very old people, working-class white voters, and disaffected Republicans who were more than happy to put up lawn signs."
Youngstown is full of people who don't fit any of the voter stereotypes. Volunteer Jane Carlen, a former government employee, introduced OffTheBus to a health food store employee who "loves her guns as much as her organic tea."
The city is also full of people getting lost in the shuffle. Many retirees can't vote early because it would mean driving to the Southside Annex, more than a half hour away in downtown Youngstown. Several seniors told volunteers that they ordered absentee ballots in early September, but the Board of Elections said the ballots might not arrive before Election Day.
Let The End-Games Begin
"I'm not confident about Ohio," said Helen Bednarczyk, a southern nurse who recently moved to a Youngstown suburb. Bednarczyk was a registered Republican in Texas, but she's voting for Obama in November. "I'm struck by all the devastation in Ohio, the lack of jobs. Obama is more in tune with these workers, and he has a better strategy for their healthcare. Even so, you'd be amazed at all the McCain signs in my neighborhood." At a recent golf outing, Bednarczyk and her husband were the only Obama supporters in the large group that included a lesbian couple.
And not everyone in Youngstown is color blind. Lucky Penny, an African American DJ with JAMZ 101.9, was greeted by obscene gestures when he canvassed in suburban Boardman. "It makes no sense to me that the polls are this close. Given the condition of America, Obama should get the job automatically," he told OffTheBus.
Lucky Penny became actively involved in getting out the vote when he met Black, Hirsch, and Carlen. "That they would drive such a long way, and sleep over at people's houses, just to canvass for a guy they believe in...that shows me a lot. It's their future, and they're willing to work hard for it."
During his radio show, Lucky Penny reminds listeners to vote: "Don't let anyone trick you into not voting. Find out the truth. Vote!"
He has reason to be concerned. Already more than 200,000 newly registered voters in Ohio may be blocked from casting regular ballots on Election Day, due to a GOP voter list challenge. Ohio Republican chairman Robert T. Bennett called this week's lower court ruling, which backed the challenge, "a victory for the integrity of Ohio's election."
Law professor and voting expert Daniel P. Tokaji, Ohio State University, called the decision wrong. Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Meanwhile for the past few days, Ohio citizens have been telling OffTheBus that what they need most from the new president is a break. But will they get one from the courts? Let the end-games begin...
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**UPDATE** The U.S. Supreme Court sided Friday with Secretary of State Brunner (D) in the dispute over voter registration. It appears the law does not allow private entities, like the Ohio GOP, to file suit to enforce provisions of the Help America Vote Act of 2000. At stake were about 200,000 of the 666,000 new voters who registered in Ohio since Jan. 1.
**UPDATE 2** A week after the Supreme Court dismissed the case, President Bush last Friday asked the Justice Dept. to look into whether those 200,000 new Ohio voters must "reconfirm" their registrations before Election Day, to make certain mismatches don't signal fraudulent registrations. Democrats countered that eligible voters could be disqualified over minor discrepancies such as transposed numbers in an address. Six former Justice Dept. lawyers urged the Attorney General to ensure that voter registration investigations don't disenfranchise eligible minorities.
Follow Diane Tucker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/dianetucker
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If people understood why taxes are collected in the first place they would not get so caught up in polictical "tax mumbo-jumbo". The Republicans have created an inefficient govenment system of tax distribution. It should be obvious to all that government has failed to invest in the infrastructure (public services systems). USA communications systems are out dated (very poor/no Information System Integration).
People keep saying that they don't understand what Obama is all about, it is obvious he does understand the importance of communications & the use of "Information Techology". An investment in better IT integration would create efficiencies in government processes immediately and the cost would also justify immediately.
Ohio, especially Cincinnati needs to get rid of the loser mentality (like rooting for the Bengals it appears that Ohio Republicans would also vote for losing campaign platforms). Change is necessary and eminent.
Get receipts for who you vote for. LET'S STOP THIS VOTER FRAUD!!
If there such type of "receipt'?
If so, I am surprised this very good advice has not been more broadcast.
This is a very useful tool.
As a native Ohioan (57 yrs.), my opinion is; people living in Ohio should read the following to understand what taxation is all about:
“Taxation, system of raising money to finance government. All governments require payments of money—taxes—from people. Governments use tax revenues to pay soldiers and police, to build dams and roads, to operate schools and hospitals, to provide food to the poor and medical care to the elderly, and for hundreds of other purposes. Without taxes to fund its activities, government could not exist.
Taxation is the most important source of revenues for modern governments, typically accounting for 90 percent or more of their income. The remainder of government revenue comes from borrowing and from charging fees for services. Countries differ considerably in the amount of taxes they collect. In the United States, about 30 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), a measure of economic output, went for tax payments in 2000. ...... As a result of a new round of tax cuts in 2003, the tax percentage share of GDP was expected to be lower than at any time since 1959 when many major government programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, did not exist. In Canada about 35 percent of the country’s gross domestic product goes for taxes. In France the figure is 45 percent, and in Sweden it is 51 percent.” (http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761573037/Taxation.html#461547848)
Mean spirited Hamilton County hates caring for the poor and elderly.
What is so blatantly obvious and yet what most people do not understand is that for every dollar that the Feds cut will have to be made up for by the states...counties...cities! THAT is what the right wingers never tell you!
With the Dems’propensity to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, could it be beginning to happen …again? Looks like it’s a habit that’s hard to break!
To all you puffed-up Dems., the fat lady ain’t singing yet…we haven’t heard any arias!
Heck, do I see the polls tightening…yet again?
I’m not even a registered Rep. and I’m gonna be dragging every pal, relative and next door neighbor to the polls. Let’s see if your “huge organization of Obama election fraud ground-staff can come close to matching the unstoppable force when EVERY Rep. does that, which they surely would, considering the anger you Dems. and your beloved lib. media have aroused!
When push comes to shove, the sheer thought that this country could be run by an extreme leftist Prez., as well as both the House and Senate will send shudders down every independent spine when they’re standing before the ballot box!
Consider this report:
James Pethokoukis
U.S. News and World Report
October 16, 2008
“A while back I chatted with a University of Chicago professor who was a frequent lunch companion of Obama’s. This professor said that Obama was as close to a full-out Marxist as anyone who has ever run for president of the United States.”
Obama himself told Joe the Plumber that he intends to “spread the wealth around”. That’s as Marxist as it gets! Scary!!!
This in only scary to the filthy rich. Obama isn't a Marxist. He just wants to protect the lower and middle class from the big bad ultra-rich boggy men that have trashed the economy the last 8 years.
I don't think Obama will win OH due to many bitter racist.These so called undecided voters would rather die then vote for Obama.I'm not holding by breath for OH.Obama/Biden '08/'12
At this point, there are no undecided voters. They are lying if they say they are.
It is absolutely correct to believe that there are Ohioans who will not vote for Obama simply because he is a black man. You find these people all along the Ohio river and up the western counties of Ohio. They are pure and simple undereducated, low information voters who fall for the rhetoric of the likes of Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly et al. They spew the same lame talking points they hear on these programs and believe they know all there is to know about Obama. And God forbid if they let facts get in the way of their narrow-minded beliefs. They talk and act like a bunch of racists who cut their nose off to spite their face. They continually vote against their own economic survival because the repubs use wedge issues to get their vote and then forget about them until the next election when their vote is needed again. As an Ohioan born and bred I am sick of these people deciding the fate of our state and our country with their ignorance of the facts and their narrow-minded beliefs!
Thank God for Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner for fighting off reactionary thugs. After 2000 and 2004 when the Florida and Ohio Secs basically allowed Republicans to harass and challenge valid voters, we now have someone who is willing to show sound judgement and common sense. Even the Supreme Court agreed with her. Let's hope we have people like Secretary Brunner in other key states that may face the same challenge.
"WKTX is a local station with an "ethnic playlist." That's radio jargon for an audience comprised of "working class people who busted their humps for this country."
Get real "ethnic playlist" is actually radio jargon and political code for "white Americans."
People in the main stream media throw the term "ethnic Americans" around but scream foul when called out on their racism. Every human is "ethnic" there is no such thing as "an ethnic American." Unless you are speaking of a Native American Indian.
"Ethnic American," has long been used to indicat "white American," specifically a white protestant" and to single out and differentiat from Black, Jewish, or Hispanic/Latino Americans.
There is a lot of talk about ethnic minorities in the USA, but there is NO ethnic majority in the USA.
Columbus, Cinci, Cleveland and Dayton will all go to Obama which will win the state for Obama.
Another factor to consider, it that OH is an industrial state. Many there have lost jobs to out-sourcing. Many people blame most of that on the GOP, but some blame must still fall to Clinton and his NAFTA. However, McCain has embraced free-trade/out-souring to the max. That may come to haunt him and the GOP in OH.
If Obama proves that he wants to encourage factories to make things like wind-turbines to create jobs in the mid-west, he and Joe can take OH and keep MN.
In a state like Ohio that's going to go right down to the wire, it makes sense for the Obama campaign and the Dems to invest in the local radio airwaves for three pretty good reasons: reach the older voters who are more likely to listen to radio (and show up at the polls), counteract Republican PAC mischief, and share a little wealth with a part of the country than could use an injection of cash, as well as hope.
The problem I see with people making up their minds is that they look to polls and debates for the answers. Polls are not answered by the candidates, they are the answers from the people being polled.
The debates are about a horse and pony show mandated by the media and each candidate's responses to the questions. It is never in any politician's interest to be too clear in a debate because that just leads to more off-topic replies by the opponent, further confusing the conversation.
People MUST learn the issues themselves and not rely on talking heads for the details. Both candidates have web sites where they publish their positions on just about everything. Obama's has far more details and facts than McCain does.
You want to make a decision? Take the time to learn yourself and become an informed voter. And stop listening to campaign ads...they are no better than toothpaste ads when it comes to understanding the content of the candidates.
Just imagine Colgate airing ads about Crest toothpaste. Colgate will tell you that if you use Crest your teeth will fall out. Crest will tell you that Colgate will turn your teeth green..we know that's not true but that is exactly what happens in a political ad. That is why God invented the MUTE button !
I am voting Obama. I just don't trust the "new" McCain and Palin is too scary to contemplate as a VP / President.
I agree with you completely!
Advertising is a cruel medium of influence, I often wonder why people are so lazy to let a TV commercial become the foundation of a belief system.
Obama's body language, his message, and the need for government change is obvious. Where does he begin to explain why? Status Quo has gotten us no where. Racial fear and hatred have plagued this nation for too long and it has gotten us no where. This country is becoming a Third World Nation: no jobs, educational system sucks and internally people are at odds with each other.
People should be scared of McCain and Palin-they are mimics copying everything the Democrates are campaigning about like "Change" while pushing conservatism "which means no change". What is that?
Very well written article. And it's true. Radio stations across NEOH aren't getting the "big" buys from either Obama or McCain. The attack ads and the like are mostly on TV stations, which, in fact, does piss off a lot of listeners, who do in fact rely on radio for their news and information (yes folks, there are still people out there who do not rely on the Internet for whatever reason).
I'm hoping that, with this being discussed, these candidates will start "closing the deal" by flooding radio like they do television. Then again, I am a bit biased to radio (I worked for a number of stations over the years before leaving the industry earlier this year).
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