Ohio Elections A Bellwether?

Well, this convinces ME, at least. The most fanatically right-wing of Republican groups - godhatesfags.com - protesting against the war instead of fags? Going so far right that they’re on the far left? These are crazy, crazy times. The world’s turned upside down, ma! Imagine that - Christian fundamentalists opposing war because they’re too Christian!

news.yahoo.com/s/kmbc/20050805/lo_kmbc/2866367

Not that what Mr. Phelps is doing is tactful, tasteful, or right. He’s doing an admirable job of being a completely evil, despicable, hate-mongering prick wherever his cause lies on the poltical spectrum.

This is on topic for the reason that if these morons are any example, Bush can’t depend upon the brain-dead Midwestern Bible-Thumpin’ Right as lockstep troops no more.

Flike,

The reddest of the red congressional districts has been made competitive again. The very well oiled GOP machine in Southern Ohio had to spend an additional USD 500,000 just to eek out a win for their veteran candidate against an unknown newcomer. In a normal campaign is it really necessary to pay Minamyer a bunch of money to try to smearboat a marine major with a clean record? 50% margins torn down to a 5% (52-48%) squeaker??? Sure it’s not so nice as a win would’ve been, but in that district nearly everybody was expecting a double-digits margin of victory. The GOP came out to say they would “bury” Hackett.

As to whether Schmidt is a “weak” or “substandard” candidate, I don’t know – I don’t think anybody knows. I figure that Americans using common sense would be able to see that a lot of the far-right extremists are “weak” candidates just in the sense that they don’t share the normal values held by the majority of citizens. However, a Republican might feel that person is a “strong” candidate. Whatever it comes down to, I think that Republican candidates in even the most “secure” districts are no subject to tough challenges.