Meet the Press (Senate debate series)

Anyone catch this today? Mike Dewine vs. Sherrod Brown for the Ohio seat? Sadly, I think Brown came off poorly. I'm a fan, and he's from my hometown, but he sounded like a one-note hack in this thing. Dewine came off more polished, spoke on a variety of things. Brown kept hauling everything back to Iraq and repeating his charge of the "status quo isn't going to work."

Anyway, was wondering what others thought.

 

Didn't see debate, but harping on Iraq cannot be a bad thing for a Democrat.

 

Yeah, I'm an Ohio Dem, and that was the first time I heard Brown at any length. I was not impressed, sadly (I know his wife a little, who's a terrific person and columnist). He did come off as shrill and one-note. Too bad.

 

Sure can be. Dewine looked more engaged. He took his hits on Iraq, fired a few across Brown's bow on votes for funding the war (though, Sherrod did get a good one in on why he didn't vote for it one specific time -- 'that was 87 billion going to halliburton and the like. i wanted 87 billion for our troops.'). Then, Dewine moved onto other things. Even when Russert was asking questions, Brown wasn't answering those questions, just reverting back to Iraq. Disappointing. Terribly disappointing. Brown's coming thru our office on Monday, and I hope to shake his hand and wish him well. I also hope not too many Ohioans saw MTP today.

 

If you're going to shake hands with Brown in your office and wish him well, I certainly hope you aren't a journalist.

 

Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job

 

I am. You have a problem with that?

 

No spoiler alert? I guess I'll skip watching this off the TIVO now.

 

As Mike Dewine seems to be the only Ohio Republican not in leg-irons these days, he must be feeling good.

 

I agree that Dewine looked and sounded sharper on the issues. I think Brown got caught up in Iraq, hoping that he'll gain a vote for every time he says it. Unfortunately for him Dewine is firing on all cylinders about more than one issue. I think in the end it will hurt Brownie.

 

Yeah, I have a real problem with journalists of either stripe doing that for any political candidate. It should be obvious why.

 

Enlighten me, since as the Ohio Senate debate hardly ever comes up in my beat -- college athletics -- I'm at a loss what your problem is. And, LB, just because you like one candidate or another, shake his hand, or wish him well, does not mean that you've just checked all inpartiality at the door should you ever write a story on the folks involved. You've never had a really good relationship with a coach? Never shook his hand, said "good luck?"