As I write these words, Barak Obama is speaking at an appearance in Cleveland Ohio, ostensibly on behalf of Ohio Democratic Governor Ted Strickland, who is currently a little behind in the polls in his re-election bid against his Republican opponent, the former Congressman John Kasich.
This is not the first trip he's made to Cleveland over the last few weeks, and it seems that he might also be attempting to save the seat of House member Dennis Kucinich, who seems to be up against the first credible opponent he has faced in years.
It's pretty easy to see why. Kucinich's major legislative accomplishments can probably best be described as the naming of a couple of post offices. His legislative failures are probably best described as, at best, wastes of time, and at worse, a joke, such as the attempt to establish a cabinet level "Department of Peace".
Kucinich is so far to the left of most Ohio voters, even Cleveland, that it was only a matter of time before he ran up against a credible opponent, one who, were he to win, hopefully won't spend half of his time in quixotic runs for the presidency.
It might also be well worth pointing out that the appearance and endorsement of Obama might not be the best judgment call the jack-ass party could have made in hard hit Ohio. Biden isn't going to help alleviate the doubts this time around in this mid-western state, so what they are thinking about, I can only guess.
Stirckland is more than likely going to lose, and I wonder if Kucinich might be on his way out as well, seeing as how he caved to Obama over Obamacare which he thought didn't go nearly far enough-until a certain infamous ride on Air Force One changed his mind, and netted Kucinich's wife a nice, semi-cushy little job working with Michele Obama's childhood obesity initiative.
I hope the voters of Ohio's 10th district are finally fed up enough with the little tin-foil twerp to finally send him packing to a galaxy far, far away.
UPDATE: I just learned, there's been some kind of scandal involving the local Democratic Party in Cleveland, but I haven't heard yet what this entails, only that it is feared that it could have a crippling effect on Democratic get out the vote efforts. That, and the fact that Democratic Senate candidate Rob Portman is a shoe-in to defeat Democratic candidate Lee Fischer, makes it imperative to rally the Cleveland Democratic troops, hence the visit there by Obama and Biden.
I have to be frank, its a little too optimistic to hope that Kucinich is defeated, but it seems obvious that the Democratic Party is in trouble in Ohio generally speaking. And its really hard to say. If Portman's lead translates into an inspired Republican turnout, this could have a corresponding effect on races across the state. One can only hope.
