Conservative Talk Show Host Repudiated by McCain Claims He was Asked by DeWine to "Throw Red Meat to the Crowd"

Bill Cunningham, the right-wing talk show host from Cincinnati, who introduced John McCain at a rally last week using Obama's middle name and referring to him as a "Daley style" politician from Chicago, says he was recruited to do the introduction by former U.S. Senator Mike DeWine. He claims that he was recruited at a lunch by DeWine and Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters. Deters disputes that the recruiting took place at the lunch that he attended with DeWine and Cunningham. All of this is contained in an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Cunningham, who is now ticked off at McCain for apologizing to both Obama and Clinton for Cunningham's remarks, is telling his listeners that he cannot support the person he is calling "Juan Pablo McCain". (We are assuming that Cunningham is calling McCain Juan Pablo to point out McCain's support of immigration reform, but, since we are not a radical, right-winger, we can't be sure.)

One of the constant things we have been told by the media over the years is that Mike DeWine is some sort of "moderate" Republican. (Apparently if you don't foam at the mouth and howl at the moon, you are given "moderate" status by the corporate media.) Like all such "moderate Republicans", however, DeWine is not above using the radical, right-wingers when it serves his political purpose.

Another Reason to Like Ted Strickland: He Knows When Not to Talk

Buckeye State Blog put us on to this report about Governor Ted Strickland refusing to make public his preference for the Democratic nomination for President in 2008. The Gov told the Cincinnati Enquirer reporter that yes, he had a preference and no, he wasn't going to announce it to the media. That's smart.

First of all, why tick off Ohio Dems who aren't supporting the Governor's choice? Second, why tick off someone who may not be his choice, but who may end up being the nominee. Third, next year when he is campaigning with the Democratic presidential nominee he won't have to answer questions about why the nominee is better than his preference if his preference doesn't make it.