Licking County Pro-Active Citizens (www.licopac.org)

BARACK'S JUNKER

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:26:01 EST

According to the on-line magazine, SLATE, more than a few swing voters have learned to trust Barack Obama because Barack and Michelle once drove a car so far gone that they could see the roadway rush by through a hole in the floor.

http://www.slate.com/id/2205324/

Well, hail to the chief! Aside from his campaign planks on the war, the economy and domestic policy, this hole-in-one story gives me a personal connection with the Obamas as well.

Back in the '60s, Hummingbird and I drove a similar junker, a Corvair wagon whose long tenure on snowy, salt-covered Ohio roads had rusted away the floorboard under the front seats. Watching the road passing beneath didn't bother me much, since we had long given up on keeping any heat in that car anyway. But I did get frequent images of the front seats suddenly collapsing to earth in a spray of rust and fabric and flesh at 60 mph.

Between us, we were only making a few thousand dollars a year back then and so a new car was out of the question. But this unnerving image of sudden ejection convinced us finally to talk a body shop into welding a steel plate across the undercarriage to keep that Corvair on the road.

If I had known this would prove to be a political plus with the voters, my career might have taken a different turn. I just thought I was being cheap.

In fact, we rarely get rid of a car until it's almost too crippled to make it to the junk yard. We once had a Chevy Impala that blew up during a test drive on the freeway only days after we traded it in. Typically, we don't think about giving up on our ride until it has at least 250,000 miles. My last car, a Volkswagen, developed an engine fire on the way to the dealership as a trade-in. (The dealership agreed to $100 trade-in but refused to let anybody drive the car again).

Maybe one reason voters like the hole-in-the-floor story is that we've just hired Barack to drive an economy and a country whose foundation looks more like Swiss cheese than granite.

And we want the guy in charge to have been there, done that, rather than some Wall Street types (like Paulson) who probably never had a gum wrapper underfoot in his Bentley, let alone a rust hole.

DOWN -- BUT NOT OUT

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:41:28 EST

Dave Robinson got his first taste of politics this year -- and evidently liked it.

Even though Robinson, a Columbus businessman and environmentalist, lost in his bid to oust four-term Congressman Pat Tiberi, the Democratic newbie sounded Sunday like he'll be coming back for a second helping in 2010 and/or 2012.

"My core motivation remains undiminished," Robinson told supporters at a post-election reception in Westerville. His father, Jerry, was even more specific. "This is only the beginning, the first step," said Robinson Sr., pointing out that many of today's Democratic heavyweights, including Gov. Ted Strickland, lost in their initial bid for office.

Robinson and his key staffers said they feel they ran a respectable campaign, given Tiberi's 10-1 financial advantage and much greater name recognition in the 12th Congressional District. Robinson got 42 percent of the vote in Franklin County but was hammered in Licking (30 percent) and Delaware counties (28 percent). That shows the power of the 2000 gerrymandering of congressional districts by the then Republican-controlled General Assembly.

Democrats are more confident they'll control the map-making when new state legislative and congressional districts are drawn following the 2010 census. If that's the case, it would be advantage-Democrats beginning in 2012.

Which leaves Robinson a number of options if he chooses to pursue them. Rather than go up against Tiberi again in 2010 in the same GOP weighted district, Robinson appears to be leaning towards a local race in Franklin County in 2010 to gain experience and much-needed visibility. If successful, that could leave him in a better position to seek a Congressional seat in 2012 or thereafter.

Meanwhile, Robinson said he intends to continue to work for the Al Gore "global warming" initiative as a guest speaker on environmental and energy topics. His archived web site remains up at www.robinson2008.com

We at LICOPAC hope Robinson stays active in area politics. All too often, Democrats have tried to launch their political careers by running for Congress instead of working their way up the political ladder as Republicans have been prone to do. Hopefully, this time, we have a candidate who's ready to engage for the long haul.

OBAMA; HE CAN SHOOT BUT CAN WE SCORE?

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 22:36:21 EST

Progressives have been playing defense so long that now, when they're finally back on offense with a new quarterback, they're not sure they can score.

"We're still in the glow, but I'm afraid we don't see the challenges ahead of us," said Ellen Nissenbaum today at the annual meeting of the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), the Quaker lobby in Washington D.C.

Nissenbaum, a one-time FCNL intern, is now legislative director of the Washington-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. She speaks as an ardent advocate for strengthening the social safety net for the poor and lower middle class, groups usually without representation in the Capitol money chase.

Whether incoming president Barack Obama will delight or disappoint his progressive base will probably become clearer once he submits his first budget next year. Despite campaign pledges to end the Iraq war and extend relief to most taxpayers, Nissenbaum said she doesn't expect Obama to make much progress on reducing the record deficits piled up during the Bush administration.

Pressure is already growing for Obama to increase military spending, she said, and it's not possible to pay for this as well as increased domestic spending just by allowing Bush's tax breaks for the wealthy to expire over 2009-2011. "If we're looking for fast changes under Obama, I don't think we'll get them," she said.

FCNL Director Joe Volk, an Ohio native, agreed in part, but still is encouraged by the long-term opportunities presented by the Obama election and Democratic resurgence in Congress.

"We are at a moment of history where it is increasingly clear, based on our recent experiences, that war is not the answer," said Volk. "Yet Congress," he added, "wants more military spending."

Rep. Barney Frank, he said, has proposed a 25 percent cut in the Pentagon budget. "But that's not likely to happen in the next few year," said Volk.

Still, FCNL and other progressive and anti-war groups are now hoping to achieve legislative goals out-of-reach during the Bush years.

One priority, for example, would be Senate ratification of the long-stalled Nuclear Weapons Test Ban Treaty. Another would be to push the new administration -- and Congress -- to undertake serious diplomatic talks with Iran.

"Our work in the last few years has been in the mode of preventing bad things from happening," said Volk. "Now we may be in a position to support positive initiatives..."

AXIS OF CHANGE?

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:56:56 EST

Will Barack Obama's election lead to the rapprochement with Iran, the last remaining outlaw state under the so-called "Axis of Evil" targeted by the outgoing Bush administration?

Journalist and Iran expert Barbara Slavin is cautiously optimistic. Both the U.S. and Iran face tremendous economic problems, which makes unlikely the sort of war openly advocated by hard-liners only a few months ago, Slavin said tonight in Washington at the annual meeting of the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL).

In addition, Obama's election for the first time could put Iran on the defensive if the new president with the Muslim name and heritage decides to push for negotiations, as was promised during the campaign, she said.

Some old taboos have been shattered on both sides during the latter years of the Bush administration, she said, and today there's broad agreement it will be impossible to make progress on a Middle East peace without Iran's cooperation.

"But it's not going to be easy," she added. "It's never easy when it comes to Iran."

And we can't be sure if Obama -- and the new Congress -- will agree on such a U-turn in foreign policy as long as Iran continues to pursue its nuclear ambitions. According to FCNL, 128 members of the current House and 23 members of the Senate have sponsored or co-sponsored bills seeking to isolate Iran from U.S. Middle East diplomacy.

Slavin didn't specifically mention today's reports that Hillary Clinton has been offered the Secretary of State's job in the new administration. Clinton, during the Democratic primary, criticized Obama during for agreeing to negotiate with Iran.

But Slavin did say she's worried "about some of Obama's (foreign policy) advisers. We'll have to see who his team is."

Slavin is assistant managing editor of the Washington Times and author of the history, "Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies: Iran, the U.S., and the Twisted Path to Confrontation."

Slavin regrets that so many opportunities have been missed in the past to avoid this confrontation with Iran, given the progress that could be made in the Middle East if these two powers could work cooperatively.

"My personal view is that Iran will not develop and test a nuclear weapon," she said. But Iran will pursue nuclear power development which would soon give them the capability of making nuclear weapons at some point in the near future if they so chose.

"And that would be scary because it would spark a (regional) arms race" resulting in nuclear proliferation across the Middle East."

NO SLACK FOR OBAMA

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:08:49 EST

Veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas has learned over 60 years of reporting to be skeptical of our nation's leaders, and she's not about to change for Barack Obama.

"We don't have to worship at the shrine of any president," the 88-year-old journalist told Quaker peace activists gathered this week in Washington D.C. in a generally upbeat mood about the coming change of administrations.

Obama will only succeed in office if he can demonstrate the courage to act along with a willingness to run an open administration, Thomas told the annual meeting of the annual meeting of the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL).

Speaking from in front of a huge banner proclaiming "War Is Not the Answer," Thomas' remarks were a corrective abrasive to Quakers hoping the Obama victory on Nov. 4 will lead to a quick end to the war-and-torture-and-spying policies of the outgoing Bush administration. Noting that Obama has promised only a slow withdrawal of troops from Iraq over his first term, while vowing to increase troop strength in Afghanistan, Thomas asked, "Where's the peacemaker?"

Thomas began her White House career covering the Kennedy administration in 1961. In her experience, she said chief executives tend to isolate themselves from the people who elected them, listening instead to their cadre of experts and supporters. "They've already walled off Obama," she said.

The so-called "First Lady of the Press" said she will attack Obama with hard questions during press conferences just as she has previous presidents, including George Bush. "You bet (I will)," she said, "but I'm not immune to the fact that it (Obama's election) is a great triumph for our democracy and for our country."

Obama, who held infrequent press conferences during the campaign, needs to meet with the media at least twice monthly to be credible, said Thomas.

The senior member of the White House press corps was even harder on her colleagues, saying in effect they were lazy and gutless in letting the Bush administration get away with so many crimes against the Constitution. "All of them (reporters) are well-intentioned, but I've known the best of them, and they're all dead."

Although Thomas spent most of her career as a wire-service reporter for United Press International, she know longer bothers to shade her political views.

"I was born a liberal and I'll be one until the end of my life," she said. "I can't see being anything other than someone who cares about people and about humanity.

"I write an opinion column now, and so I wake up every morning and say to myself, 'Who do I hate today?' "

(This is the first of -- hopefully - several reports from the FCNL meeting this week at Georgetown University. For information about FCNL, go to www.fcnl.org)

Those Good Old Robo-Calling Days

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:33:26 EST

If the news has you confused, skip the editorial page and go directly to the funnies.

I depend, for example, on ZITS to explain the behavior of my teenage grandson. And when it comes to politics, Garry Trudeau at DOONESBURY can be more perceptive than most of the gray-page pundits.

This week, for example, DOONESBURY is exploring the post-election hangover which is leaving a lot of us feeling somewhat empty and unfocused. My wife, Hummingbird, is a case in point. Before dawn each morning, she emulates her namesake by darting about the fading web garden of political blogs, looking for last sips of partisan nourishment. While nearly everybody else has abandoned Alaska, for example, she keeps checking out Mudflats and Progressive Alaska, hoping to catch a last glimpse of Sarah.

I'm less web-bound but still, I miss the yard signs and the constant meetings and even the canvassing and bag-stuffing since it all bolstered my view that this was the most important election ever, and thus worthy of my obsession. It is kind of disappointing that the Licking County Democratic Club won't meet this month, or that my other political groups are also MIA going into the holidays. Everybody has moved on, it seems, except for the right-wing shock jocks who still are carrying on about creeping socialism and Bill Ayers and Rev. Wright as though Nov. 4 never happened.

The networks seem to recognize this vestigial hunger for the permanent campaign. Why else would both Sarah Palin and John McCain be popping up on early morning and late-night TV this week?

Don't be surprised if ABC, recognizing what draws people these days, comes up with Dancing with the Pols to extend the rating benefits of fast dancing and hot politics. Wouldn't you watch Hillary and Bill doing the foxtrot or Joe Biden the quickstep?

The alternative, of course, is dealing with the miserable reality which the campaigns were supposed to address: a busted stock market, rising unemployment and higher prices for just about everything. Not to mention another Ohio winter.

So when your phone rings at dinner time, just pause and think, "A robo-call -- just like the good old days. God, I miss them."

HANGING CHADS

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:31:52 EST

For two days now, heavy tanker trucks have been rumbling up and down my rural road, hauling pig manure from a nearby feed lot to juice up farm fields to the west. The ground shakes, the air smells, we can't wait for the transfer to be complete. This must be what it's like on Pennsylvania Avenue as the Bush administration gets set to vacate back to Texas.

Now that's the change we need!

Other random thoughts two days after the election:

A lot has been said about how Barack Obama's election should revive the nation's reputation in the eyes of the world. But let's also realize that Ohio stands a little taller since Tuesday night. Ohio, the state which provided the industry, the leadership and the manpower to make America great, has been blamed now for eight years for helping put George Bush over the top in 2000 and then sealing the deal for another four years in 2004. But on Tuesday night, it only became apparent that Obama was on the victory road when Ohio turned blue shortly after 9 p.m. Ok, NO MORE OHIO JOKES.
As we noted yesterday, however, Licking County hasn't yet gotten the word that a new day is dawning. According to preliminary totals at the LC Board of Elections, Barack with 41 percent ran slightly better than John Kerry, who got 37.8 percent in 2004. On the other hand, Democratic Congressman Zack Space in his winning re-election effort lost ground in Licking County, gaining 54.7 percent of the vote here as compared to 60.3 percent in 2006. Meanwhile, the vote here for Licking County's other congressman, Republican Pat Tiberi, remained virtually unchanged, 66.6 percent in 2008 as compared to 66.1 percent in 2006.
This is not to fault the work of Obama organizers in Licking County. I really appreciated how hard they were working on Halloween Eve when the only trick-or-treater that showed up at our rural McKean Township door was an Obama volunteer collecting names! We NEVER get trick-or-treaters out here in the country, and we certainly have never seen Democratic canvassers before, especially those for a presidential campaign.
If you enjoyed the recent book about blue-collar politics, Deer Hunting with Jesus, you'll want to enjoy this follow-up in the Washington Post about how the denizens of Winchester, Va., approached this week's election. See it at : http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/01/AR2008110101841.html?referrer=emailarticle

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS ELECTION

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:18:39 EST

Tuesday's election marked an historic shift for the nation but -- unfortunately -- just more of the same for Licking County.

The whoops and shouts were loud and sustained last night at the local Democratic election party at the Center Pub in Newark as, shortly after 9 p.m., Ohio was declared for Obama, making his eventual nationwide victory look inevitable. Hours later, the Obama victory was sweetened by Democratic gains in the U.S. House and Senate, the election of Richard Cordray as state attorney general and the flipping of the Ohio House to a 51-48 Democratic majority.

But in Licking County, it was another wipe-out for the Democrats. Only freshman State Rep. Dan Dodd and freshman 18th District Congressman Zack Space survived the night as Republicans took over all three seats on the Licking County commission and a field of Democratic newcomers and judicial candidates went down to defeat, often by large margins.

The Space and Dodd victories were significant since both legislators wore GOP bulls-eyes on their backs, having won two years ago in districts normally safe for the Republicans.

In many ways, however, last night resembled the 2006 elections where Democrats made great gains at the Ohio Statehouse and in Congress but failed to dent traditional GOP control in local races.

The Blue team, however, showed potential for the future in backing thoughtful new candidates such as Doug Moreland for county commissioner, Don Hill for state representative and David Robinson for the U.S. House (12th District). We can only hope that they -- and others -- stay in the fight and come back benefitting from this experience to challenge again in 2010.

Also a big plus was that behind the ballot box, the big winner of the night was Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner who has, since her election in 2006, has withstood a withering attack from Statehouse Republicans intent on making her "too controversial" for re-election in 2010. Two headlines in this morning's Dispatch tell the story:

VOTING PROBLEMS? NOT IN OHIO (pp. A1)

FRAUD ALLEGATIONS FEW DESPITE TURNOUT (pp. A5)

The attacks on Brunner are all about controlling which party gets to gerrymander state and federal legislative district redistricting after the 2010 census. As Dispatch senior editor Joe Hallett wrote back in 2006:

"For decades, Ohio has used a system that awards gerrymandering power every 10 years to the political party that wins two of the three races for governor, secretary of state and state auditor. That power has been abused by both parties, most recently Republicans, who has ensured their legislative majorities by virtually eliminating competitive elections."

As of now, Democrats control the governor's office and secretary of state's office, while Republicans hold the auditor's office. With Gov. Ted Strickland still riding high in the polls, Republicans have decided to try and unseat Brunner, a relative unknown, by linking her to what has now proven to be the phony issue of voter fraud.

We were reminded again last night that the Ohio GOP's congressional Maginot Line held firm once again thanks to gerrymandering. The 12th District Republican, the lackluster Pat Tiberi, converted his massive financial advantage as an incumbent to defeat Robinson with only minimal deployment of TV advertising and direct mail. And in Franklin County, it appears that gerrymandering once again defeated Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy from overcoming GOP majorities in rural Union and Madison counties.

In the 2006 congressional elections, Ohio sent 11 Republicans and 7 Democrats to the U.S. House, even though the total combined vote for Democratic congressional candidates here was 1.97 million as compared to 1.78 million for the Republicans.

So while we can cheer Barack Obama's historic victory, it remains true that all politics is local and on both the local and state level, Democrats still have much work to do.

THE CHANGE THAT "I" NEED

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:11:41 EST

After nearly two years of living inside the political bubble, I need a change -- and not just one at the White House and Congress. Rip Van Winkle and Sleeping Beauty and now Gray Hunter have just revived from the long sleep. Who am I and -- regardless of who wins tonight -- where do I go now?

My first clue that I have not exactly been living a balanced life came today when I was fixing lunch for Hummingbird and myself and I reached for an unopened container of sour cream to go on the baked potato. Actually, there were two containers in the refrigerator. One had an expiration date of July 15. The other was almost fresh -- September 15. We ate the latter.

This forced me to start looking around. Outside, the fall leaves cover a lawn that still seems to be growing, the once-decorative hedges along the walk have gone all freaky, the barn roof, wrecked by Hurricane Ike back on Sept. 14, remains unrepaired. Hummingbird usually scolds me at this time of year that we're not ready for winter. Hell, on Nov. 4, 2008, we're not even ready for fall! The flower barrel by the drive has fallen apart and the tool I bought last June to trim the tree limbs remains unused and still plastic-wrapped inside the barn door.

Meanwhile, inside the house, the digital TV converter I managed to acquire months ago remains untouched and uninstalled. Hundreds of newspaper clips and scratch notes fill up the canyon between my computer and my printer. And I haven't yet had the courage to go deeper into the refrigerator, behind those old sour cream containers, to see what lurks there.

So Barack, or John, get George out of the White House and bring about the change the country needs.

No recounts, no lawsuits, no December surprises in the US Supreme Court. Just get 'er done.

Me, I can't wait to yank up the yard signs, clean out the Desktop and In-box on my overstuffed computer, clear the calendar and pull myself together for that long slog through Thanksgiving and Christmas. Don't get me wrong -- I love the holidays. But Thanksgiving travel and Christmas cards and gift selection and many, many trips to the Post Office is just too much like politics. And all of us -- including Barack (or John) -- will find December 08 isn't much fun when the money is tight.

There are days when I wonder why we ever were so foolish as to throw off the monarchy. With a king in charge, the lawn gets mowed and the bills get paid and there's no need for robo-calls or canvassing, let alone campaign donations.

Hummingbird is worried that I'll be hopelessly bored and restive once the never-ending campaigns actually end. Maybe, but let's give it a try. Bill and Hillary, Barack and John, Ted and Sherrod, all you politicians BE GONE. For at least a couple of months do your thing and let me do mine.

WAITING FOR SARAH TO CALL

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:39:45 EDT

Since I returned from New York City earlier this week, my phone has been ringing off the hook with robo-calls from the McCain-Palin campaign. How disappointing!

John, Sarah, if you can't do it right, don't do it at all.

Let me explain.

Yes, originally I just thought robo-call campaigning was obnoxious and I'd hang up at the first hint of automation. But then I realized there was something to be gained by letting the Tin Man (or woman) speak, even if I didn't agree with their message.

The 2004 presidential race first inspired the robo-call collector in me. My telephone answering machine that year recorded messages from John Kerry and Bill Clinton and Ted Kennedy, among others. And in this year's March primary, I captured sound bites from Hillary and Ted Strickland. These I'd save for months, wondering on how the snippets might be saved for posterity. After all, what would you give for a recording of a campaign phone call from Abe Lincoln or FDR?

But despite all the sound and fury of this year's general election campaign, my collection of pleas from the high and the mighty has withered. I have yet to switch on my telephone recorder to hear the voices of Barack Obama or Joe Biden. Instead I just get tons of emails from the Democrats.

And the Republicans! My phone tape fills up with attacks on Barack, as does my mailbox with more of the same from the GOP (even though I've never registered as a Republican). But the voices from the right are never John or Sarah in person. It's always some angry guy who is full of invective but lacking in star power. I need John for my sound bite collection -- and better yet, I want to capture Sarah's shrill whine. You betcha!

So GOP, please don't call me anymore unless you've got the real McCoy. This voter only dances with the stars. If I want to hear just angry ranting, I can tune in Rush Limbaugh.

On the other hand, if you are just disgusted by robotic attacks on Obama, I'm told you can report the crime to http://radar.barackobama.com/

Not sure what the Obama folks can do with such information, but maybe it will make you feel better. Especially if you didn't hear from Sarah direct.

OCTOBER DANDELIONS

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:41:00 EDT

We're talking campaign yard signs today, which have sprouted just about as fast (and sometimes ugly) as dandelions in Spring.

Presidential campaign operatives usually try and discourage the insatiable demand for yard signs, since they want to spend their money on staff and TV and direct mail, etc. They argue that nobody is convinced to vote for a presidential candidate because of a yard sign - and they're right, to a point - but they eventually cave under popular demand from their supporters, especially in suburban and rural areas.

Most political reporters don't write about yard signs, feeling that's beneath them. They want to spend their time on the campaign trek or, failing that, on analyzing polling or demographic trends. Let the cop shop reporter do a brief on stolen signs, and let it go at that, they reason.

(An exception - with thanks - is Jim DeBrosse at the Dayton Daily News who this week took the subject seriously. See his piece at: http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/10/21/ddn102108signsinside.html

Jim quotes the "experts" as saying the signs rarely do any good, except maybe for local candidates who need the name recognition.

I disagree, at least in my neck of the woods (that would be Licking County).

Only four short years ago, more than a few Republicans held the attitude that Licking County was THEIR county. They resented it when John Kerry held a rally on the courthouse square in Newark, they resented it when Democrats showed up at their parades and fairs, often for the first time. And they really resented it when Democrats and Kerry-leaning Independents had the nerve to put Kerry-Edwards signs out on their lawn and Kerry-Edwards bumper stickers on their cars.

I personally had a large metal-and-wood Kerry sign attacked and destroyed by one gang of right-leaning vandals (or more likely, their kids), and there are signs again this year of sign-stealing and defacement. (The McCain-Palin camp claims their signs are being sabotaged as well, but I sure haven't seen any of that breed of weed disappear in the night in Licking County).

But why do I think they're important?

Because in a traditionally red county like Licking, or traditionally red town like Pataskala or Johnstown, it's important to show that blue flag, to demonstrate that democracy is alive and well and that if you decide to support a Democrat, you won't be the only one on your block or road or neighborhood. Without such signals, it's all too easy for people to assume that they're all alone out there in this red, red sea and to survive, they'd better shut up and lay low - and maybe not even vote.

That's why I've got about a dozen Democratic yard signs out along the road in front of my house. That, of course, stimulated all my Republican neighbors to stake out their yards with McCains, as well as a few signs for local Republican candidates. All to the good, and so far nobody's bothered anybody else's signs on my road, and we all seem to still be talking to one another.

Actually, the only yard sign defeat I ever suffered was in last spring's Democratic primary season when I landed an Obama yard sign and proudly prepared to put it out by the driveway.

"Where's the Hillary sign," asked Hummingbird, the Mrs.

"Ah, I couldn't find one," I told her. "They're not available yet in Licking County."

"Well," she snapped. "Your Obama sign doesn't go out there until there's a Hillary sign out there as well!"

As a result, only dandelions spiked the grass at our house last spring.

Dispatch Flip-Flop on Robinson Ethics Complaint

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:42:46 EDT

The Dispatch continues to -- how do I say this nicely? -- screw up its coverage of the 12th District Congressional race, mostly by neglect but now also by printing false information about the Democratic candidate, David Robinson.

Which is something you wouldn't know unless you're in the habit of reading the daily corrections, well buried inside the newspaper.

To be specific, yesterday, in a prominent article on the back display page of the Metro section, it was reported that the Ohio Elections Commission panel "found probable cause to forward a complaint (to the full commission) against David Robinson who is running against incumbent Republican Pat Tiberi, for the 12th Congressional District."

"In the Robinson case, complainant Mike Stable of Dublin, who did not attend yesterday, identified himself in the complaint as a Marine veteran who served in Lima Company. He took issue with Robinson's campaign web site"

"The site said Disabled American Veterans gave Tiberi an F rating for 2007, though that group had not issued a 2007 grade and gave Tiberi a 100 percent rating on two 2008 votes, Stable's complaint said."

Pretty serious stuff, with the election only a little more than two weeks away and veterans a key voting bloc.

Except that in today's edition, deep at the bottom of page A-4, there's this correction:

"The Ohio Election Commission dismissed a complaint against Democrat David Robinson's campaign in the 12th Congressional District on Thursday. Because of a reporter's error, the commission's decision was incorrect in a story on page B8 of yesterday's Metro & State section."

Care to guess how many readers read the original incorrect article, and how many read the correction?

These things happen at a newspaper, but the Dispatch seems to have a special problem with Robinson.

We've noted earlier how the newspaper editorial page, on Sept. 21, heartily endorsed Tiberi without ever even mentioning Robinson, a highly unusual slip at the Dispatch where endorsements usually recognize all candidates in a race.

http://www.licopac.org/licking_county_issue_pac/2008/10/media-blind-spo.html

Since the March primary, the number of articles the newspaper has published on the 12th District race can be counted on the fingers of one hand, as compared to the heavy coverage of the neighboring 15th District Race. This despite the fact that the 12th District encompasses the heart of the Dispatch's circulation area: eastern Franklin County as well as part of Licking and Delaware counties.

Presumably, the newspaper considered the race uncompetitive because of Tiberi's huge advantage in terms of campaign contributions and name recognition. So by not covering the race, and Tiberi's lackluster record in Congress, the Dispatch makes sure it stays uncompetitive.

We look forward to a better performance from the newspaper when (and if) it reports on the WOSU-TV debate between Tiberi and Robinson this coming Thursday evening, and in the Voters Guide just prior to the election. As Barack says, we need to hope beyond all expectations.

RED POLITICS IN THE BLUE GRASS STATE

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:27:22 EDT

What a difference the Ohio River makes!

A weekend trip to Kentucky made me realize what it's like to live in a non-battleground state. Over hundreds of miles, from Jackson in the eastern part of the state to Cumberland Falls in the south and back through Lexington and Covington, there was hardly an Obama or McCain bumper sticker or yard sign to be seen.

Despite its union history, Kentucky has evolved solid Red when it comes to this year's presidential politics. The best bet for Obama supporters is to get across the Ohio River into Ohio, following the freedom trail blazed by runaway slaves back before the Civil War.

Yes, there are liberals and Democrats in Kentucky.
My daughter, an Obama supporter from Atlanta, had a temporary fright when she was confronted by a woman outside a Wal-Mart because of the pro-Democratic bumper sticker on her van.
"Jesus Didn't Ride an Elephant," said the sticker.
"I just love it," said the woman. "Where can I get one?"
...................
The only race that seems to matter in Kentucky this year -- at least on a statewide basis - is Democrat Bruce Lunsford's surprise challenge to Republican (and Senate minority leader) Mitch McConnell. In a fund raiser circulated yesterday, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) calls the race a tie at this point.

Kentucky politics, according to Lexington Herald-Leader columnist Larry Keeling, may result in an unusual backlash against the Republican leader this year:

"Kentuckians who are angry and frustrated over the war in Iraq and the unstable condition of the national economy have to take it out on someone," wrote Keeling on Oct. 13.
"And the polls suggest they won't take it out on Republican presidential candidate John McCain, a circumstance that can be attributed in some part to Democratic nominee Barack Obama's race.
"So, McConnell may be someone whom angry and frustrated Kentucky voters decide to punish."
....................

Which leads one to wonder what kind of impact the Obama-McCain race might have on down-ticket races in Ohio.
Buckeye lawns this fall are sprinkled not only with yard signs for the presidential candidates but those for congressional and local candidates as well.

Ohioans love their yard signs! If one homeowner puts out an "Obama," you can bet a neighbor will respond with a "McCain." Soon the competition sign extends down the road, across the neighborhood and across the county.

In traditionally Republican Licking County, you'll see far more signs for local Democrats such as Howard Hill, Mark Van Buren or Vicky Christiansen than you'll see for Obama. And those Democratic signs are showing up in rural areas where Democrats only a few years ago feared to tread their politics.

"Down-ticket Democrats feel pretty darn comfortable with Obama," said former Oregon Congressman Les AuCoin at Tuesday night's county Democratic Club meeting. "The wind this year is at our back. That's why we're going to get some county commissioners elected this year as well."

ANOTHER SPLIT DECISION

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:49:03 EDT

Round 3 of the Presidential campaign debate series played out like round 15 in a heavyweight prizefighter match, as Republican John McCain threw a last-minute flurry of jabs, a knockout punch being his only hope against Democrat Barack Obama who was winning on points.

Okay, the boxing analogy is a cliche. The Dispatch preview on Wednesday was headlined, "Last Round," featuring a graphic showing two robots in a ring. George Will, on ABC-TV last night following the "fight," concluded Obama won by letting his opponent punch himself into exhaustion, Mohammed Ali's old game. But cliche or not, the boxing analogy works.

Throughout the 90-minute Hofstra University debate, McCain was the puncher, landing a few good ones to be sure but never really denting Obama's calm composure, the thing about Obama that many voters find most attractive in these acidic and troubled times. As in the long primary campaign against Hillary Clinton, Obama has overcome the "fighter" by demonstrating confidence and maturity and intelligence, the traits of a real leader.

Bottom line: good fight, John, but it looks like Barack will wear the Belt.

(Before getting into the "blow by blow," let's not forget the warm-up act Wednesday afternoon featuring vice presidential nominee Joe Biden and Gov. Strickland at OSU-Newark's Adena Arena. For the record, several thousand partisans crammed into the "Home of the Titans" to hear the Delaware Democrat give his usual stump speech as part of a sweep across central and southern Ohio. If you thought you heard anything new being said, you haven't been listening.)

Obama's Best Moment: His dismissal of the McCain-Palin campaign attacks against him for "palling around" with 1960s radical William Ayers and Obama's so-called links to ACORN, the voter recruitment campaign under fire for falsified voter registrations. Obama explained calmly that he was 8-years-old when Ayers, now a university professor, was on his youthful rampage and that his only relation with ACORN was in the past, as an attorney for a client. "This says more about your campaign than it does about me," he told McCain.

McCain's Best Moment: Responding to the Obama campaigns repeated attempts to tie him hand-and-foot to the Bush administration, McCain said, "I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago."

Obama's Worst Moment: Asked to cite specific spending cuts he would recommend as president, Obama came up only with one: a $15 billion saving by ending subsidies to insurance companies. McCain, by contrast, said he'd support an across-the-board spending freeze, cuts in defense budgets, elimination of pork-barrel earmark appropriations.

McCain's Worst Moment: His stumbling over the "woman" issue. First he praised running mate Sarah Palin as a "role model for women" despite growing evidence that the bloom is off that rose with most voters, including women. And then, after Obama said he voted as a state legislator against a bill outlawing partial-birth abortions because it didn't provide exceptions to protect the health of the mother, McCain said that whole "health of the mother" issue was overblown. "They've stretched the meaning of health-of-the-mother," said McCain. "That can mean anything."

Double Fudge: Both Obama and McCain said they'd choose future Supreme Court justices strictly on the basis of merit, without making abortion a litmus test. Then McCain added, "I don't believe anybody who supports Roe vs. Wade would have those qualifications." And Obama said he'd expect his choice to be a judge who not only understands the law but the real environment in which people live.

Pandering To The Base: McCain didn't bring up Ayres and ACORN, moderator Bob Schieffer did. But once these punching bags were in play, the Republican took full opportunity, while accusing Obama of running a dirty campaign. And Obama, during their discussion on energy, twice referred to the need to rebuilt the auto industry through loan guarantees and more fuel-efficient cars. Did you catch that, Ohio and Michigan?

Absentee Winner: Joe the Plumber, of course, the common man from Ohio extolled on numerous occasions by McCain throughout the debate. Even as I write this at minutes before Midnight, there are hundreds of reporters nationwide trying to track down this poor guy for an interview. Maybe McCain should have picked a plumber rather than a Palin as his running mate.

THE LOCK-DOWN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:39:04 EDT

Given the severity of our economic crisis, the historic nature of this year's presidential election and the intense public interest in what could be the pivotal debate, why did last night's match between two talented candidates turn out to be such a ho-hum affair?

It's not just our economy and our government that needs fixing, it's the election debate format as well.

Climbing into the ring in Nashville, John McCain and Barrack Obama circled each other cautiously during the first 70 of the 90-minute debate before Obama finally landed a real punch. But Obama first had to fight his way through the "referee," debate moderator Tom Brokaw.

What finally ticked off the usual unflappable Democrat was McCain's fight strategy of using bogus charges to take little chops at Obama's gut and then dancing away scot-free as Brokaw called time out. When McCain admonished his opponent to follow Teddy Roosevelt's advice -- "speak softly, but carry a big stick" -- Obama had had enough.

Overriding Brokaw's timekeeper objections, Obama demanded a minute to respond which he got -- and which he did, effectively, reminding voters that it was Sen. "Soft Talk" McCain who had chanted "Bomb, Bomb Iran" during a campaign rally, called for the "annihilation" of North Korea and boasted after the invasion of Afghanistan, "Next up, Baghdad!"

The whole "town hall" format in Nashville was a joke.

Did you ever see a town hall meeting where organizers not only told the "audience" to shut it's collective pie-hole for 90 minutes -- and, in addition, show no emotion or reaction to what the candidates said? Unless those audience members on stage were one of the lucky few to ask a question, they sat like zombies, part of the stage furniture for all they contributed.

Remember your history about the Lincoln-Douglas debates? They shared the stage for hours, going at each other without a fussy timekeeper or "agreed" restrictions on audience participation. And the best man won and saved the nation.

Once again, all the post-fight pundits pronounced last night's debate interesting (for policy wonks at least), but not a game-changer. Nobody was sure who won.

In any case, here's the bits I found interesting:

---McCain's best moment: Running as Sen. "Big Stick" (when he wasn't being Sen. Soft Talk), McCain vowed to get Bin Ladin "but obviously I'm not going to telegraph my punches." NOTE: The last candidate with a secret plan to end the war was Richard Nixon.

---Obama's best moment: Other than that cited above, it had to be his light response to the question, "What don't you know and how will you learn it?" Obama answered, "Michelle can give you a long list," drawing the only laugh of the night from the zombies.

---McCain's favorite phrase: tie, between "My Friends,..." and "Look at the record."

---Obama's favorite phrase: "fundamental change."

---Oddest accusation: McCain, not once but twice, sought to impale Obama on earmarks by citing $3 million the Democrat sought - (but never got) - for projection equipment for the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. McCain keeps referring to this as an "overhead projector," kind of like the one Miss Smith used in junior high. But these night-sky projectors are fantastic pieces of high technology. Hasn't McCain ever been to a planetarium?

---Body language: Both candidates couldn't sit still on their debate stools, feeling they needed to stand and sometimes strut about even when their opponent was speaking. McCain especially had a case of nervous leg syndrome, always avoiding eye contact (again) with Obama while practically bear-hugging an audience questioner who happened to be a veteran.

Winner? Who knows. Ask me on Nov. 5.

MEDIA BLIND SPOT ON DAVE ROBINSON

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:32:31 EDT

One reason we have such a partisan and unresponsive Congress is the lock that incumbents have on their chairs once they get in office. A sitting congressman, no matter how incompetent, can depend on not only name recognition and fat envelopes of lobbyist cash but also on special treatment from the media.

No better example is the current 12th District House race where incumbent Pat Tiberi, R-Delaware County, is challenged by Columbus businessman David Robinson, a first-time candidate for public office.

Despite his lack of accomplishment outside of being a loyal foot soldier for the Bush White House, Tiberi is pursuing re-election with hundreds of thousands of dollars of support from the financial, insurance and real estate lobbies plus the endorsement of the Dispatch.

Robinson, given his disadvantage in terms of money and media attention, has been running an energetic grassroots campaign which has caught the attention of many Democrats and Independents in Franklin, Licking and Delaware county. But it hasn't attracted much notice from the local political press.

The Dispatch editorial page on Sept. 21 endorsed Tiberi, as expected. What wasn't expected was the lack of any mention of Robinson in the editorial, leaving the reader to conclude the congressman was running unopposed. Typically, Dispatch endorsements will at least name both candidates and often give reasons why they favor one over the other.

Then, last evening, on WOSU's "Columbus On The Record" (ch. 34), a panel of area journalists and party consultants got around to discussing Tiberi's flip-flop on the Wall Street bail-out bill and how it might affect his re-election prospects.

They concluded that since Tiberi's opponent - again, never named - didn't have much money for television or direct mail, the congressman's indecision on one of the most important votes in U.S. history probably wouldn't hurt him on Nov. 4.

And they're probably right. If the Dispatch editorial writers and WOSU's panel of political experts can't even bother to mention Tiberi's opponent one month before the election, Tiberi doesn't really have to worry too much about being swept out of office by all this talk of "change."

This demonstrates how campaign cash has become the only measure of candidate viability. And why the political system is wide open to corruption but shut down tight to any challenger who doesn't bring a personal fortune to the game.

In this regard, this site reported earlier on the decision by the national Sierra Club not to endorse or give financial support to Robinson, despite his green-chip environmental record, including his work as a volunteer speaker for Al Gore's global warming initiative. Again, the decision was made on the basis of Robinson's perceived lack of fund-raising prowess. See earlier post at:

http://www.progressohio.org/page/community/post/licopac/CHj9

We now hear that local Sierra Club members, who had recommended a Robinson endorsement to the national, have been so embarrassed by the decision that they're making a concerted effort to help Robinson by other means.

"We are supporting him in every way we can through our field program," said MacKenzie Bailey, a member of the national field staff working the election in Ohio.

So far, this takes the form of recruiting volunteers for Robinson, having club members show up at his events and doing everything just short of giving money, which would depend on a formal club endorsement.

Local club members and staffers should be commended for this initiative. But it remains disturbing that, at least at the national level, this usually progressive environmental group would turn its back on an environmental candidate just because he hadn't hit their dollar benchmarks.

So if somebody tells you the political game is rigged, they just might know what they're talking about. And until we get some combination of limits on campaign contributions and public financing of Congressional elections, "change" is just another slogan, easily ignored unless you can take it to the bank.

THE WIN-WIN VP DEBATE

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:24:04 EDT

It's only minutes after Midnight and since I don't hear any anguished partisan cries out there, I assume both Republicans and Democrats are happy - or at least satisfied - with the outcome of last night's one-and-only vice presidential debate.

Republicans won't have to get up early tomorrow to slap a strip of duct tape across the "PALIN" on their McCain yard signs.

Democrats can wake up feeling pretty confident that nothing much has changed in respect to the momentum of the race, which has been tilting strongly of late towards Barack Obama.

If a ballgame could end in a tie, the fans would go home mad. But in the circumstances of this race, both Sarah Palin and Joe Biden are willing to accept a draw.

The devilish details?

PALIN'S BEST MOMENT: "You voted for the (Iraq) war before you opposed the war," she said to Biden, making the point that U.S. senators don't think or talk like the rest of us. Flip-flop always works, particularly when your opponent doesn't remind voters of your own flops on things like earmark$ and the infamous Bridge to Nowhere. But overall, Palin made good use of her out-of-the-Washington-loop, hockey mom, small-town simplicity and lack of sophistication. If you voted for Bush because he seemed like an average Joe, you'll vote for Palin.

BIDEN'S BEST MOMENT(S): From a human standpoint, his choking up when referring to the difficulty of raising two sons following the death of his wife. From a policy standpoint, no real zingers but Biden made a strong case for his brand of change through relentless repetition of the "fundamental" facts on the ground, McCain's history of votes against things like alternative energy and government regulation and the lack of policy distance between Bush and "McBush."

PALIN'S WORST MOMENT: "Your plan is the white flag of surrender in Iraq." This came across as a cheap partisan shot, and not something you'd hear from a candidate truly interested in bringing bipartisanship to Washington.

BIDEN'S WORST MOMENT: Sen. Joe almost disappeared behind his podium when asked to explain why he voted last year for a consumer-unfriendly bankruptcy bill when his running mate, Obama, voted NO.

PALIN BODY LANGUAGE: Gov. Sarah beamed that sunny smile, even when she was on the attack, and my wife swears she caught her frequently winking at the camera.

BIDEN BODY LANGUAGE: Smiled indulgently like a long-suffering Dad when Sarah got particularly aggressive. But he remained courtly, never patronizing, and in his own turn conveyed an attitude of seriousness and competence.

STUPIDEST STATEMENT OF THE NIGHT: Sarah Palin, "I'm encouraged to know we both love Israel!" Is there any politician, this side of Tehran, that doesn't profess undying love and support for spunky little Israel?

ANCESTOR WORSHIP: Palin tried gamely to raise the ghost of Ronald Reagan, wishing not only for that "shining city on a hill" but at one point admonishing Biden, "There you go, Joe, pointing back again (to the record of the Bush administration." Nice try, happy warrior princess, but reruns are never as good as the original.

BIGGEST SURPRISE(S): What happened to the so-called "Hot Button Issues?" Roe vs. Wade was only mentioned once, and then by Biden, referring in passing to why he opposed Robert Bork's appointment to the US Supreme Court. And it turned out that Biden and Palin (and presumably, McCain and Obama) can all hold hands on the issue of gay marriage, opposing use of the "M" word but supporting the right of gays to couple up without being denied the legal rights of married folks.

McCain's passive aggression

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 23:24:07 EDT

What is John McCain's problem?

That was my reaction to tonight's first presidential debate in Mississippi. It wasn't really about the policy or even the political language - that was pretty predictable on both sides. It was about body language.

For nearly two hours, McCain ignored Barack Obama, having a conversation with moderator Jim Lehrer, even when Lehrer urged him to respond directly to the Democratic candidate. Obama talked directly to McCain, referring to his opponent as "John." McCain, grinding his teeth in a tight smile, never looked at Obama and always referred to "Senator Obama" as though Obama was not sharing the stage.

It struck me as a clear case of passive aggression on the part of McCain, which made my teeth grind. By passive aggression, I mean avoiding direct confrontation with those who disagree with you, preferring to smirk and stonewall and diminish another's abilities.

Why would McCain act so dismissive?

He's the guy who supposedly wanted a series of 10 town hall forums with Obama, and has frequently complained about being dissed on that by his Democratic opponent. Is this how he'd behave in a casual format?

McCain is a guy who says he'd be a President who could conduct his office in a bi-partisan manner. And yet, he wouldn't even look at his Democratic counterpart in this election race, or recognize his presence. That seems a poor way to demonstrate bi-partisan tendencies.

McCain didn't blow his top, to be sure, but he did come across as an angry old guy who bottles it all up to the point of not even acknowledging an opposing point of view. At one point, in an otherwise predictable argument over meeting with foreign leaders, McCain said he'd meet "anybody" with proper pre-conditions. But now we have to believe that if a President McCain sat down with Putin or the leaders of China, Korea or Iran, he wouldn't look them in the eye.

We all knew McCain doesn't like Obama. A quick, chilly handshake at the end of the evening didn't change that. But who thought that McCain's resentment about this younger and more articulate rival would result in a debate freeze-out rather than a boil

ANSWER ME THIS

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:34:57 EDT

In this era of pervasive and mass communications, 24-hour news cycle and instant replay, why can't I get these questions answered?:

1/ Is 12th District Congressman Pat Tiberi running unopposed this year? In a Sunday editorial, the Dispatch endorsed Tiberi for a fifth term, without ever mentioning his opponent, Democrat David Robinson. Admittedly, Robinson has been ignored all along by the media since his surprise primary win last March, but when did he become a MSM non-person? And, if against all odds, Robinson wins on Nov. 4, some poor late-night political reporter is going to have to scramble to find out who this guy is!

2/ Given John McCain's marital and health history, it's perhaps understandable why wife Cindy always posts herself one step behind her man at every public event. How are they going to keep her from being at John's shoulder at Friday night's presidential debate? (If Cindy gets to back-seat drive, so does Michelle).

3/ Again, in the Dispatch, confusion reigns when in results from the latest Ohio Newspaper Poll, it's reported that John McCain leads Barack Obama 48-42 percent among surveyed voters although, by a margin of 46-39%, these same respondents think Obama "best understands the problems facing Ohio." So do a good many Ohioans worry more about Georgia (the country, not the state) than they do about Ohio? So much for this election being all about the economy.

4/ But really, why would either one of these guys still want to go to work at the White House next January? As soon as they're sworn in, the country will expect them to resolve two sticky wars, put everybody back to work, bring down gasoline prices, rebuild New Orleans (and now South Texas) and get Congress to reform the health care and financial regulatory systems. And do it without any money, since that giant sucking sound you just heard was Wall Street swallowing up what precious little is left in the U.S. Treasury. Don't you think at times that Barack feels like placing that 3 a.m. call to Hillary saying, "Hey, if you still want the nomination, it's yours!"

5/Where have all the campaign bumper stickers gone? I've seen more Obama stickers on cars than I see Obama signs on lawns, and visa versa for McCain. (And I've seen one Kerry 04 sticker gamely hanging on to prime bumper space, even though the owner had second thoughts and tore off the "Edwards" side). No doubt many people (and some local governments) think it's too early to plunge into the pre-election sign wars, but -- hey -- early voting starts on Sept. 30!

6/ Which leads me to wonder, why don't we just save ourselves the pain (and campaigns the cost) of another seven weeks of campaign ads and just open the polls and have everybody vote on Sept. 30? With the storm clean-up and the economic crisis and the upcoming holiday season, don't we already have enough on our plate for October? And really, anybody who's clueless about the candidates and issues on Sept. 30 will probably be just as clueless come Nov. 4.

So, what's your question?

AND HOW WAS YOUR WEEKEND?

Gray Hunter, Licking County Pro-Active Citizens — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:52:58 EDT

Well, let's put it this way.

When I went to bed Saturday night, I thought Ohio State's 35-3 pounding by USC was going to be all that anybody would talk about through Monday.

But then, blessedly, the Licking County edition of the Dispatch -- printed too early Saturday evening to catch game results -- showed up Sunday morning in my drive without all that depressing post-game analysis.

And Sunday dawned bright and sunny, with forecasts that the remnants of Hurricane Ike would pass us well to the west. By the time I had attended Quaker meeting and a Democratic ice cream social at the Olde Mill, I had nearly forgotten about the Trojans and the Buckeyes by switching loyalities, from sports to politics. Why fret about a game, I figured, where the Blue State (California) beats the Red State (OK, purple since 2006)? And after all, doesn't Jim Tressel look like a Republican?

And if you're wanting for a winner, we got one Sunday at the Olde Mill with State Treasurer Richard Cordray, now running for attorney general, showing up to rally the troops. This guy is the bright future of the Ohio Democratic Party.

So by 1 p.m., heading home from Utica with a basket of peaches from the Branstool orchard, Sunday was looking pretty good.

And then Ike showed up.

The breezes worked up to gusts, the gusts strengthen to a gale. Before Lady Hummingbird and I could adjust, the power was off, tree branches were flying everywhere and the sheet metal was peeling off the back side of the barn and spinning over into my neighbor's field. When the birds abandon the bird feeders, and the barn cats go hide at dinner time, you know there's some serious weather going on.

Happily, our power was off for only about four hours despite warnings that we might not see electricity again for a week. All Hail to the Licking County Energy Coop!

And by the time the lights came back on, the OSU embarrassment was forgotten. For we had found and fired up our oil lamps, lit a few candles and remembered to follow the Cardinal rule in any blackout:

Eat all the Ice Cream.