Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown believes he’d be winning his re-election bid by a mile if it weren’t for Karl Rove and his billionaire buddies.
On Wednesday's Hardball, the Buckeye State's liberal stalwart pointed to the $17 million in attack ads that have been poured into the race— "directed by Karl Rove" and his American Crossroads super PAC—to get Brown's opponent, state treasurer Josh Mandel, elected in a critical swing-state Senate race.
"If you talk to any reporter, they'll tell you off-the-record ... that this wouldn't be a race if it weren't for the $17 million," Brown said on Wednesday.
Brown remains quite popular in swing-state Ohio, and some analysts see this race as something of a litmus test: If a well-liked incumbent goes down to defeat at the hands of a relatively inexperienced but well-financed challenger, big money might just be able to buy any election it sets its mind to.
Who's funding the Mandel-friendly ads? “We figure it’s Wall Street," Brown told MSNBC host Chris Matthews. "We figure it’s oil companies, we figure it’s Chinese interests, some off-shore companies that outsource and sell back into the U.S. We don’t know, we just pretty much guess that because it’s $17 million attacking a guy who’s stood up to ‘em.”
While Mandel has closed the gap with Brown, a new Public Policy Polling survey shows the Democrat still has a healthy eight-point lead.
On MSNBC, Brown stressed his dedication to Ohio’s auto workers and the bailout, a stance his opponent has called “un-American,” and a plan that Mitt Romney initially opposed before trying to recast himself as the auto industry's savior.
“The issue is, which side are you on?” said Brown. “When it comes to the auto industry, I know which side I’m on. When it comes to NAFTA, I know which side I'm on. When it comes to jobs issues, you know you're on the side of the middle class.”
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I've been listening to you, Sherrod - wish I lived in Ohio to vote for you. Keep on the game. I firmly believe that big money cannot win over good hearts and good people.
This is a prime example of why we need an Amendment as to what is a person, and ending corporate personhood and Super PACs.
Dear Sherrod Brown,
The man running against you is obviously not up to the job, to put it mildly. He's a puppet with billionaires promoting him. If he is elected, shame on Ohio.
You are a wonderful Senator. I met you and Connie when you were here. Good luck. We need you in the Senate.
Chris Jonsson
Dallas, TX
...Is there a web site where donations can me made to help your campaign...
Politics seems to be a war-like contest, without rules, and Sherrod Brown is leading the good guys, from the front of the line. Best of success!
Money can buy anything if Senator Brown is defeated by that crying, whimpering, sniveling, sobbing, bellyaching, whining, moaning, lip quivering, butt puckering Josh Mandel. He really is the epitome of a guy who wears his zipper on the side of his pants. ***Shivers***
Sherrod Brown has been an excellent public servant. If I lived in Ohio rather than in Minnesota I would be sending him a little money and voting for him in November. We must have a Constitutional amendment that outlaws all Super-PACs and big corporate money in our election system. Nancy Pelosi believes we need to go to an all public financed election system. Leader Pelosi also wants a Constitutional amendment that overturns the Citizen's United decision. Nancy Pelosi is correct on both accounts: public campaign financing for all elections and a Constitutional amendment that overturns corporate money in our electoral system.
There are several laws that can help make a public financed campaign system work very well. Most campaign spending goes for negative television advertising. So why not have a large number of televised debates instead of all the negative advertising? All local stations would be required to have a certain amount of television debates and interviews of the candidates of the two major parties or even third parties that get a certain percentage of the vote. We could do much more with expanded NPR and Public Television debate coverage for candidates that would not cost them a cent.
The League of Women voters could host a TV debate or speeches by the candidates. The local Chamber of Commerce of several cities could host another debate on business issues. Town hall style meetings could also be made mandatory for all local TV stations. Local newspapers would allow each candidate to write a column on various topics of local concern in the newspaper. Local radio stations would be required to give equal air time for short speeches or debates for each candidate. Such an approach would return politics to a more debate and policy centered type of politics rather than corporate special interest Super-PAC attack ad politics that just about everyone hates.