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Ronald Reagan’s Unlikely Heir (Ken Blackwell)
The City Journal ^ | Winter/2006 | By Steven Malanga

Posted on 01/17/2006 2:38:26 PM PST by oxcart

Ohio’s Republican gubernatorial front-runner Ken Blackwell is “Jesse Jackson’s worst nightmare.”

Ken Blackwell has just finished regaling a group of Ohio retailers with his vision of how to turn around the state’s struggling economy with a heavy dose of fiscal restraint and tax cuts. The crowd, accustomed to Republicans who tax and spend as furiously as Democrats, is rapt. But as Blackwell works the room afterward, on a warm fall afternoon in Columbus, one well-dressed woman stops him to outline her concerns. “I like your ideas on taxes,” she tells the former college football star, who at 6 foot 5 towers over her imposingly, “but I don’t like your other ideas so much”—meaning Blackwell’s strong pro-life positions and support of a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman. “I am not just an economic being,” Blackwell unapologetically replies. “I have a wider set of beliefs that I follow.” And then, before the woman moves away, Blackwell adds: “With me, you’ll always know what you are getting. You’ll always know where I stand.”

(Excerpt) Read more at city-journal.org ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: kenblackwell; ohio; reaganlegacy; ronaldreagan
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To: MikeinIraq
I wish Taft would resign."""

How could this Taft character trash everything his sainted grandfather - Sen. Robert A. Taft - stood for? Has anybody asked him? It's truly shameful. Why doesn't he change his last name to "Roosevelt" or "Truman"? He's acting more like them, than like his grandfather who stood up to them.

21 posted on 01/17/2006 2:52:53 PM PST by churchillbuff
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To: TNCMAXQ
The Dems' worst nightmare is indeed the election of Mr Blackwell in OH, Lynn Swann as gov of PA, and Michael Steele as US Senator from MD.

The trifecta! And wouldn't that be intereating. I wonder how the media will spin it on election night if all three should win.

22 posted on 01/17/2006 2:53:28 PM PST by TBP
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To: oxcart
It needs to hammered home again and again that REPBULICANS abolished slavery and DEMOCRATS brought it back with Jim Crow.

The natural party for hard-working, god-fearing, family-oriented African-Americans is the Republican party.

Glad to see some people carrying the message.

23 posted on 01/17/2006 2:54:41 PM PST by Philistone (Turning lead into gold...)
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To: churchillbuff
Why doesn't he change his last name to "Roosevelt" or "Truman"?

Dewey?

You're right. He certainly is a disgrace to teh family name. I'mn sure his sainted grandfather is turning over in his grave.

Now, there is a man who should have been President!

24 posted on 01/17/2006 2:55:23 PM PST by TBP
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To: oxcart

"Blackwell got an invitation to visit Reagan in the White House, where the president told Blackwell the story of his own political conversion. “I walked out of there knowing that I was going to join the party myself. It was clear to me that I stood a better chance of following my principles as a Republican,” says Blackwell."

Reagan was truly "The Great Communicator". I miss that man.


25 posted on 01/17/2006 2:57:04 PM PST by headstamp (Nothing lasts forever, Unless it does.)
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To: churchillbuff

I don't know how he could have.

He practically had the governorship handed to him by Voinovich in 1998. He had everything on a silver platter, but Bubba Bob, as I have come to call him, has found ways to screw EVERYTHING up.

And Ohio is still strong despite the lack of leadership that eminates from Columbus sometimes. Things aren't nearly as bad as they could be, but they aren't as good as they should be.

Blackwell is the type of leader that will right this ship so that Ohio can continue to prosper and grow.


26 posted on 01/17/2006 2:58:51 PM PST by MikefromOhio
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To: oxcart
“Ken Blackwell represents the only chance the Republicans have in Ohio,” says Paul Weyrich, who headed the Heritage Foundation, where Blackwell was an analyst in 1990. Weyrich, who calls Blackwell one of the few extraordinary individuals he has met in 50 years of public service, says that, without him on the ticket, Ohio Republicans “are going down the tubes big-time for what they’ve done there.”

High praise. Hope Blackwell wins.

27 posted on 01/17/2006 2:59:45 PM PST by Reagan Man (Secure our borders;punish employers who hire illegals;stop all welfare to illegals)
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To: churchillbuff
Time to open the political checkbook.
28 posted on 01/17/2006 3:01:43 PM PST by Little Bill (A 37%'r, a Red Spot on a Blue State, rats are evil.)
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To: TBP
I wonder how the media will spin it on election night if all three should win.

The media has already started.

Saying they chose their political party over their race, and also knocking them for being ungreatfull to the democratic party who (in the eyes of the media) gave them the oppurtinity to be where they are today.

29 posted on 01/17/2006 3:03:44 PM PST by Sonny M ("oderint dum metuant")
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To: oxcart
I get the impression that the Ohio Republican power structure is scared to death that Blackwell will become Ohio's next governor. The reason for that, I can only guess.

Maybe it's because with Blackwell as governor it won't be business as usual in the State of Ohio. That fact alone is enough of a reason to elect Blackwell, given what a mess that the current RINOS officeholders have created.
30 posted on 01/17/2006 3:09:02 PM PST by Ticonderoga34
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To: churchillbuff
How could this Taft character trash everything his sainted grandfather - Sen. Robert A. Taft - stood for?

Well, down at the statehouse, Ohio politics have been pay to play for some time now. Governor goofy has simply played the good soldier and has done what he was told.

Unfortunately, he has been to devoid of the conviction and balls necessary to fight back.

Let's also not forget that most of the gop dominated legislate have also chosen to do the bidding of the party elite in exchange for party support and "perks."

While Blackwell offers some hope, the state gop has already thrown their weight behind petro, who is a taft clone, (except not quite so goofy).

Throw into the mix the upcoming scandal over the looting of the WC fund that will be front and center all summer, and we have the makings for a very interesting Ohio election.

31 posted on 01/17/2006 3:19:02 PM PST by WhiteGuy (Vote for gridlock)
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To: zert_28
Maybe it's because with Blackwell as governor it won't be business as usual in the State of Ohio. That fact alone is enough of a reason to elect Blackwell, given what a mess that the current RINOS officeholders have created.

I agree with you, Blackwell will not be the puppet for the Ohio elite that taft has been.

The only thing that worries me is that Blackwell could be too influenced by DC politics, which is arguably worse that our state problems.

32 posted on 01/17/2006 3:21:56 PM PST by WhiteGuy (Vote for gridlock)
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To: oxcart

I heard him interviewed by Roger Hedgecock on San Diego radio sometime last year. Really sharp guy. Go Ken Go!


33 posted on 01/17/2006 3:46:01 PM PST by jrp
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To: headstamp

Our nation was truly bless by having a giant like Reagan as President. After more than two decades after his election, his legacy is still being felt.

On the other hand, people get the government they deserve. I hope Ohio deserves Blackwell. I know I will support him, and I live in Illinois!


34 posted on 01/17/2006 3:49:28 PM PST by winner3000
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To: headstamp

Our nation was truly bless by having a giant like Reagan as President. After more than two decades after his election, his legacy is still being felt.

On the other hand, people get the government they deserve. I hope Ohio deserves Blackwell. I know I will support him, and I live in Illinois!


35 posted on 01/17/2006 3:49:46 PM PST by winner3000
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To: headstamp

Our nation was truly bless by having a giant like Reagan as President. After more than two decades after his election, his legacy is still being felt.

On the other hand, people get the government they deserve. I hope Ohio deserves Blackwell. I know I will support him, and I live in Illinois!


36 posted on 01/17/2006 3:50:23 PM PST by winner3000
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To: K-oneTexas
"I'm from Texas and I want to say I was impress with this man when he spoke during the 2004 elections."

We have a man like him here in Texas: Michael Williams:


37 posted on 01/17/2006 4:26:32 PM PST by Redbob
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To: Redbob

Why isn't he getting any press coverage?


38 posted on 01/17/2006 4:37:19 PM PST by K-oneTexas (I'm not a judge and there ain't enough of me to be a jury. (Zell Miller, A National Party No More))
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To: K-oneTexas

See his web site, and read Blackwell's position. Wow!

http://www.kenblackwell.com/


39 posted on 01/17/2006 4:58:13 PM PST by docbnj
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To: oxcart
He took time out to marry his high school sweetheart, Rosa, who after 35 years in the Cincinnati school system rose last year to become its superintendent, successfully leading it off Ohio’s list of most troubled school systems by year’s end.

Unlike a certain ex-prez, Mr. Blackwell is married to a woman of accomplishment.

40 posted on 01/17/2006 5:14:30 PM PST by Ghengis (Alexander was a wuss!)
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