Posted on 03/08/2006 8:01:25 PM PST by conservative_2001
As a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1984, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) expressed her contempt for a future colleague and allegedly likened young Republican activists to Hitler, according to an interview published by the local paper at the time.
While shadowing Schmidt at the convention, The Cincinnati Enquirer reporter initially described Schmidt as a “woman who will speak her mind whenever she pleases.”
Schmidt, who was 32 at the time, provided evidence for this assessment during her time with the reporter, who quoted her taking issue with future Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.), who was then President Reagan’s transportation secretary. During her tenure at Transportation, Dole wanted to impose a nationwide drinking age of 21.
“I hate that woman,” she told the reporter. “I just can’t stand her. Anyone who wants to force an increase in the drinking age to 21. … She can send our boys off to fight wars when they’re 17 and 18 but won’t let them drink till they’re 21.”
She added, “That stinks.”
The article also details her “booing” during a Dole appearance at the convention.
A spokeswoman for Dole, chairwoman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, declined to comment for this report.
Barry Bennett, Schmidt’s chief of staff, said, “The conservatives and the moderates didn’t get along very well in the 1980s. You can’t take a remark in the heat of a campaign out of context. That’s not fair.”
Bennett added that Schmidt was a Reagan supporter when the article was written.
Later in the article, while expressing her opinions about young Republican activists, she said, “They look like young Hitlers to me. … They’re so grim and deadly serious about the cause.”
“How are we going to attract mainstream kids to our party, kids who like to have fun and don’t take themselves so seriously?” she asked.
Bennett disputed that Schmidt made the comment, explaining that her twin sister, Jennifer Black, who was also mentioned in the paragraph, made the remark.
When asked to comment about her sister’s supposed remark, Bennett replied, “I don’t work for her sister.”
Michael Harlow, a spokesman for former Rep. Bob McEwen (R-Ohio), who is challenging Schmidt in the May primary, said, “It is disappointing to hear the contempt Mrs. Schmidt holds for Senator Dole, a woman who Bob McEwen and most Americans hold in very high esteem.”
He added: “Also, the hardworking activists she called ‘Hitlers’ were instrumental in our successful efforts to gain the majority for just the second time in 70 years.”
Schmidt defeated McEwen in an 11-candidate primary in July in a special election to fill the seat vacated by former Rep. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who became the U.S. trade representative.
James P. Urling, chairman of the Cincinnati-based Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST), a group founded by another former Schmidt opponent, Tom Brinkman, said, “Jean Schmidt has a history of nasty barbs aimed at values we all hold dear.”
Schmidt faces a primary in May against McEwen as well as a general election in November. Brinkman has since dubbed Schmidt “Mean Jean” and has called her a “pathological liar.”
Bennett responded by calling Brinkman “the king of outrageous comments” and "a fringe player in politics in Cincinnati."
Schmidt’s unabashed candor became national news and the butt of a joke on "Saturday Night Live" in November. She had made negative remarks about 17th-term Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) after he called for Bush to withdraw troops from Iraq. Schmidt later withdrew her words.
On Tuesday, Schmidt removed a claim on her website that Reps. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) and Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) had endorsed her in the Republican primary this year after Tancredo and Chabot’s office said it was not true.
Well, her comments about the drinking age, and the Dole's are spot on. One cannot like Reagan and the Dole's at the same time. The Dole's are the antithesis of the Reagan wing of the party.
Ancient History.
Except she should not have said, "I hate that woman."
Yeah, you're right. If we have philosophical differences with fellow republicans, booing them is a great idea. It shows the extent of the GOP's solidarity.
You know those people cannot be trusted. Why start now.
Noticing the Schmidt woman has a twin sister, odds are there's a bit of sibling competition there ~
The long knives are out for those who dare call dems unpatriotic.
Look at the author of this piece...Jackie Kuchinich? Related to Dennis the Menace? I have my douubts about it being true.
But Hitler was a National Socialits (national socilist=democrat party.)
no sarcasm....
You should learn not to trust journalists description of events and sayings. What was the true context, true intent, was it whimsy or serious, etc.. Do you think the journalist was motivated by a desire to demonize? Would they do that to a republican, never!
I don't pretend to know this Jean Schmidt but it sounds like a political campaign in progress to me, with the media carrying some water for the challenger(s).
Give her credit. She was absolutely right about the drinking age vs. the fighting age and the voting age.
And it was dumb to mention Hitler, because it gives ammunition to the enemy. But all she said if you look at it closely is that Young Republicans look too serious. Frankly I've noticed that too, in the past. It's not a criticism of their views, it's a criticism of their looks and their clothes. She's suggesting that if they loosened up a bit, they might attract more converts to the cause. That's pretty harmless, too.
BILLBEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This article mentions your girlfriend!
This Hill article took information from a Cincinnati Enquirer article. The last name of this author isn't relevant to begin with, especially since she's not the one who reported the event.
LMAO, now the scumbag Democrat press is going back 22 years to smear Schmidt?
Yawn.
"..Dennis J. Kucinich, D-Ohio, was born Oct. 8, 1946, in Cleveland, Ohio, and is the eldest of seven siblings. He attended Cleveland State University in 1967, but earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees in communications from Case Western Reserve University in 1973 and 1974, respectively. Kucinich is a Roman Catholic vegan who is divorced and has one 18-year-old daughter, Jackie..."
Con2001, your obsession with Congresswoman Schmidt borders on the pathological. What's next ? Calling for her assassination so you can have Bob "I never wrote a check that didn't bounce" McEwen ? Perhaps her office ought be informed about you. Get some help.
Bob Dole is far too "moderate" and wishy washy for my tastes, but he's a great American and was generally a loyal party guy. Not a conservative, by any means, but a solid citizen.
His wife is, and always was, a dingbat twit.
Dennis the Menace has a daughter named Jackie.
It's not the author trying to smear her, which is par for the course, it's the McEwen disciple/troll who started this execrable thread.
I assume you mean political assasination. I am not a fan of Schmidt myself. She is a bit of a loose cannon, and not reflective or thoughtful from what I have seen, nor effective. But she speaks her mind, candidly. That would be grand, if only her mind where a bit more, well whatever. I make this statement not as an ideological one. Some troglos I admire, including Senator Coburn and McClintock in California. I admire politicians who enhance rather than detract from an intelligent debate in the public square, and effectively influence it.
Shirley MacLaine, the moonbat, is Jackie's godmother.
Where the hell did this stuff come from? 1984?
Is McEwen really your white knight? That would be quite odd. Hasn't he found some alternative productive line of work yet?
She should become a Libertarian.
Check this out!
There's a difference between stating an intelligent opinion about where the drinking age should be, and stating, "I hate that woman" and booing Elizabeth Dole at a Republican convention. Obviously all Republican delegates should boo and express their hate at all speakers they have a different opinion with.
And it was dumb to mention Hitler, because it gives ammunition to the enemy. But all she said if you look at it closely is that Young Republicans look too serious.
Of course, it's only wrong to compare others to Hitler when it's Howard Dean or Paul Hackett who does it. If Mean Jean wanted to say that some Republicans should loosen up, why not just say that? Why does she have to compare them to the Hitler youth?
Lots of crusaders for never-gonna-win candidates around FR lately.
I have some theories:
(a) A lot of trolls have come out of the woodwork campaigning against Republican incumbents. They post smear articles (though none as bizarre as this) and claim to be on a Quixotic quest for a nobody candidate.
(b) A Murtha fan.
I never mentioned anything about McEwen. And in last year's special election I voted for neither McEwen nor Schmidt.
OK. His name came up.
My comments were with respect to the mental stability of the originator of this thread, as his posts demonstrate a notable lack thereof. No one is calling Rep. Schmidt the best or most effective member of Congress, only that her lone opponent is a failed gadfly who needlessly lost, through his own actions (as being one of the biggest check-kiters of the early '90s), a safe GOP seat that was won by the 'Rat standard-bearer for Governor this year (whom, if he wins, will owe Mr. McEwen a considerable debt of gratitude for putting him on the road to victory).
Were the aforementioned poster to back a more ethical and respectable candidate instead of an obsessed-to-win loser, he might be on to something. As it stands, he comes on here regularly to attack the Congresswoman in an irrational and pathological manner, posting half-truths and innuendoes (and now, old garbage like this) to try to bolster the candidacy of a damaged individual that could cost us this seat in November, and I feel that the woman is at least deserving of a modest amount of respect and defense.
Is this media payback for her lambasting of Murtha?
I think I like "Mean" Jean better all the time.
You know you're over the target if you're getting flak. ;o)
The subject poster has now distanced itself from McEwen. Cheers.
Assuming you aren't a troll, you're the worst kind of activist. You get all worked up about one candidate, believing the sun rises and sets with him, and when he loses (miserably) in the primary, you burn all of your bridges behind you.
Here were the outcomes of the special election:
Jean Schmidt 31.37%
Bob McEwen 25.53%
Tom Brinkman 20.40%
Pat DeWine 11.97%
(This kind of split tells us why Hackett even placed in the election, BTW.)
So, whomever you support, you support not only a loser, but someone who couldn't even make the top 2.
Torie, don't get me wrong. Though I didn't vote for McEwen or Schmidt last time and I'm not close to either, in this year's 2-way race I'll vote for McEwen this time.
It comes down to the issues. Jean Schmidt was a reliable supporter of Bob Taft and all his tax hikes, while Bob McEwen was a reliable supporter of Ronald Reagan and his tax cuts. In a race between a Taft Republican and a Reagan Republican, I'll support the Reagan Republican anytime.
A federal legislator is out of the loop on Ohio taxes. The suggestion that Schmidt on balance is a closet liberal, is well odd. Focusing on one thing, can get to be a fixation, and cause one to lose perspective.
The district McEwen lost in 1992 was one of the most swing Congressional seats in the entire country. Strickland won by 2% in 1992, lost by 2% in 1994, and won by 2% in 1996. By comparison, Ohio-2 gave John Kerry only 33% of the vote, yet Schmidt nearly lost it to a political neophyte who is as nearly mentally unstable as she is. If it was merely a solid Republican district instead of a very solid one, Schmidt would have lost it.
And if you want to talk about ethics, even there McEwen has it all over Schmidt.
http://www.dispatch.com/topstory.php?story=dispatch/2005/07/08/20050708-B1-00.html
With a global biotech company picking up the tab, five state lawmakers and their guests dined at an Italian restaurant and got luxury box seats to the Cincinnati Bengals’ first Monday night football game in 15 years.
The tickets to the Oct. 25 game cost $300 apiece, and the total tab for the evening topped $5,000.
Now, four of those lawmakers — three current Republican House members from the Cincinnati area and a former GOP state representative running for Congress in southwestern Ohio — are facing a state investigation into why they didn’t properly report the entertainment as a gift, as required by Ohio law.
"I have a hard time thinking I wouldn’t remember someone taking me out for a night like that," said Tony W. Bledsoe, the legislative inspector general, who ensures lawmakers and lobbyists follow the laws designed to minimize ethical conflicts.
"Apparently it was a very nice Monday night out in Cincinnati."
Because of a lobbyist’s involvement, the event falls under the state law that forbids lawmakers from accepting gifts from lobbyists valued at more than $75, Bledsoe said.
Reps. Jim Raussen, of Springdale; Diana M. Fessler, of New Carlisle; and Michelle G. Schneider, of Cincinnati, along with former representative Jean Schmidt, a Republican from Loveland who is the heavy favorite to win a seat in Congress from Ohio’s 2 nd District, each should have reported the evening as a gift on their April disclosure forms, Bledsoe said.
The only one to disclose the event was Sen. Jay Hottinger, a Newark Republican who reported that he received Bengals tickets and an autographed football from former quarterback Boomer Esiason.
Torie, Jean Schmidt was a State Representative from 2001-2005.
During that time, Schmidt voted for Bob Taft's 20% Sales Tax increase. She voted for Bob Taft's 6 cents/gallon Gas Tax increase. She also sponsored legislation causing massive hotel tax increases in Hamilton County.
It wasn't just a matter of expressing support for Bob Taft or his specific policies. She's one of the RINO's in the State House who actually voted for Bob Taft's failed agenda. Some people have a problem with me using Jean Schmidt's own record against her, but I call it being informed.
Hey, I don't mind good-natured boosterism for some quixotic candidates, I do it myself, it's just that sometimes it simply crosses the line. In the case of McEwen, he destroyed himself with his own actions in Congress after 18 years in public service. He put himself above party when the seat he formerly occupied could've remained in GOP hands with a senior non-damaged and unblemished Republican whose district had been merged with his, and that led to Ted Strickland. His attempts now to reclaim the office (his 4th try shopping around 3 districts) in a dozen years is sad and pathetic, as are his attempts to destroy Ms. Schmidt at all costs.
I believe it's his daughter.
Mean Jean's remark reflects badly on her, but it was over 20 years ago. If she were being challenged by a better opponent, I could be persuaded to support him or her. But, for all her shortcomings, she's preferable to Bob McEwen.
However, I prefer Mean Jean's careless lips to Bob McEwen's district-shopping and bouncing checks.
"Mean Jean?"
I can smell your vendetta from here.
We've been over this ad infinitum, and all you respond with are personal attacks. You continue to ignore the then-26-year OTHER incumbent Clarence Miller, who would've easily held that seat until a younger Republican could succeed him (and at 89, Miller is still around today).
You want Schmidt defeated, we understand. But come back when you have a serious Conservative candidate minus the ethical baggage, not a self-defeating loser desperate to reclaim office by any means.
None so far. Schmidt wasn't supporting any liberal items in her first 1-2 years in the State House either. But by year 3, she shifted noticably to the left.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Schmidt's already proven she can't be trusted to remain a conservative. She'll turn into another DeWine if we give her the chance.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.