Jerry Springer Officially Declines to Run for Senate (2:00 pm edt)

[VolcanoJen]

I'm watching this press conference live on local television here in Cincinnati, although it may also be on CNN or MSNBC (I haven't checked).

He's not running... so all Buckeyes can take a deep breath now. :-)

Whew!!

He lists the fact that contractual obligations would not allow him to stop doing the Jerry Springer Show in time for running for Senate. He also says he's reluctant to wage a "national" campaign due to his notoriety, and that the needs of Ohio voters should be in the forefront.

He says the only way a Dem could win in today's climate in Ohio would be to reach out to the independents, and he hopes to attract these voters and bring them into the tent eventually.

To his credit, Jerry made some excellent comments about the Dem Party and it's eventual resurgence. He's always been eloquent when speaking politics.

- Jennifer ;-)

[joshcryer]

1. Aww... at least we're not going to be losing his wonderful show.

And I mean that, hehehe. When you don't have cable, there are few entertaining shows on TV.

[VolcanoJen]

3. I *knew* something positive would come out of this...

LOL, joshcryer! :-)

- Jennifer

[BayCityProgressive]

2. Thank God.

just what we would need a "liberal" who exploits the poor. The GOP would be screaming hypocrite like crazy and it would be just another reason to hate liberals.

[VolcanoJen]

4. Link!

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SPRINGER_SENATE?SITE=OHDAY&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Excerpt:

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Talk show host Jerry Springer, who brings the kinky and the tacky into America's living rooms each day, said Wednesday he will not return to politics by running for U.S. Senate next year.

"As long as I'm doing that show, my message, no matter how sincere and no matter how heartfelt, does not get through to the people I need to reach," he said.

Springer, a Democrat, said he would quit his show and its chair-tossing guests should he run for the Senate seat held by Republican George Voinovich since 1998. It would have been his first run for elective office since he served as mayor of Cincinnati from 1978-81.

"That separation obviously hasn't taken place and would not take place in time for this election. I respect that," he said, his voice breaking at times.

[VolcanoJen]

5. Another "pre-game" link

Here's a link to a story in the Cincinnati Enquirer that came out this morning, before Springer's announcement. It's an interesting look into what Ohio Dems were thinking before the announcement.

http://www.enquirer.com/midday/08/08072003_News_1mday_springer07.html

[maxsolomon]

6. hand the seat back to the GOP

cuz there ain't no other democrats left in ohio.

[SyracuseDemocrat]

7. Nah, there are Dems left in Ohio.

Traficant for Senate!!! But wait, is his federal prison located in Ohio? Could they hold the Voinovich-Trafican senatorial debate live from his jail cell??? :)

[VolcanoJen]

8. Fingerhut will get smeared... Sherrod Brown needs to run!

Any other Buckeyes familiar with Sherrod Brown agree with me?

- Jennifer in the 'Nati

[cmd]

9. Sherrod has a better chance than Fingerhut

It will take lot of money to unseat Voinovich. We need to recall Taft and put the entire house and senate on notice that they have done a lousy joy and need to be replaced. At that point Voinovich might be unseated.

I'm sorry Springer isn't running. He would have left Ohioans questioning the right. We needed someone to do that.

[OzarkDem]

11. Sherrod won't run for Senate

He wouldn't leave his 13th District seat vulnerable to Repug takeover.

Besides, Sherrod likes where he is, he's the ranking Dem on the Health subcommittee in Energy & Commerce, a seat that gives him a lot of control over health care - his pet issue. He's fighting now to keep Medicare, among other things.

Eric has already raised about $300,000. He'll do fine as long as he reaches out to fellow Dems and gets them motivated.

Jerry wasn't going to spend any of his own money on a Senate campaign. He only spread a few dollars around Ohio to get publicity for his tv show.

[Monte Carlo]

10. What Jerry can do - what MORE Democrats need to do is speak well and often

That is the what I thought a Jerry Springer for Senate campaign could have brought to the playing field. Jerry can speak well; he can get the message across. If I were Terry McAuliffe, I'd make each and every Democrat attend a damned public speaking seminar.

I've heard Dean speak - he's good. Not great, but good. His best speaking attribute right now is his to-the-point style. I'm not sure whether that is because of who he is, or because he's not a Washington politician... yet. Kerry, I believe, is the best speaker out of all the Democratic candidates. He has a certain presence. He, like the other candidates, have been perhaps too cautious to respond to life's little events. Lieberman is NOT a good speaker. Sharpton can speak quite well when he wants to, but he's got a snowball's chance in Hell that enough people will listen to him.

[OzarkDem]

12. Agree

Dems need to get over their egos and learn to give better speeches, learn to stay on message, etc.

[OHdem10]

14. Dems need to get over their egos----------

Could it be they need a message??we are so fractured between the DLC and what the DLC refers to as the left. Just like Republicans they wantto paint us all as Lefties hanging off a cliff. They may be shocked to learn how many moderate(not centrist)democrats have bgun to hang out on activists boards because of the vacuum created by a party that does not have a set of guding principles and beliefs. We have to every four years to have a candidate who then tells what the party stands for. Sure, as Democrats each of us individually know what we believe but we do not have a standard message. Here is an example: I am not bashing Liberman but this is what is wrong with our party. During at least two interviews this week--- Liberman "I stand for something." Anchor --What do you stand for? Lieberman
"I am very independent-------" This tells the public nothing in so far as the party and what being a democrat means.Dean--not having been in the Senate or House gives the impression he knows what he believes and is not embarassed to be a Democrat. Give the Rpublicans credit. They have a message and stay on it. Small Government(as little of it as possible0 Low Taxes(as few and as small amount as possible and personal responsibilty(the opportunity is there for each person to make it on their own--it is not up to the government to redistribute wealth). Any Republican can firmly and unflenchingly tell you this. This never changes. Each President works within these parameters and can choose those things he wishes to caary out these princples.As I said --our party needs a message. Because of differences between DLC Democrats and Rest of the Party
Senators and Congressmen of our party develop skill of hedging their answers hoping not to offend and or commit. This makes it difficult when they decide to run for president--not in habit of being frank strong and serious. I am not bashing here just hoping someone will light a firecracker under our party .

[KG]

13. drat