Carnival of Politics #72

We certainly had an eventful week leading up to the Nation's birthday party. So much so that a few topics prompted submissions from multiple bloggers. Let's consider those, then double back to pick up the trims and ends.

The Big Stories

Topic A this week was the disastrous appearance by Sen. George Voinovich on Sean Hannity's radio show. Co-Carnival barker Ben Keeler got in early with a rundown of the meltdown.

The incident reminded ProgressOhio blogger Daily Outrage of another famous instance of Sen. Voinovich losing his temper. Conservative Culture calls it a "national embarassment" and posts a RAB excerpt declaring his career over.

BizzyBlog didn't need the Voinovich to plotz on Hannity to be irate. He reports that Voinovich had made up his mind on his cloture vote, pretended to be undecided then changed his mind at the last minute when it was clear the bill would be defeated. Biz posts the additional information that both Voinovich and Sen. Sherrod Brown cast their votes only after the issue was decided.

Bloggers left and right pretty much agree that Voinovich's appearance was a train wreck. That wasn't the case when it came to Attorney General Marc Dann and his sponsorship of a parade in Columbus, a topic on which Matt at Lincoln Logs and Dave at Into My Own take opposite positions. Dave argues that Dann is using the parade to promote AG office activities and is analogous to former AG Jim Petro sponsoring First Night. Matt sees the parade as political advertising and argues that Petro's sponsorship of First Night is distinguishable.

Matt goes on to take Plain Dealer columnist Tom Suddes to task for his defense of Dann.

In addition watching the Marc Dann controversy, Lincoln Logs reports on the Republican primary in the 18th District where candidate Mark Carey has secured his first county chair endorsement. Staying in the 18th, Scott Pullins has some questions about the conservative bona fides of candidate Fred Dailey.

Divided We Stand compares and contrasts the prosecution of Scooter Libby and the impeachment of Bill Clinton. For DWSUWF, both men received just punishments. For new blogger Man with the Muck-Rake the Libby commutation prompts a meditation about the nature of tyranny and the Bush administration.

Everything Else

Dave at ProgressOhio goes beyond Voinovich to note that Ohio ranks 24 on the State Heath Care Performance Scorecard. He also points out that Cliff Arnebeck's RICO lawsuit against the Ohio Chamber of Commerce has potential implications for the Columbus Mayor's race.

In the past attorney Scott Pullins has taken on work against payday lenders targeting military families. He argues in favor of pending legislation to regulate their activity.

Conservative Culture lauds Rep. Jim Jordan for refusing a Congressional pay raise. Also, the City of Lima appears headed for an agreement that would bring an Indian casino to the city.

In the latest dust-up between Right Angle's Matt Naugle and Buckeye State's Jerid Kurtz, Viking Spirit finds no clean hands.

A visit from a long-shot primary challenger prompts Kyle at The Chief Source to check in with they Akron Mayor's race.

LisaRenee at Glass City Jungle runs down what can only be called a kerfuffle over a local strip club entrepreneur who bought a foursome at the Lucas County Dem Party golf outing fundraiser. The four young women who played the foursome may or may not be strippers and may or may not have flashed passersby.

Gives the term "skins game" a whole new meaning.

Moving right along. LisaRenee also blogs on a more serious note, wondering whether two union officials who may have diverted union funds for personal use will be prosecuted.

Len at Blogesque attended the appearance by Gov. Strickland and House Speaker Jon Husted at Sinclair Community College just before the Governors signed the budget and posted a full report. He was able to ask Gov. Strickland a couple of questions, including what might fall to a line-item veto. The answers he received proved prescient.

At Writes Like She Talks Jill points out the dots that are Rolls Royce, a potential new jet engine plant in Ohio, Iran, Bill Batchelder and the recently defeated H.B. 151. She leaves it to the reader to connect those dots.

Jill has been updates the case of a woman who can't seem to stop drinking and driving for even a day. And she wonders whether a new Stein Mart in Solon is another case of too much retail in Northeast Ohio.

Maggie Thurber shares her Thoughts on the defeat of the immigration reform bill and the broader lessons it holds about the power of the people. She also posts quotes about America in anticipation of the Fourth.

For myself, I report that the coalition proposing a constitutional amendment on school funding announced that it will not have the signatures to get on the ballot this fall. At length I review lobbying fight over the education budget. And if you want to see how low some celebwannabes will go to get noticed, read if you dare.

Thanks to everyone who participated this week. Welcome to new participants Blogesque, Chief Source, Into My Own, ProgressOhio, Man with the Muck-Rake and Thurber's Thoughts.

Everyone have a great Fourth of July.

Image: "72 Pencils" by George Hart.