Strickland details hunting trip
This was the congressman's first goose hunting trip.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- You learn a lot about a man when you're sitting and squatting in a duck blind with him, said U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, who went goose hunting today with John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee.
"I don't want to pretend we're buddies, but we had a very enjoyable time together," said Strickland, of Lisbon, D-6th. "He's a nice person and would make an excellent president."
Strickland was among three men who went goose hunting today with Kerry, a Massachusetts senator, at the 100-acre Springfield Township farm of Rick and Jill Molnar.
Members of the press were not permitted to view the actual hunting trip, and were kept a distance away at the Molnar's home.
Strickland had never hunted geese before today, and it's been 30 years since he has hunted. When he did hunt, Strickland said it was for squirrels, raccoons and quail. Strickland borrowed a shotgun from a friend of a congressional staffer.
The congressman said he was invited because he had asked the Kerry campaign to come to Ohio to have the candidate hunt here. Also, the Molnar farm is in his congressional district.
A different story
While Kerry told reporters that each of the four hunters killed a Canada goose, Strickland said that may not be entirely accurate.
"We were all shooting, so it's hard to say who actually shot the geese," he said. "He's a superb shot, and he got the first goose. He kept shooting after, and I think he got two or three of them."
The four men did a lot of waiting, and actually only shot at geese three times, Strickland said.
"They were smart geese," he said. "They kept circling, but they stayed high enough that they were out of range."
While waiting, the four discussed a variety of issues, few of them political, Strickland said.
"We talked about the farm and made small talk," he said. "The senator expressed to us before the geese showed up that this was great being out here and having a few moments to be with nature, and not having all the activities he has to participate in day after day."
During the few political moments of the hunt, Kerry told Strickland that he feels good about the campaign.
skolnick@vindy.com