Friday, September 24, 2004
A Democrat spokesman said the Bush officials are 'living in a fantasy world.'
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Even with the state's unemployment rate steadily increasing during the past few months, Bush-Cheney campaign officials insist Ohio's economy is on the road to recovery.
"Ohio is slower to come back" than the rest of the nation, said Jo Ann Davidson, chairwoman of Bush-Cheney's Ohio Valley Region, which includes Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana.
"But whose policies will help us come back is the choice voters will make," she said.
Davidson, the former speaker of the Ohio House, and Bob Paduchik, Ohio chairman of the Bush-Cheney campaign, spoke to northeast Ohio reporters Thursday on a teleconference.
Unemployment rate
The state's unemployment rate for August was 6.3 percent, and has steadily increased since May, when the rate was 5.6 percent. During the Bush administration, which started in January 2001, the state has lost 237,400 jobs, more than one of every four jobs lost in the country during that time frame. Also, unemployment in the state was at 3.9 percent when President Bush took office.
Davidson said much has happened since January 2001, including the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Also, the country was heading toward a recession before Bush took office, she said.
"We know you've been hit hard, and we're slowly coming out of it," Davidson said of Northeast Ohio.
'Fantasy world'
In response, Brendon Cull, spokesman for the Democratic campaign in Ohio, said Bush-Cheney officials can't discuss specific improvements for northeast Ohio residents under the current administration because there aren't many. He said Bush campaign officials are "living in a fantasy world" if they believe Ohio's economy is improving.
"They don't have much to say about creating jobs, or a health care plan, or funding education," he said.
Paduchik said the Bush-Cheney campaign in Ohio distributed well over 100,000 yards signs so far this year, compared to 60,000 in 2000, and has 66,000 volunteers in the state.
"Their grass-roots campaign is like their administration; it's a lot of promises and not a lot of action," Cull said. He added that the John Kerry-John Edwards campaign has more than 100,000 volunteers in Ohio.
Paduchik and Davidson said they are pleased that the Republican president has opened a lead of between 7 percent and 12 percent over Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee, in the latest polls taken of likely Ohio voters. But they still believe the race will be close on Election Day in the state.
"We're running like we're 10 points behind," Davidson said. "We believe the message is coming through. Sen. Kerry's positions are the wrong ones for Ohio, higher taxes and more regulations."
Despite the polls, Cull is convinced that Kerry will win Ohio in November.
skolnick@vindy.com