Strickland’s spokesman was once a harsh critic

Ted Strickland, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate next year, received criticism during his four years as governor.

An Akron Beacon Journal columnist described him in March 16, 2009, as “a bizarro-world Robin Hood” who “is stealing from the poor and giving to the rich with his school funding plan. It is hard to believe that someone from rural Duck Run in Appalachian Scioto County would do such a thing, but it is true. Strickland is taking federal funds aimed at poor and special-education children and giving many of those dollars to the wealthy too. It boggles the mind that the man who ran promising to fix school funding would create a new funding formula that seems to reward the wealthy and punish the poor.”

That former columnist is Dennis Willard, who serves as Strickland’s Senate campaign spokesman.

It wasn’t an isolated column.

In an April 17, 2010, column, Willard wrote that Strickland “promised to create gobs of jobs, but the ship of state has not turned. Instead, it is sinking.” This was a play on Strickland’s “Turnaround Ohio” campaign initiative when he successfully ran for governor in 2006. A Sept. 12, 2009, column said the promises of that initiative have “gone unfulfilled.”

In a Sept. 28, 2009, column, Willard seemed to chastise Strickland for his “inability to seize an opportunity” by considering a tax increase – suggested by then-U.S. Sen. George V. Voinovich, a Republican and former governor – to close a state budget hole. Strickland called Voinovich’s comment “immature.”

“Strickland’s thin skin and paranoia dictated his undignified response,” Willard wrote.

Obviously Strickland and his campaign were aware of the columns when they hired Willard. They thought highly enough of Willard to put him in a key position. And, of course, Willard wrote several columns in support of Strickland during his years at the Beacon Journal.

Newspaper columnists write pieces that criticize and/or praise. That’s what Willard did – and did well.

When asked about the past columns, Willard said, “Ted Strickland will be a tremendous U.S. senator because he surrounds himself with strong-minded people who have diverse opinions so he can make the best decisions when it comes to critically important issues.” Willard then proceeded to criticize U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, the Republican incumbent.

Portman’s campaign has already spent a lot of time blasting Strickland for his four years as governor; dubbing him “Retread Ted.”

Corry Bliss, Portman’s campaign manager, said of Willard’s past columns: “I agree with Gov. Strickland’s campaign spokesman. Gov. Strickland was an awful governor and it’s hard to find any Ohioan who would want to return to the Strickland era.” Bliss then proceeded to further criticize Strickland.

Also seeking the Democratic nomination for the Senate next year is Cincinnati Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld.

Dale Butland, Sittenfeld’s spokesman, said: “When Rob Portman and the Republicans say Ted was a horrible governor, I don’t think anyone is particularly shocked. The surprise is that Ted’s own campaign spokesman apparently agrees with them. And don’t think we won’t see these quotes again, probably in a Portman TV spot.”

Butland added: “Handing your opponent a club to beat you with is a pretty unusual campaign strategy.”