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The State of Ohio

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FirstEnergy won't face charges in the state's House Bill 6 criminal investigation. And the presidential race has a different look and feel from one month ago. An expert in election analysis who hails from Ohio gives us his view. Long form interview is with Kyle Kondik of Sabato's Crystal Ball.

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00:00:39	The ballot board once again
00:00:39	approves language for voters
00:00:42	to read the results
00:00:42	in a lawsuit,
00:00:44	and the major party
00:00:44	conventions
00:00:46	brought some excitement
00:00:46	and memorable moments,
00:00:48	but also help form
00:00:48	messaging strategy
00:00:50	for the next two months.
00:00:51	We'll talk about that this
00:00:51	weekend. The state of Ohio
00:01:12	Welcome to the state of Ohio.
00:01:14	I'm Karen Kasler.
00:01:15	Last week ended with the Ohio
00:01:17	Ballot Board approving
00:01:17	language that voters will read
00:01:20	as a summary on the November
00:01:20	ballot about the amendment
00:01:23	to change the redistricting
00:01:23	process.
00:01:26	By Monday, a lawsuit was filed
00:01:26	over that language.
00:01:29	The ballot boards not weigh
00:01:29	in on the merits of issues,
00:01:31	but was created to develop
00:01:31	summaries
00:01:33	so voters
00:01:33	don't have to read entire
00:01:35	amendments
00:01:35	when casting ballots.
00:01:37	But this is the third time
00:01:37	in a year
00:01:39	the ballot board
00:01:39	has been sued over
00:01:41	wording written
00:01:41	by Republican Secretary
00:01:43	of State Frank Larose,
00:01:43	who chairs the panel.
00:01:46	Citizens, not politicians,
00:01:46	wants to create a 15 member
00:01:49	commission of an equal number
00:01:49	of Republicans, Democrats
00:01:52	and independents.
00:01:53	With no elected
00:01:53	officials, lobbyists or other
00:01:56	politicians permitted to draw
00:01:56	lawmakers district maps.
00:01:59	It would replace the Ohio
00:01:59	Redistricting Commission.
00:02:02	A panel of seven
00:02:02	elected officials
00:02:04	that approved maps
00:02:04	all ruled unconstitutional,
00:02:07	gerrymandered by the Ohio
00:02:07	Supreme Court.
00:02:09	Citizens, not politicians,
00:02:09	said in its lawsuit
00:02:11	that the language approved
00:02:11	by the ballot board's
00:02:13	three Republicans is not
00:02:13	factual.
00:02:16	Is Partizan misleading and
00:02:16	therefore unconstitutional?
00:02:19	The approved summary
00:02:19	is three pages long and begins
00:02:23	by titling the amendment
00:02:23	to quote
00:02:25	to create an appointed
00:02:25	redistricting commission,
00:02:27	not elected by
00:02:28	or subject to removal
00:02:28	by the voters of the state.
00:02:32	There are ten bullet points.
00:02:33	The first one reads
00:02:35	repeal
00:02:35	constitutional protections
00:02:36	against gerrymandering
00:02:36	approved
00:02:38	by nearly three quarters
00:02:38	of Ohio electors
00:02:40	participating in the statewide
00:02:40	elections of 2015 and 2018,
00:02:44	and eliminate the long
00:02:44	standing ability of Ohio
00:02:47	citizens
00:02:47	to hold their representatives
00:02:49	accountable for establishing
00:02:51	fair state, legislative,
00:02:51	and congressional districts.
00:02:54	The second bullet point
00:02:54	was amended slightly.
00:02:56	The original version said
00:02:57	establish a new taxpayer
00:02:57	funded
00:02:59	commission of appointees
00:02:59	required
00:03:01	to manipulate the boundaries
00:03:03	of state, legislative,
00:03:03	and congressional districts
00:03:05	to favor the two largest
00:03:07	political parties
00:03:07	in the state of Ohio,
00:03:09	according to a formula
00:03:10	based on Partizan outcomes
00:03:10	as the dominant factor.
00:03:13	Republican Senator
00:03:13	Teresa Gavron proposed
00:03:15	changing the word manipulate
00:03:15	in that line to gerrymander,
00:03:18	which those
00:03:18	who brought the amendment say
00:03:20	makes it appear that it would
00:03:20	require gerrymandering.
00:03:23	When the goal of the amendment
00:03:24	is to eliminate
00:03:24	gerrymandering,
00:03:26	a decision
00:03:26	from the Ohio Supreme Court,
00:03:28	which has four Republican
00:03:28	and three Democratic justices,
00:03:31	is expected to be quick
00:03:33	since there are only just over
00:03:33	70 days till the election.
00:03:36	And military and overseas
00:03:37	ballots must be done
00:03:37	by September 20th.
00:03:40	This week,
00:03:40	I talked to a senator
00:03:40	who was one of the
00:03:42	two Democrats
00:03:42	on the ballot board last year
00:03:44	when the panel got sued over
00:03:46	ballot language for both issue
00:03:46	once the requirement
00:03:49	of a 60% voter approval
00:03:49	to change the Constitution
00:03:52	and the Reproductive Rights
00:03:52	Amendment.
00:03:54	Senator Bill Dimauro
00:03:54	was in Chicago
00:03:56	this week as the convention
00:03:57	and delegate director
00:03:57	for the Ohio Democratic Party.
00:04:00	I mean,
00:04:00	as somebody who came from,
00:04:02	you know, being
00:04:02	campaign person and all that,
00:04:05	I have always thought
00:04:05	that any time the Republicans
00:04:09	can try to screw
00:04:09	the people of Ohio
00:04:11	or Democrats,
00:04:11	they're going to do it.
00:04:12	So I have no delusions
00:04:12	of grandeur that
00:04:16	Rose was ever going to do
00:04:16	anything
00:04:18	to actually help the finish.
00:04:19	It's all in for himself
00:04:19	and his cronies.
00:04:21	So I was on the ballot board
00:04:21	because I brought
00:04:25	a certain perspective,
00:04:25	because I come from a poor
00:04:28	background
00:04:28	of so many running campaigns,
00:04:30	working for the Democratic
00:04:30	Party for so many years
00:04:32	that, I mean,
00:04:32	nothing really surprised me.
00:04:34	But I'll tell you what,
00:04:34	the ballot language
00:04:35	that they tried,
00:04:35	that they passed last week
00:04:37	even surprised me
00:04:37	how nefarious
00:04:40	and how just so misleading
00:04:40	that it was.
00:04:43	I mean, again,
00:04:46	it was bad.
00:04:46	It was horrible to start.
00:04:47	And then Senator
00:04:47	Gavin Rooney's
00:04:49	amendment to change out,
00:04:51	they put in the word
00:04:51	gerrymandering is just again,
00:04:54	these people, all they think
00:04:54	about is keeping power.
00:04:57	They don't want to
00:04:58	they didn't want to govern
00:04:58	for the people of Ohio.
00:05:00	They don't want to help
00:05:00	people.
00:05:01	They're just trying
00:05:01	to keep power at all costs,
00:05:04	no matter,
00:05:04	you know, screw the laws,
00:05:04	screw, screw anything else.
00:05:07	But if we don't
00:05:07	keep our power,
00:05:09	and I think these are
00:05:09	the people of Ohio's of our of
00:05:11	seeing through it, through it.
00:05:12	I mean, three times last year,
00:05:12	if you want, in August
00:05:15	and if you one
00:05:15	and two in November
00:05:18	and this year
00:05:18	and if you won,
00:05:19	the voters
00:05:19	are going to be through
00:05:21	all the Republican
00:05:21	shenanigans,
00:05:22	and they're going to pass this
00:05:22	overwhelmingly,
00:05:24	and we're going to finally
00:05:24	have districts
00:05:26	that we are representative
00:05:26	of the people,
00:05:29	I mean, and don't forget,
00:05:29	you and I ain't know that
00:05:32	we pass
00:05:32	to constantly amendments
00:05:34	before this
00:05:34	that the Republicans
00:05:37	on the ballot,
00:05:37	on the ballot for,
00:05:38	I mean, on the committee
00:05:38	just completely ignored.
00:05:41	They ignored
00:05:41	the laws of the state of Ohio
00:05:44	and then bought the Four
00:05:44	Stooges on the Supreme Court.
00:05:48	Uphold that, this ridiculous,
00:05:48	you know, this stuff.
00:05:52	And, I mean, it is a joke.
00:05:54	And because these guys, that's
00:05:56	why we're going to
00:05:56	we're going
00:05:56	to take over the Supreme Court
00:05:58	this year
00:05:58	with our three candidates,
00:06:00	and we're going to look
00:06:00	and after the amendment
00:06:00	passes,
00:06:03	we're
00:06:03	going to have a legislature
00:06:05	that is going to look
00:06:05	more like
00:06:06	the state of Ohio and less
00:06:08	and they will no longer
00:06:08	have supermajorities.
00:06:11	So they can't keep passing
00:06:11	these horrible bills
00:06:13	and take away people's rights.
00:06:14	So, I mean, it's
00:06:14	going to happen.
00:06:16	The people are going to see
00:06:16	through this
00:06:18	and frankly,
00:06:18	will be a four time loser.
00:06:21	Republicans on the ballot.
00:06:22	Ward said that
00:06:22	the ballot language
00:06:24	that was submitted
00:06:24	by citizens,
00:06:25	not politicians,
00:06:25	wasn't enough.
00:06:26	I mean, this is
00:06:26	a complicated amendment.
00:06:28	And they said that
00:06:28	the ten bullet points
00:06:30	they came up with
00:06:31	was appropriate to explain
00:06:31	how complicated it is.
00:06:34	Yeah, these are
00:06:34	the same people that,
00:06:38	that that want to take away
00:06:38	trans people's rights, that,
00:06:42	that want to make it so that,
00:06:44	people can't vote
00:06:44	without strict ID laws.
00:06:47	They want they purged voters.
00:06:49	they took away
00:06:49	they want to take away
00:06:52	a woman's right
00:06:52	to determine their own body,
00:06:54	what's best for their body?
00:06:55	I mean, these guys,
00:06:55	they lie through their teeth.
00:06:57	Nothing. Just like
00:06:57	the presidential candidate.
00:06:59	They can't say anything
00:06:59	that's actually truthful.
00:07:01	They lie about everything
00:07:03	and try to twist everything
00:07:03	around to come out to their
00:07:06	to some warped, warped sense
00:07:06	of right that they have.
00:07:10	And the voters
00:07:10	are going to be through it.
00:07:11	And again, whatever they
00:07:11	justify is ludicrous.
00:07:15	I mean, I don't know how
00:07:15	they sleep at night.
00:07:17	I don't know how
00:07:17	their conscience
00:07:18	got some sleep,
00:07:18	but I when they lie, lie, lie,
00:07:21	they follow some con artist
00:07:21	who's running for president
00:07:24	as a cult. And I mean, again,
00:07:27	and someday
00:07:27	their judgment will come.
00:07:30	Let's talk a little bit about
00:07:30	the presidential contest.
00:07:32	And I'm
00:07:32	talking to you right now
00:07:32	because you were in Chicago
00:07:34	for the Democratic
00:07:34	National Convention,
00:07:36	which has been a historic
00:07:36	event in terms of all
00:07:40	the things that have happened
00:07:40	already.
00:07:41	We're talking right
00:07:41	now, the night,
00:07:44	the day before,
00:07:44	Vice President Kamala
00:07:46	Harris accepts the nomination
00:07:46	formally and gets her speech.
00:07:49	What's it been like?
00:07:51	I mean, I've heard
00:07:51	that you've been offered
00:07:53	or some people have been
00:07:53	offered thousands of dollars
00:07:56	for the opportunity to come
00:07:56	out on the floor and see this.
00:07:59	So I this morning,
00:07:59	I mean, I was at
00:08:01	it was in our staff office
00:08:01	at 505 this morning,
00:08:04	and by 505 this morning,
00:08:04	I'd had three different emails
00:08:09	or text messages
00:08:09	offering me $10,000 for today.
00:08:12	I mean, it is
00:08:13	it is unbelievable
00:08:14	the excitement, the people
00:08:14	that want to be here,
00:08:16	to see history
00:08:18	and see Kamala be,
00:08:18	officially Democratic now,
00:08:21	although she already is
00:08:21	nominee.
00:08:23	But that way
00:08:23	we had to do that again.
00:08:24	Republicans
00:08:25	trying to make it shenanigans
00:08:25	to get her on the ballot.
00:08:28	But she's our nominee.
00:08:30	And the speech tonight,
00:08:30	is going to be overwhelming.
00:08:33	I mean, you saw on
00:08:33	Tuesday night
00:08:34	that there were two arenas
00:08:36	completely filled out,
00:08:36	one in Milwaukee where she was
00:08:39	and the one in Chicago
00:08:39	for the convention.
00:08:41	you know, Donald
00:08:41	Trump in his birthday
00:08:43	couldn't feel two arenas
00:08:43	at the same time.
00:08:45	Two different cities.
00:08:47	And it
00:08:47	it drives him crazy
00:08:47	what we're doing here
00:08:49	that that the excitement
00:08:49	and the, just
00:08:53	the number of people
00:08:53	are overwhelmingly
00:08:55	trying to go to our convention
00:08:57	and the fact that
00:08:57	people want to pay $10,000
00:08:57	to be in a room
00:09:00	for an hour or an hour
00:09:00	while she gives a speech,
00:09:03	just shows you
00:09:04	the excitement
00:09:05	and the energy that's
00:09:05	going on here in Chicago.
00:09:07	And you mentioned
00:09:07	that she officially was
00:09:10	nominated in a virtual roll
00:09:10	call a couple of weeks ago.
00:09:13	That was made necessary
00:09:13	in large part
00:09:16	because of Ohio's law
00:09:16	that required
00:09:18	that presidential candidates
00:09:18	be certified
00:09:21	90 days before the ballot.
00:09:22	That law was changed to
00:09:22	take effect on September 1st.
00:09:25	So that virtual roll call
00:09:25	essentially wasn't needed.
00:09:29	But do you think that changed
00:09:29	the way
00:09:31	that the roll call
00:09:31	was done at the convention?
00:09:33	Because that's gotten
00:09:33	a lot of attention?
00:09:35	Yeah, I mean, we changed.
00:09:36	I mean,
00:09:36	it was changed because of Ohio
00:09:36	and because we don't trust
00:09:41	the Republican super illegal
00:09:41	super majority of us
00:09:44	in our Republican governor,
00:09:44	secretary state.
00:09:46	I do, actually,
00:09:48	if they if they can find
00:09:48	a loophole to screw us,
00:09:50	they're going to do it.
00:09:51	I mean,
00:09:51	and I kept telling people
00:09:53	here, the DNC the entire time,
00:09:55	I mean, listen,
00:09:55	I was worried about it.
00:09:56	Ever others, we would be here
00:09:56	in Chicago this week.
00:10:00	They would call
00:10:00	a special session legislature
00:10:03	and rescinded September 1st.
00:10:04	And then we would not have
00:10:04	a presidential can.
00:10:06	I don't put it past them
00:10:07	because that's the way
00:10:07	they think.
00:10:09	And these guys, again,
00:10:09	they're a part of a cult
00:10:13	that follows
00:10:13	a convicted felon,
00:10:15	and they want to get this guy
00:10:16	on the ballot
00:10:16	and want to keep their power.
00:10:18	They'll do anything.
00:10:19	And no one would trust
00:10:19	any of these people
00:10:22	to actually live
00:10:22	by their word.
00:10:24	So we passed,
00:10:25	we had a virtual roll call
00:10:25	and the documents were sent
00:10:29	to this.
00:10:29	I have Secretary of State
00:10:29	by the 4:00 deadline
00:10:32	of the original date.
00:10:33	So they couldn't
00:10:34	do any shenanigans
00:10:34	to try to somehow
00:10:36	keep Kamala Harris
00:10:36	off the ballot.
00:10:38	And the roll call that you did
00:10:39	at the convention
00:10:39	turned out to be
00:10:41	more like a musical,
00:10:41	celebration.
00:10:44	In a way, it was
00:10:45	it was a ceremonial musical
00:10:45	celebration.
00:10:47	They took the best of
00:10:49	what we done before, with
00:10:49	the roll calls on the States,
00:10:52	and then
00:10:53	took some of the stuff we did
00:10:53	four years ago during Covid
00:10:55	with a virtual call
00:10:55	and put it on the one.
00:10:58	And as you saw, I mean,
00:11:00	I think the DNC
00:11:00	might do this more
00:11:02	because I think people
00:11:02	actually like this better
00:11:04	than they do
00:11:04	the regular roll call.
00:11:05	And I've been quoted by
00:11:05	you and others
00:11:08	when I said that, you know,
00:11:08	between the conventions,
00:11:11	having a 3.5 hour roll call,
00:11:11	we have to listen to some
00:11:14	small states.
00:11:14	They do a great state
00:11:14	of whatever.
00:11:16	You know,
00:11:17	we have less people
00:11:17	than Franklin County
00:11:19	and did all these great things
00:11:19	alike.
00:11:20	And it's been the room for
00:11:20	3.5 hours.
00:11:22	I mean, it would drive
00:11:22	most people in vain.
00:11:25	And I think the DNC learned
00:11:25	that what we did
00:11:28	on Tuesday night, it's
00:11:28	so much better and so much
00:11:31	more lively
00:11:31	and and I think we're going to
00:11:33	I think that might be
00:11:33	the future.
00:11:35	Now that that that happened
00:11:35	because it was so it was
00:11:38	I mean, it took exactly
00:11:38	one hour from start to finish.
00:11:41	And it was it was
00:11:41	choreographed perfectly.
00:11:43	And all the music that I think
00:11:43	that we
00:11:44	we did everything,
00:11:44	every convention now on,
00:11:47	wait, do the same thing
00:11:49	Ohio did vote for
00:11:49	for President Trump in 2016
00:11:52	and 2020.
00:11:52	He won by eight points
00:11:52	both times,
00:11:54	and political experts
00:11:55	are expecting that he will win
00:11:55	Ohio again.
00:11:57	And what the biggest race,
00:11:57	arguably in Ohio,
00:11:59	in a way, is,
00:11:59	the race between incumbent
00:12:03	Democratic Senator Sherrod
00:12:03	Brown and Trump endorsed
00:12:06	northeast Ohio businessman
00:12:06	Bernie Marino.
00:12:08	Sherrod Brown is not there.
00:12:10	He's actually
00:12:10	campaigning in Ohio
00:12:10	now, starting on Thursday.
00:12:13	What's the mood like
00:12:13	within the Ohio delegation
00:12:16	without him
00:12:16	as a marquee candidate?
00:12:19	There was no listen,
00:12:19	everybody in Ohio,
00:12:22	not one of our guest speakers
00:12:24	who came in, did not mention
00:12:24	that Sherrod Brown
00:12:26	was the most important Senate
00:12:26	race in the country.
00:12:28	Everybody from Cory Booker
00:12:30	to Governor Pritzker
00:12:30	to Chairman Jamie Harrison,
00:12:33	to, Jim Clyburn,
00:12:33	everybody said Sherrod
00:12:37	Brown needs to be reelected.
00:12:38	Every speaker
00:12:38	that we had talked about,
00:12:40	Sherrod Brown,
00:12:40	Sherrod Brown's back in Ohio,
00:12:40	talking to voters
00:12:43	can actually vote for me.
00:12:44	I mean, Sherrod Brown got
00:12:44	every member of my delegation.
00:12:47	Sherrod Brown,
00:12:49	Sherrod Brown, I don't there's
00:12:49	any question.
00:12:52	I mean, there is no question
00:12:52	that everybody here in Chicago
00:12:54	at at
00:12:54	our breakfast is at our event.
00:12:57	I'm going to vote for Sherrod
00:12:57	Brown.
00:12:59	chair needs to be in Ohio
00:12:59	convincing those swing voters
00:13:03	that we need to win
00:13:03	this election,
00:13:05	that it's the choice
00:13:05	between someone who
00:13:08	fights for the little guy who
00:13:08	fights for organized labor,
00:13:11	who fights for the rights
00:13:11	of everybody
00:13:13	to fight
00:13:13	for reproductive choice
00:13:15	against the guy
00:13:16	who screws up employees
00:13:17	and won't pay them
00:13:17	the money they're owed
00:13:20	because his profit
00:13:21	is more important
00:13:21	to take care of employees.
00:13:23	And so he wants to ban
00:13:23	abortion on a national level.
00:13:26	So that's the kind of
00:13:26	difference
00:13:27	Sherrod Brown
00:13:27	is making by being in Ohio,
00:13:29	talking to voters.
00:13:30	He was in Shelby County
00:13:30	this week.
00:13:32	He was in Montgomery County.
00:13:32	He was in Lucas County.
00:13:35	He was in Cleveland talking
00:13:35	to barbers and hairstylists,
00:13:39	and the city of Cleveland.
00:13:40	He's been all across the state
00:13:40	this week talking to voters
00:13:43	that he needs
00:13:43	that vote for him,
00:13:44	because every
00:13:46	we probably have border
00:13:46	people here from Ohio.
00:13:48	I guarantee you all 400 of us
00:13:48	are going to vote for sure.
00:13:50	Brown.
00:13:50	We don't need to be here
00:13:50	asking for our vote.
00:13:52	He needs to be
00:13:52	in Ohio, asking for theirs.
00:13:55	And finally, you've been
00:13:55	very critical of Frank Rose
00:13:58	as secretary of state.
00:13:59	You've you've made a lot of
00:13:59	comments calling him Mr.
00:14:01	Irrelevant and a clown show
00:14:01	and some of these things
00:14:04	not just for ballot board
00:14:04	stuff, but for other actions.
00:14:07	Are you considering running
00:14:09	for Secretary of state
00:14:09	or where does this come from?
00:14:12	I mean, I'm in my stead
00:14:12	both right now.
00:14:14	And I think everybody knows
00:14:14	that most about
00:14:16	I think they're holding their
00:14:16	laughter back.
00:14:18	I mean,
00:14:19	I hadn't even if
00:14:20	you're the first person ever
00:14:20	even mentioned that to me.
00:14:22	So, I appreciate
00:14:22	your confidence.
00:14:26	I mean, Frank Rose
00:14:26	being on the ballot next
00:14:28	year, so, so is not running
00:14:28	against Frank Rose.
00:14:31	He's not running security.
00:14:32	Thank God he can't do any more
00:14:32	harm after.
00:14:35	I mean, here's
00:14:35	a guy to repurpose 2.1
00:14:35	million voters from our rolls
00:14:39	because they know that
00:14:39	if everybody votes, we win.
00:14:43	So, I don't know.
00:14:44	I mean,
00:14:44	I've already heard that.
00:14:45	Maybe
00:14:46	I know Senator Gavron
00:14:46	thinking about it,
00:14:48	I think that Jake Edwards
00:14:48	is thinking about it.
00:14:50	I think there's
00:14:51	a couple other people
00:14:51	that are thinking
00:14:52	about
00:14:52	running Secretary of State,
00:14:55	that you're the first person
00:14:55	to ask that question, right?
00:14:57	I mean, given the thought,
00:14:57	I mean, trust me,
00:14:58	I'm on four hours of sleep,
00:15:00	and I've been here
00:15:00	since last Wednesday,
00:15:02	and I have a lot of crazy
00:15:02	thoughts
00:15:04	going through my brain
00:15:04	to them, almost delirious.
00:15:06	But that has not been
00:15:06	one of them so far.
00:15:08	For at least the last
00:15:08	few decades,
00:15:10	presidential nomination
00:15:10	conventions
00:15:12	have been extravagant
00:15:12	displays of party unity,
00:15:14	featuring speakers, mostly
00:15:14	current and former candidates
00:15:17	and officeholders.
00:15:18	But sometimes celebrities
00:15:19	and people
00:15:19	selected by the parties
00:15:21	to tell their personal
00:15:21	stories.
00:15:23	Well, there's also music,
00:15:23	highly produced videos, signs,
00:15:27	hats, costumes, buttons
00:15:29	and of course,
00:15:29	lots of balloons at the end.
00:15:32	And at those conventions,
00:15:32	the parties
00:15:33	set a tone
00:15:33	and debut the messages
00:15:35	that they'll use
00:15:35	in the upcoming campaign.
00:15:37	I talked
00:15:37	with political science
00:15:39	professor David Cohen,
00:15:40	who directs
00:15:40	the Applied Politics program
00:15:42	at the University of Akron's
00:15:42	Bliss Institute,
00:15:45	about what he heard and saw
00:15:46	from the Republican
00:15:46	National Convention in July
00:15:49	and the Democratic National
00:15:49	Convention this past week.
00:15:52	The Republican convention
00:15:52	started with former
00:15:54	President Trump coming out
00:15:54	of an assassination attempt.
00:15:56	There were certainly
00:15:56	references to that, the RNC,
00:15:59	but there was a huge change
00:15:59	after that convention
00:16:02	where President Biden,
00:16:02	who Republicans
00:16:04	had spent their convention
00:16:04	attacking and criticizing,
00:16:07	dropped out of the race.
00:16:08	Vice President Kamala
00:16:09	Harris became
00:16:10	the nominee and essentially
00:16:10	had to reintroduce herself.
00:16:13	Did the DNC essentially
00:16:13	wipe out all the messaging
00:16:16	from the RNC?
00:16:19	well, you know, certainly
00:16:19	the change at the top,
00:16:21	wiped out, almost all
00:16:21	the messaging from the RNC.
00:16:25	And, it's really interesting
00:16:25	watching both conventions.
00:16:29	the tone, both conventions,
00:16:29	so very different.
00:16:33	You know, the,
00:16:33	the RNC, you know, very much,
00:16:37	you know,
00:16:37	right on the heels
00:16:37	of the assassination
00:16:39	attempt, very bleak,
00:16:40	you know, kind of,
00:16:40	I think kind of kind of dark.
00:16:44	You got the people holding up
00:16:44	the mass deportation signs.
00:16:47	there was a lot of, you know,
00:16:47	a lot of fear mongering.
00:16:51	and I think the Democrat
00:16:51	saw this,
00:16:54	and even though they spent
00:16:54	a lot of time criticizing
00:16:58	Donald Trump,
00:16:58	and his four years in office,
00:17:01	I think they've tried really
00:17:01	hard to have a very positive,
00:17:04	looking forward message.
00:17:06	and it's it it really is.
00:17:08	You couldn't have two more
00:17:08	stark, starkly
00:17:11	different, conventions
00:17:11	and the messaging that's,
00:17:14	that's coming out of the,
00:17:14	out of them both.
00:17:16	And, you know, that
00:17:16	that change, really,
00:17:19	I think threw off,
00:17:19	the Trump campaign.
00:17:21	and then shockingly,
00:17:21	they weren't
00:17:24	they weren't ready for that,
00:17:24	even even after the June,
00:17:27	presidential debate,
00:17:29	I think that there
00:17:29	were some people who had seen
00:17:32	President Biden's campaign
00:17:32	as being kind of in that dark
00:17:36	saving America
00:17:36	area, as Republicans had.
00:17:39	So this change really seemed
00:17:39	pretty obvious.
00:17:43	I mean, you had the RNC themes
00:17:43	of Make America Wealthy
00:17:46	once again, make America safe
00:17:46	once again, make America
00:17:48	Strong, once again
00:17:48	make America Great once again.
00:17:50	Those were the nightly themes.
00:17:52	And the Democrats
00:17:52	have been for the people,
00:17:54	a bold vision for America's
00:17:54	future,
00:17:56	a fight for our freedoms
00:17:56	and for our future.
00:17:58	So there are some really,
00:18:00	it looks like
00:18:01	Republicans were more like,
00:18:01	let's do these things
00:18:04	once again.
00:18:05	While Democrats
00:18:05	were looking more toward
00:18:08	something in the future
00:18:08	that's different.
00:18:11	Well, yeah.
00:18:11	And and that has been part
00:18:11	of the messaging coming out
00:18:15	of the Democratic, party
00:18:15	and especially
00:18:18	the Harris Wallace campaign,
00:18:18	which is we're not going back,
00:18:22	we're turning the page
00:18:22	and, the,
00:18:26	the Trump
00:18:27	campaign, the Trump Vance
00:18:27	campaign has been very much
00:18:30	we want to turn the clock
00:18:30	back.
00:18:31	We want to go back
00:18:31	to four years ago,
00:18:34	when Donald Trump
00:18:34	was president.
00:18:35	And, and I think that's
00:18:35	really the key
00:18:39	theme of this campaign
00:18:39	and for voters is
00:18:43	do you want to go back
00:18:44	to that time
00:18:44	or do you want to go forward?
00:18:47	And so much,
00:18:49	this is a fascinating election
00:18:49	for so many reasons.
00:18:52	but it's the first time
00:18:52	in the modern era
00:18:54	that voters are going
00:18:54	to be voting
00:18:56	for a presidential candidate
00:18:57	that has already served
00:18:57	as president,
00:18:59	but isn't currently
00:18:59	the incumbent.
00:19:01	and so there's there's some
00:19:01	retrospective voting there,
00:19:05	which always happens when you
00:19:05	have an incumbent president,
00:19:08	in office.
00:19:09	that is running
00:19:09	for reelection.
00:19:11	You don't have that
00:19:11	in this case,
00:19:12	but you have somebody
00:19:12	that's already served.
00:19:14	So in essence,
00:19:14	it's retrospective voting.
00:19:16	And, you know,
00:19:16	people have to ask themselves,
00:19:19	you know, do
00:19:20	we want to go back
00:19:20	to the Trump years
00:19:22	or do we want to go forward
00:19:22	into the future
00:19:24	with a younger candidate,
00:19:24	with a more positive message?
00:19:28	So the RNC
00:19:28	had an easier job in terms of
00:19:31	everyone knows who former
00:19:31	President Trump
00:19:34	is, because, like you said,
00:19:34	he did serve for four years.
00:19:37	Vice President Kamala
00:19:37	Harris is new to some people.
00:19:40	That is potentially
00:19:41	a challenge for Democrats
00:19:41	is they're trying to introduce
00:19:45	her as Republicans
00:19:45	are attacking her
00:19:48	even during the convention
00:19:48	and before it.
00:19:51	It is a challenge,
00:19:51	but it's a tremendous
00:19:52	opportunity
00:19:52	because to a great extent,
00:19:54	she's a she's a
00:19:54	a relatively clean slate.
00:19:57	Even though
00:19:57	she served as vice president
00:19:57	for three and a half years.
00:20:01	you know, people in 2020 were
00:20:01	not voting for Kamala Harris.
00:20:04	They were voting for
00:20:04	Joe Biden.
00:20:05	you know,
00:20:05	the ones that voted
00:20:07	on the Democratic side
00:20:07	of the ledger.
00:20:09	and so this is a tremendous
00:20:09	opportunity for her
00:20:13	and for the convention
00:20:14	to, for her to define herself
00:20:14	and tell the world
00:20:18	who Kamala Harris is.
00:20:19	I mean, there's
00:20:19	no better opportunity than a
00:20:21	an acceptance speech
00:20:21	at a convention.
00:20:24	there's almost, no bigger,
00:20:24	opportunity and event
00:20:28	with more people watching,
00:20:28	and plus all the viral videos,
00:20:32	then a in an acceptance
00:20:32	speech and, you know, that's,
00:20:36	you know, maybe
00:20:36	when you're present state
00:20:37	of the Union address obviously
00:20:37	is a slightly bigger,
00:20:39	but this is just below that.
00:20:41	And so this is a big
00:20:41	opportunity.
00:20:43	And, you know,
00:20:43	it's it's interesting
00:20:46	because she had a lot
00:20:46	of negatives,
00:20:48	in terms of polling
00:20:48	coming into the very moment,
00:20:52	that the switch was made,
00:20:52	and you saw,
00:20:56	those, you know,
00:20:56	she's she's more popular now,
00:20:59	than than Donald Trump.
00:21:00	on the Republican side,
00:21:01	those numbers have,
00:21:01	have kind of flipped.
00:21:05	and that's because not many
00:21:05	people know much about her.
00:21:08	And so
00:21:10	this speech
00:21:10	is going to give her,
00:21:11	you know,
00:21:11	even even more opportunity
00:21:13	to define who she is
00:21:13	and more importantly,
00:21:15	what her vision
00:21:15	for the country is.
00:21:18	one thing convention's
00:21:18	trying to do is unify the base
00:21:21	for those final weeks
00:21:22	of the campaign, when voter
00:21:22	registration and contact
00:21:26	mobilization
00:21:26	becomes so important
00:21:27	because you want to get your
00:21:27	candidate to the finish line.
00:21:30	Do you think that was
00:21:30	accomplished
00:21:31	at both of these conventions?
00:21:33	Yeah, I think, I think
00:21:33	the Republican convention
00:21:37	certainly solidified the base.
00:21:38	I don't think, though,
00:21:38	that they broadened the tent,
00:21:41	which was
00:21:42	which is a huge challenge,
00:21:44	because if you're going to run
00:21:44	just a base election,
00:21:47	you've got to make sure
00:21:47	that your base
00:21:49	comes out in record numbers.
00:21:50	I'm not seeing that kind
00:21:50	of enthusiasm on that side.
00:21:52	I know that Trump's
00:21:52	base is pretty enthusiastic,
00:21:56	but it's it's
00:21:56	pretty small, too.
00:21:58	You have to include,
00:21:58	disaffected Republicans,
00:22:02	maybe those Nikki
00:22:02	Haley voters.
00:22:03	You have to include,
00:22:03	independents.
00:22:06	and you have to get them
00:22:06	to come back,
00:22:09	you know, after
00:22:09	they left in 2020.
00:22:11	I haven't seen that in
00:22:11	any of the polling.
00:22:14	I think Democrats, if again,
00:22:14	if you would have asked me
00:22:17	two months ago,
00:22:17	I would have said
00:22:18	they're dead in the water.
00:22:19	The enthusiasm on
00:22:19	the Democratic side
00:22:21	could not be any lower.
00:22:23	that's completely changed.
00:22:25	I think the Democrats
00:22:25	have all the momentum
00:22:27	they got the enthusiasm.
00:22:29	I think you're seeing it in
00:22:30	voter registration numbers,
00:22:30	and volunteer numbers,
00:22:34	in the size of the rallies
00:22:34	that they're able
00:22:37	to put together
00:22:37	at the very last minute.
00:22:39	I think, I think
00:22:39	the momentum definitely is
00:22:43	on the Democratic side.
00:22:45	Did either convention
00:22:46	do you think brought
00:22:46	bring in disaffected
00:22:48	or non engaged voters, people
00:22:48	who just have said
00:22:52	they don't want anything to do
00:22:52	with the political process.
00:22:54	Do you think either of these
00:22:54	conventions reach those folks?
00:22:56	Well, it's too early to tell
00:22:56	about the Democratic side.
00:22:59	We we haven't seen it
00:22:59	on the Republican side.
00:23:01	I mean,
00:23:01	the polling is not showing
00:23:03	that independents
00:23:04	after the convention were,
00:23:04	you know, streaming to Trump.
00:23:08	and he really didn't
00:23:08	get a convention bounce.
00:23:10	Democrats
00:23:10	are hoping for a big bounce.
00:23:12	Some of those, you know,
00:23:12	bounce
00:23:15	numbers will be independents
00:23:15	that are coming over.
00:23:18	And so we'll see.
00:23:19	We'll see
00:23:19	what the polling is showing.
00:23:20	I think the Democrats
00:23:20	have been very smart by having
00:23:23	so many Republicans
00:23:23	speak at their convention.
00:23:26	My gosh, they even had,
00:23:26	you know, Stephanie Grisham
00:23:29	speak at the convention.
00:23:30	She, you know,
00:23:31	she was the white House
00:23:31	press secretary,
00:23:33	you know, during the Trump
00:23:33	administration.
00:23:35	and, and, also, you know,
00:23:35	was Melania's press secretary
00:23:39	and I think Melania's
00:23:39	chief of staff,
00:23:41	you have another,
00:23:41	a whole host of other
00:23:41	Republicans that are speaking
00:23:45	at the convention.
00:23:45	I think it's really smart
00:23:47	because what that helps
00:23:47	the Democrats do, unlike what
00:23:50	the Republicans did, is to,
00:23:50	is to make the tent bigger,
00:23:54	which is what you have to do
00:23:55	if you want to win
00:23:55	the general election.
00:23:58	Now the conventions are don
00:23:58	expect the ad blitz
00:24:00	to really start.
00:24:01	Marino has launched
00:24:01	a $25 million ad buy
00:24:04	for broadcast
00:24:04	and digital platforms.
00:24:06	Brown has booked more than $40
00:24:06	million in ads since April.
00:24:10	Ohio's
00:24:10	is the most expensive U.S.
00:24:12	Senate race this year,
00:24:14	with the candidates
00:24:14	and outside groups
00:24:15	already spending
00:24:15	more than $300 million.
00:24:19	And that is it for this week
00:24:19	for my colleagues
00:24:20	at the Statehouse News
00:24:20	Bureau of Ohio
00:24:22	Public Radio and Television.
00:24:22	Thanks for watching.
00:24:24	Please
00:24:24	check out our website as state
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00:24:28	State of Ohio show.
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00:24:31	on our podcast,
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00:24:37	And please join us again next
00:24:37	time for the state of Ohio.
00:24:54	Okay.
00:25:02	This is.
00:25:23	Okay.
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