by Matt Barr

"He's no Ken Blackwell"

Ken Blackwell has to be pretty happy this morning about the Akron Beacon-Journal's endorsement in the Republican primary for Ohio governor. The only way it could have been better is if the editors had endorsed him.

The true blue ABJ was never in any danger of coming out for conservative darling Blackwell, but the Ohio Secretary of State couldn't have reasonably hoped for an endorsement of his opponent more unintentionally favorable to him.

The ABJ notes that Attorney General Jim Petro's campaign has been "almost comical," though they hasten to add, not as inept as Rob Burch's, when the Democrat won 25 percent of the vote against George Voinovich in 1994. Whew!

When Betty Montgomery dropped out of the race, the way was clear for a practical-minded conservative dedicated to solving real problems, to making government work more effectively, to moving Ohio forward. Yet by that time Petro had so twisted his image that he was virtually unrecognizable to those who had admired his work as the state auditor, a Cuyahoga County commissioner and a state representative.

The ABJ assures us that Petro is lying, and would really govern like that county commissioner, not the way he's saying he would during his gubernatorial campaign. That's a relief!

Why back an inept comical candidate who's lost his mind? The subhead of the editorial gives you a hint: "He's no Ken Blackwell." We must avoid a Blackwell candidacy at all costs. Why? Three guesses, the first two don't count.

The concern in the 2004 presidential election wasn't so much the ultimate decisions of the state's chief elections officer [Blackwell] as it was the whoops factor, his zig-zagging raising doubts about his leadership.

Can't really complain -- and it's not for lack of trying -- about what Blackwell actually did in 2004, but his role in the blue state psychodrama of George Bush's stolen election is enough to doom him in major newspaper editorial board meetings in Ohio for all time. Besides, Blackwell is campaigning as a conservative:

As a candidate for governor, Blackwell has traded in the ideological, championing tax reductions and spending cuts as the remedy for practically everything that ails Ohio.

One is left with the impression that "trad[ing] in the ideological" wouldn't be so bad if the ideology weren't so icky. As if the general conservative bent weren't bad enough, Blackwell specifically proposes to constitutionally mandate that 65 cents of every education dollar be spent in the classroom. "That sounds good," the ABJ says. "What does it really mean?" We need specificity! Except, here's why the ABJ likes Petro:

[He] understands the need for Ohio to invest more heavily in the skills of its people, especially in higher education. He would focus on reshaping state government to become a stronger partner in economic development. That pursuit echoes his largest objective. Petro wants to make over the bureaucracy in a big way, slashing the number of departments, wringing efficiencies. The ambition is impressive.

Give us impressive ambition, understanding, focus and wringing -- 65 cents of every education dollar being spent in the classroom? That's a little vague. The specific proposals the editors do understand are icky, too:

Many Ohioans may think the turnpike operates very well. It does. Blackwell wants to privatize the highway. Why? So he can tout the virtues of the marketplace.

Scandal!

The market economy is an obvious source of great strength. Government also makes a vital contribution to the quality of life. Ken Blackwell barely heeds its role. Yet he wants to lead state government?

It's been years since I heard the compelling argument that since conservatives want to rein in the power of government, they're hypocrites for running for office. It really is a day to remember 1996 today.

Petro for Governor: He's not the most inept and comical candidate ever, and has admirable ambitions -- such as keeping Ken Blackwell from being on the ballot.

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