8:40 – Question 9: On new statewide passenger rail system to Strickland. Can Ohio afford it?
8:41 – Strickland says “We can’t afford not to. We will be an island and be cut off from everyone. This is a jobs program.” Strickland talking about how the train will help the freight system, which is an interesting attack.
8:42 – Kasich: “Papers just did an analysis, and it doesn’t work. We don’t know how it will work, and who’s going to operate it, and who’s going to get on the train? The idea that Ohio is going to be fixed with a 39 mile/hour train is prima facie evidence that we’ve lost it.” Really goes for the freight rail argument, talking about how it’s Ohio’s most thriving industry. Amazingly good fact check comes mid-answer:
“Dispatch says Ted Strickland raised taxes “by 4.2 percent, eliminating a tax cut” 12/13/09
Good to know. There goes Strickland’s tax cut argument.
8:44 – Strickland hits Kasich for returning millions of dollars that will be given to other states. “That will cost Ohio jobs, and the freight system supports what we’re doing. Think ahead. Um um um.”
8:45 – Question 10: What is Kasich going to do abotu debt?
8:45 – Kasich: “I do not believe for a second that they’re going to just call this all due, but we will have to be responsible for the debt.” Starts to talk about Gubernatorial role in working with Congress. “Get the Congress to push to bring that money in, and let us spend it on what we need it for,” as opposed to what the Federal Government wants us to spend it on.
8:46 – Strickland actually agrees with Kasich about the unemployment compensation fund. This is a weird moment. Agrees with him twice, in fact. Who are you and what have you done with the real Ted Strickland? Goes after Kasich on trade, claiming he helped to “erode the manufacturing sector of America’s economy.” “I am not an outsourcer,” he says. Really having trouble with words.
8:48 – Kasich slaps Strickland, saying “I don’t know where to start. You voted for Most Favored Nation for China, and we didn’t lose jobs to China. We lost jobs to other states.” Still trying to be positive even while he’s being negative. Kasich’s coming out as the winner in these closing minutes.
8:49 – Question 11 for Strickland: Time for a moratorium on the Death Penalty? Nuclear question.
8:49 – Strickland tries to answer. Really flubbing words. “I’ve looked at the evidence, and there are areas of doubt, and I have commuted those sentences.” Not answering the question. “I believe we have safeguards in place, and I spend hours personally going over each of these cases.” Clearly doesn’t want to get hit with the Dukakis attack line
8:50 – Kasich: “Far be it from me to criticize you for a commutation. You’re a man of God and I won’t have one negative thing to say about that. I’m also pleased to see we’re not going to have a moratorium on this.” Interesting how he’s being so magnanimous towards Strickland, despite him being an opponent. More awkward answer than usual – Kasich does better when he’s smacking Strickland. Really awkward segue into JobsOhio. Kasich can do better than this.
8:52 – Strickland: “We do need to be smarter about crime. We need to be tougher on crime.” Great. Everyone agrees. Lovefest all around. Let’s move on.