6:33 – John Boehner is speaking. He’s tying Strickland to Obama, and says “we need to work harder to elect people who will help create new jobs.” There’s very cheery music in the background.
6:34 – Music becomes menacing, with sweeping strings as various figures talk about how 2010 is a dress rehearsal for 2012. I’m beginning to wonder if this isn’t particularly true in Kasich’s case, given the speculation that he might be planning another run for President.
6:35 – Whoa, they got KARL ROVE to comment? Awesome! He’s saying Ohio is “the pivotal state” in the 2012 elections. Music goes dramatic and inspirational as Haley Barbour starts talking. “Ted Strickland has gone all around Ohio and said that his being elected is critical to President Obama being reelected, which is the one thing Ted Strickland and I agree about…I don’t have to tell you that this election is important, but I do want to be sure you understand that in many ways, this election is a referendum on the policies of Barack Obama and the Reid-Pelosi congress.” Falling back on the national narrative is an interesting strategy, and probably a wise one, given that Strickland’s been going entirely local in his campaigning.
6:38 – After Barbour’s dramatic finish, Kasich and Taylor finally start talking. Kasich is going to be talking to businesspeople about difficulty that they’ve had. Interesting contrast here insofar as Kasich is talking to businesspeople, and Obama is talking to young people. Gee, I wonder which will create jobs.
6:40 – Mary Taylor is talking. Says she and Kasich have made thousands of recommendations that could save millions of costs each year. They’re really sounding like businesspeople, and that’s probably smart. She mentions drunken inmates at Strickland’s mansion, which is a pretty hard (and low) blow, given the speculation which the visit of prison inmates to the Governors’ mansion fueled.
6:43 – Kasich says “If you haven’t voted and turned your ballots in yet, turn them in.” He keeps calling Strickland and Obama “The Twins,” and explains it’s because they’re saying precisely the same things. He’s more or less right. Says “one of the most dangerous things to talk about and preach is this issue of class warfare…Trying to blame someone’s failure on someone else’s success, that is something we cannot tolerate in our country.” Right on, brother! Kasich goes on to point out how many Obama operatives have been in Ohio. Then talks about “oppressive tax rates,” which is a good line to use on Obama/Strickland’s tax policy, since Politifact rates his tax increase argument as “mostly true.” Now Cheryl Krueger, the “crony” who has been following Kasich, is about to talk about business.
6:46 – Krueger starts talking and says she voted for both Kasich and Taylor. Starts talking about “the level of difficulty companies are experiencing in trying to deal with the Ohio Department of Development.” You hear that, Lee Fisher? Says the Voinovich administration was very responsive, by contrast.
6:48 – Kasich asks Krueger how she would feel if she started her successful cookie company today.
6:48 – Krueger says “You hope you have a good product that customers will pay money for…unfortunately, all the liquid capital has dried up.” And where did it go? The stimulus. “I don’t think I could’ve started my business in this environment.” Now that’s an indictment. “I wonder if there’s anybody in the Department of Development knows how to create jobs?” Lists a bunch of basic financial terms that people in the Department of Development might not even know. This is really sounding like a textbook case against government planning.
6:50 – Kasich asks about taxes and regulation.
6:50 – Krueger says “why more jobs are leaving our country is because labor is cheaper elsewhere, and if we don’t figure out how to keep the labor dollars here, it will all go to China and India.” Says we have to “take costs out of the overhead.” Hits workers’ compensation policy and tax policy.
6:51 – Mary Taylor starts talking on taxes. Says “the thing the Strickland administration has refused to accept is that business owners and entrepreneurs look to lower their costs.” Amen.
6:52 – Krueger asks Kasich/Taylor to treat the state budget like their own checking account.
6:52 – Kasich asks Krueger to talk about uncertainty in making business decisions.
6:53 – Krueger says uncertainty causes you to be cautious, and that makes you hesitant to hire people. Translation: Killing the rule of law kills jobs. What a surprise. Wasn’t there a book published in the 40′s that told us this?
6:54 – Krueger finishes, and now there’s another guest. He apparently is a businessman who drives out of Ohio for work every day. The guest says he knows numerous people who live in his town who drive up to Pittsburgh to make a good living rather than stay in Ohio.
6:55 – Kasich asks why he’s going to Pittsburgh. Guest says it’s “the opportunities there.”
6:57 – Taylor asks about whether business has plans to move to Ohio. Guest says it’s all economic uncertainty that has caused his business to reconsider moving. “When you’re risking your money, your capital, you want to make sure it’s done correctly.”
6:59 – Kasich asks about the mindset of people from the guest’s hometown. Response: “It’s a matter of jobs, jobs jobs, and it’s amazing the folks you would talk to – not just Republicans, but independents, Democrats, who are fed up with the lack of opportunity.”
7:00 – Kasich is channeling ISI. He asks about the impact of job-losses on feelings of community. Guest says that it’ll be disastrous if the problem isn’t turned around.
7:01 – Kasich says there’s no reason that Ohio won’t be the number one manufacturing state in the country. He says he believes they can move the needle dramatically within the first year.