DebateScoop.org: OH-Sen Debate: Brown-DeWine on MTP

OH-Sen Debate: Brown-DeWine on MTP - Preview

By SPMinOHIO 09/28/2006 08:58:23 PM EST

Senator Mike DeWine and Representative Sherrod Brown are set to square off in a nationally televised debate on NBC's "Meet the Press" this Sunday morning, October 1.

Will Brown's credentials as a Bush critic be tarnished by his vote in Congress this week supporting the GOP torture legislation? Or will the vote help a progressive Democrat carry a culturally-conservative, red-to-purple state?

Will DeWine, a somewhat moderate member of the GOP Senate delegation, be buried by national and state-wide undercurrents?

Tags: OH-Sen, Mike Dewine, Sherrod Brown, Meet the Press

Opinion polls of likely and registered voters show Brown with a steady but modest lead over DeWine. Most recently a Zogby International poll (9/28) has Brown leading by 4 points, 45-41, the Columbus Dispatch (9/24) has Brown up 47-42, and SurveyUSA (9/21) gives Brown a 10-point lead.

Brown's lead is generally attributed to two primary factors. First, the national mood concerning the direction of the country and the Iraq War is clearly affecting DeWine's candidacy. Growing opposition to the war and George Bush's Presidency are resonating in Ohio, a state that Bush carried both in 2000 and 2004. Brown's TV spots have relentlessly tied DeWine closely to President Bush and his support for the war.

But local factors are also playing an important role in this race. Not only is the statewide GOP suffering from the toxic fallout of the scandals that rocked the administration of outgoing Governor Robert Taft, but the current GOP candidate to replace Taft, Kenneth Blackwell, is highly controversial even among his own party. Blackwell trails Democratic Candidate Ted Strickland by 20 points in most polls and may represent a significant drag at the top of the statewide ticket.

With all this at stake, and Ohioan's beginning to pay serious attention to the race, much is on the line this Sunday with host Tim Russert.

Steve Mancuso

< Reading About Debates: The 2nd Montana Senate Debate | The "Meet the Press" Format >

OH-Sen Debate: Brown-DeWine on MTP - Preview | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden)

OH-Sen MTP Debate and "State of Denial" (none / 0)

Look for Iraq to figure prominently in Sunday's MTP debate between Senator DeWine and Representative Brown. Politics isn't local in nationally televised debates congressional debates.

Not only has Iraq been the focus of more than half of the first two MTP Senate debates (Santorum/Casey and Allen/Webb), but also following on the heels of a week's worth of spin on the once leaked and now partially declassified National Intelligence Estimate as well as the highly combustible revelations from Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward's forthcoming book, "State of Denial," the war in Iraq is likely to be the focus of a good portion of Sunday's Ohio Senate debate.

Woodward, is to appear on CBS's "60 Minutes" on Sunday evening in his first public appearance to promote the book. However, on Sunday morning - just hours before the Ohio Senate debate - the Washington Post will publish lengthy excerpts of "State of Denial." Early accounts are that Woodward charges that the Bush administration is in a "state of denial" - intentional or not - on the state of affairs on the ground in Iraq and that the violence against U.S. troops in Iraq is considerably worse than previously reported. See, for example, David Sanger's advanced scoop on the book in this morning's New York Times as well as Howard Kurtz's comments on the NYT's "Trumping Woodward."

Expect MTP moderator Tim Russert to capitalize on Woodward's revelations in his questioning of the candidates. Not only does Russert have a knack for making the latest information salient, he also constantly peppers his guests with both visual and textual evidence in his questioning. He uses such evidence to create stasis - points of clash - between the debaters themselves and between the debaters and others not in the studio. This debate, which occurs in the midst of a weekend news cycle which will be "all Woodward - all the time" will likely be no different.

On this morning's "Today Show" discussion of the forthcoming Woodward "bombshell," Russert appeared as a commentator. At the conclusion of the segment he was invited to preview Sunday's MTP debate and he did so by claiming that the "biggest difference between" DeWine and Brown is the war in Iraq. Tune in Sunday morning to see how it all plays out!

by Tim ODonnell on 09/29/2006 09:47:47 AM EST

Dewine Brown Debate (none / 0)

I just wanted to say that Dewine has worked hard to distance himself from Republicans and seem moderate. It will be interesting how he frames Iraq and Bush in the debate.

by springse on 09/29/2006 12:45:54 PM EST

: Brown tries to stay toward the center, too (none / 0)

He is criticized in the progressive community, most recently for voting for the torture bill this week.
Be the debater you want to see.
by Ross Smith on 10/01/2006 03:18:07 AM EST

[ Parent ]
: Distancing from Bush? (none / 0)

DeWine's desire to distance himself from President Bush didn't prevent him from appearing with the President in Cincinnati this week at a fundraiser - or in accepting the seven-figure check for the amount raised at the event.
Steve Mancuso
Steve Mancuso
by SPMinOHIO on 10/01/2006 08:21:39 AM EST

[ Parent ]

August 10 debate was LONG AGO, but here . . . (none / 0)

. . . are links to the audio:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

The race has heated up a lot since then.

Be the debater you want to see.

by Ross Smith on 10/01/2006 03:16:12 AM EST

: test post (none / 0)

test post
Jim Lyle - Director of Debate & Instructor, Speech Communication - Clarion University of Pennsylvania
by Jim Lyle on 10/03/2006 09:42:36 PM EST

[ Parent ]