Who Are They Afraid Of?
by Jennifer on 02.16.2010
Last week I posted a challenge to Rob Portman, my likely Republican opponent for the U.S. Senate this fall. 
Former Congressman Rob Portman (R-Ohio) is headlining an "important and only major fundraiser of 2010" for COAST (Coalition Opposed to Spending and Taxes) on March 1st in Cincinnati. All fine and good--his business--until I read a "tweet" posted by the group that included this language about the late Congressman John Murtha on the day he died: "John Murtha dead at 77. Good riddance bad egg."
The Cincinnati Enquirer reported my comments about the former Congressman Portman's open support of this group (he's raising money for them):
"There can be no excuse, no minimizing and no equivocation of this kind of disrespect that has taken our country in the wrong direction," Brunner said. "If Rob Portman fails to renounce COAST and its hateful tactics, then Ohio has a very good indication of the kind of courage he will show as a U.S. senator."
Former Congressman Portman's response? His spokesperson called the comments "inappropriate" as distracting "us from finding solutions to our economic challenges and the status quo." Then the name calling began that Jennifer Brunner "represents a rubber-stamp for the Pelosi-Reid-Obama anti-jobs agenda."
To pile on, the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee (NRSC) Press Secretary opened up with a torrent of comments in response to the article, with false accusations of my being "mired in questionable associations with several organizations." She said that "Ohioans will reject...partisan rhetoric and hypocrisy this November."
On this last statement, we agree.
This is the first time I have openly challenged Rob Portman to explain his actions (and now his failure to act). My opponent in the primary has been trying to land a punch on Mr. Portman for 6 months with no luck. Portman just says "jobs czar" and moves on. But as soon as we tell Mr. Portman to be decent and to show bipartisanship, the National Republican Senatorial Committee attacks with a data-dump of unrelated opposition research. Who are they afraid of?
Ohioans are decent people, and we "get" what people are about by what they do. Former Congressman Rob Portman served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 12 years with the late Congressman John Murtha (D-Pennsylvania). How can he possibly even consider headlining COAST's fund raising event now? Can the worth of any endorsement justify supporting a group spewing such hateful and disrespectful vitriol? Check out COAST's endorsement criteria: ". . . our native instincts help us separate the true patriots from the pretenders." Is this Rob Portman's mentality?
John Murtha was the first Vietnam War combat veteran elected to Congress. On the battlefield he won two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. A 37-year veteran who retired as a Colonel of the U.S. Marine Corps, he was a respected voice in the U.S. Congress on issues of national security. He was honored with a Profile in Courage Award by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in 2006 for "speaking truth to power" when he spoke out against the Iraq war and helped to shift public sentiment about the war and generate meaningful national debate about the progress, policies and objectives of the U.S. presence in Iraq.
Partisans often hold strong views, and maybe Rob Portman agrees with COAST's views. I hope not. It's incumbent on him to show Ohioans where he stands on respect and bipartisanship--important tools that will get things done for Ohio and the American people. It's the first step he can take to show us how he would conduct himself in the U.S. Senate. We need to know.
It makes me so sad for our state and our country when I hear things like what COAST has said. But it also makes me more determined than ever to wage the most aggressive and energetic grass roots campaign Ohio has ever seen. Because I know that the support of people like you and your family can trump all the big donations and endorsements from reactionary groups like COAST, whose tactics Rob Portman is afraid to renounce as he continues to support them.
Courage is important, and we need more of it in the U.S. Senate. It's how we'll change things for the American people. Let's show them how it's done. Please help me get to the U.S. Senate so I can work for you with courage, commitment and compassion. Volunteer or contribute, or tell five friends.
Thanks.
Jennifer Brunner
Ohio Secretary of State and
Democratic Candidate for the U. S. Senate
P.S. - When you make a contribution of $50 or more we'll send you one of our Campaign Kits: a "Courage" tee shirt (M, L, XL or XXL), 2 campaign buttons, 20 "Courage" cards and a personally signed thank you. So go ahead and join us in making history.