COMMERCE TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan show up at noon for one of final campaign rallies before next week's Republican convention.
The Republican team trying to replace Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden spoke to a rally attended by thousands of people in Romney's former backyard, in Oakland County.
Recalling his was born in Michigan, Romney said, "no one's ever asked to see my birth certificate. They know this is the place where we were born and raised."
The Obama campaign zapped the remark.
“Throughout this campaign, Governor Romney has
embraced the most strident voices in his party instead of standing up to
them. It’s one thing to give the stage in Tampa to Donald Trump,
Sheriff Arpaio, and Kris Kobach. But Governor Romney’s
decision to directly enlist himself in the birther movement should give
pause to any rational voter across America," said Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt.
Angela Zimmann, the Democratic candidate for the 5th Congressional District now represented by Republican Bob Latta (R., Bowling Green), has accepted a debate to take place tonight (Thursday) at Owens Community College.
She will have the stage to herself.
Latta did not accept the invitation for the debate and Owens planned to go ahead with just one of the candidates.
Ryan Walker, Latta's chief of staff, said the Congressman's August schedule was booked when he received the Owens invitation. He said he did not know of any joint appearances yet for Latta and Zimmann.
Joshua Widanka, a student government member, said he "first invited the candidates back around March 21, 2012."
The debate is set for AVCC 125-128 8 to 9 p.m.
Walker said Latta and his staff are "out doing constituent meetings and all our August calendar was filled out probably by the end of June. Folks at Owens contacted us but not in enough time. As a member of Congress, the requests for the Congressman’s time are many."
Robert Alexander, a political science professor at Ohio Northern University in Ada, confirmed he has also asked the campaigns to agree to a debate.
"The Zimmann campaign has accepted and I have not yet heard back from the Latta campaign. I will be following up with them shortly. Of course, without a confirmation, there is no date," Alexander said.
Zimmann, an instructor at Bowling Green State University who lives in Springfield Township, said she has challenged Latta to a debates at each of the district's nine colleges, universities, and branch campuses.
“Given the gravity of this year’s election, I believe that we as congressional candidates owe taxpayers the courtesy of participating in lively, constituent-centered debate,” Zimmann wrote.
The 5th District is considered a safe Republican district. It covers all or part of 14 counties, including the suburbs and townships west of Toledo in Lucas County, and neighborhoods in West and South Toledo.
The referendum drive to replace Ohio's politically driven congressional redistricting process with a supposedly nonpartisan one has drawn another big opponent - Ohio Right to Life.
The organization announced Tuesday that its board is unanimously opposed to State Issue 2, known as the "Redistricting Amendment".
"Ohio Right to Life strongly opposes Issue 2 and urges every pro-life Ohioan to vote 'no' on this attempt by special interest groups to take away our right to vote," said Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis. "If pro-life Ohio does not defeat Issue 2, we will forever lose the ability to pass strong pro-life laws in our state. Simply put, a 'no' vote protects your right to vote."
The organization said State Issue 2 would "create an unelected and unaccountable commission whose sole purpose would be to redraw the legislative and congressional districts throughout Ohio. This would, in effect, greatly reduce the number of pro-life officeholders representing Ohio at both the state and federal level."
Also recently declaring its opposition is the Ohio Farm Bureau.
NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, the lobbying group that supports abortion rights in Ohio, has endorsed the amendment and was part of the effort to raise the necessary signatures to get it on the ballot.
Executive Director Kellie Copeland said state polls show that Ohio is "middle-of-the-road" on the choice issue, but the statehouse districts are "nearly two-thirds anti-choice."
"They know the only way they can have that kind of majority in the legislature is to gerrymander the districts," Ms. Copeland said. "They know that their policies are out of step with Ohioans."
"We know from polling Ohioans support increased access to birth control, and comprehensive sex education. Those bills don't even get hearings, let alone votes. If the districts reflect Ohioans we would expect that kind of legislation would get a fair shake," Ms. Copeland said.
The amendment backed by the Ohio League of Women Voters would set up an appointed panel to design congressional and statehouse districts that are more politically competitive and split as few municipalities as possible.
The amendment creates a 12-member Ohio Citizens Independent Redistricting Commission to redraw congressional, state Senate, and state House districts every 10 years after each U.S. Census.
It requires the chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court to name a bipartisan panel of eight appellate judges to vet applicants and select a pool of 42 potential commissioners — 14 Democrats, 14 Republicans, and 14 independents. The Ohio House speaker and minority leader would be able to eliminate three candidates each from the list of 42 with the judicial panel then picking by lot nine commissioners — three Democrats, three Republicans, and three independents.
Pop and R&B singer John Legend will campaign in Toledo Thursday for Barack Obama.
According to the Obama campaign, Legend will be the guest at a "Barbeque for Barack" on the University of Toledo campus mid-day on Thursday. More details will follow, the campaign said.
Legend was born John Stephens in Springfield, Ohio, in 1978.
He appeared at a rally for President Obama on the Ohio State University campus in 2o1o.
U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) has been named a co-chair of the National Catholics for Obama committee as part of President Barack Obama’s bid for re-election.
The move comes two days after Mitt Romney named Roman Catholic Rep. Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) as his Republican running mate.
Miss Kaptur, a practicing Catholic, is one of 22 co-chairs on the committee.
A spokesman for Obama for America said President Obama’s policies reflect “the values that Catholics hold dear,” such as health insurance for all and “tax reform in which everyone pays their fair share,” and that the President has partnered with Catholic organizations Catholic Charities and Catholic Relief Services and other faith-based groups.
“Catholics are supporting President Obama because he understands the importance of an active faith in pursuit of the common good — something he has lived his life by and that has served him over the course of his career in public service,” said said Broderick Johnson, who leads the campaign’s outreach efforts with Catholics. He added, “The President’s record, character and values make the choice in this election incredibly stark and clear.”
Chris Maloney, spokesman for the Romney Ohio campaign, disputed that President Obama represents mainstream Catholic views.
“Catholic leaders in Ohio have been outspoken about the fact that President Obama’s policies force institutions to go against their faith. Mitt Romney has made clear that he will stand up and protect religious freedom whenever it is threatened. President Obama broke his promise to make health care affordable and accessible – as a result of Obamacare, premiums are on the rise and millions of Americans may lose their employer-based health care plans,” Mr. Maloney said.
Ohio Congressional candidate Joe Wurzelbacher advocated to "start shooting" as part of his response to illegal immigration at a political event over the weekend in Prescott, Ariz.
Wurzelbacher, of suburban Toledo, the Republican candidate known as "Joe the Plumber, is running against U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) in the 9th Congressional District. He spoke at a fundraiser for Arizona Senator Lori Klein Friday night. Klein is running for a statehouse seat.
According to a Prescott news outlet, Klein brought in Wurzelbacher and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio who is known as a fierce opponent of illegal immigration.
"For years I've said, 'Put a damn fence on that border going to Mexico and start shooting...' that's how I feel. I'm not going to hide it just because I'm running for office. I want the borders protected, and I'm very adamant about that," Wurzelbacher said.
The comment was one of several remarks made by Wurzelbacher and recorded and posted as a video on the Internet by PrescotteNews.com.
Wurzelbacher made the remark in the course of a 14-minute, off-the-cuff speech that touched on the importance of conservatives to elect representatives who share their views at the local level. He said too many conservatives are afraid to speak their minds.
Miss Kaptur issued a statement calling on Wurzelbacher to retract his statement which, she said, "advocating shooting immigrants from Mexico."
"Joe, the Plumber's comments have no place in a civil society," she said, according to a statement emailed to The Blade. "A Member of Congress is sworn to uphold the Constitution, not to take the law into his own hands. He should take back his words and apologize to everyone who respects life, the Constitution and the rule of law."
Wurzelbacher said he lived in both Tucson and Mesa, Ariz.
In her own comments, Klein said she met Wurzelbacher when he was campaigning in favor of the Fair Tax several years ago.
Wurzelbacher is busy campaigning way outside his district. RealClearPolitics.com reported that Wurzelbacher campaigned today (Monday) in Wisconsin for former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson who is running for the Republican nomination to the U.S. Senate in Wisconsin on Tuesday.
Wurzelbacher Wurzelbacher has not responded to a phone call from The Blade seeking additional comment.
Wurzelbacher spokesman Phil Christofanelli issued this statement:
"Joe understands why people want to come to the United States. It's the greatest country on Earth. He believes that in order for us to remain the greatest country on Earth, we need to enforce our laws, including those pertaining to immigration.
"As a Congressman, Joe would empower the federal government to do whatever it takes to secure our borders. He believes that border security agents, like every law enforcement officer, should be permitted to use force when necessary in order to protect themselves and to prevent American laws from being violated.
"We hope that Rep. Kaptur will join Joe in calling for a secure border. Given that her campaign is funded almost entirely by labor unions, you would think that she would care more about preserving American jobs."
TOLEDO, Ohio -- Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur this morning denounced her Republican opponent, Samuel Wurzelbacher, for advocating the shooting of immigrants from Mexico and demanded that Wurzelbacher apologize for his comments.
Wurzelbacher appeared at a Republican fundraiser in Arizona on Friday evening. He was quoted by the Prescott News as saying: "For years I've said, 'Put a damn fence on that border going to Mexico and start shooting...' that's how I feel.I'm not going to hide it just because I'm running for office. I want the borders protected, and I'm very adamant about that." (Emphasis added.)
Kaptur said Wurzelbacher's comments are clearly out of line.
"Joe, the Plumber's comments have no place in a civil society," she said. "A Member of Congress is sworn to uphold the Constitution, not to take the law into his own hands. He should take back his words and apologize to everyone who respects life, the Constitution and the rule of law."
Wurzelbacher, whose claim to fame is as the character "Joe, the Plumber," is the Republican nominee in Ohio's Ninth Congressional District.
The Arizona fundraiser was held for State Senator Lori Klein and was also attended by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the anti-immigrant crusader.
Mitt Romney's selection of Paul Ryan (Republican congressman of Wisconsin) was a disappointment to Ohio Republicans who hoped Ohio U.S. Sen. Rob Portman would get the nod.
In selecting Ryan, Romney hasn't totally abandoned Ohio. The Romney-Ohio campaign office was careful to point out this item in Ryan's bio: he graduated from Miami University of Ohio with a degree in economics and political science.
In 2009, Ryan gave the commencement speech at Miami University of Ohio and he was awarded an honorary degree.
Whether Romney has weakened his chances of winning Ohio's all-important 18 electoral votes by not selecting Portman remains to be seen.
