CNN Working Towards Ohio Primary Debates

• Author: Ben Keeler
• Filed under: Democrats '08, Presidential, Republicans '08
• Date: Feb 4,2008

UPDATE: Kyle and I will be on the Ray Horner Show on 1590 WAKR tomorrow to discuss The Point, Ohio Politics, Super Tuesday, and whatever else we are asked about. We are scheduled to be on from 8 to 8:45 AM.

But will they still matter or be needed?

ABJ: CNN has been negotiating with both state political parties all week to bring presidential debates to Cleveland or Columbus on Feb. 27 and 28. Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern said his party's candidates will debate Wednesday, Feb. 27. Kevin DeWine, Ohio Republican Party co-chairman, said Republicans will debate Thursday, Feb. 28. The city and venue of both debates (likely to be held in the same location) has not yet been determined. E.J. Thomas Hall, anyone?

For once, I think I might agree with the ODP Chairman who says that Ohio will decide the Democratic nomination (don't look for me to repeat that I agree with Redfern for the duration of the campaign). No matter what happens on Tuesday, that race won't be over. Many political talkers are now saying it looks March 4 could be the day where one candidate is put over the top delegate wise (along with Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont vote). Neither Clinton or Obama is going to call it quits anytime soon, and when you look at the calendar, there aren't many big prizes between Tuesday and our primary day. A split verdict Tuesday means the Democratic race is going to be extended for the foreseeable future and you can expect the local airwaves to be plastered with political ads.

On the Republican side, this might not be the case, as McCain is looking to be in solid position with a comfortable national lead. If it did get to the point where Ohio was a major factor on the Republican side, Romney can take comfort in the fact that he took in more money in our state during 2007 than any candidate in either party. If McCain doesn't clinch sometime in the next month then he has a problem as the frontrunner yet again - just having the debate means he is in trouble and lost his stranglehold on the nomination. If Romney drops out before February 28, there wouldn't really be a reason to have McCain debating other candidates if any are left. No reason he would do it either.

Bottom line, these debates are good for Ohio for the attention paid to the state by the candidates (even if they are on CNN). I sometimes wonder who would watch these things and actually not have their mind made up yet, but I guess some people don't write political blogs and watch cable news in their spare time. Better a debate here than somewhere else. By all accounts, CWRU did a fantastic job when they hosted the 2004 Veep Debate - the one where Cheney smacked around Edwards - so it is good to see Ohio get another such opportunity.

Note: Kyle and I will be liveblogging the Super Tuesday action. The thread will go up at around 5 on Tuesday and we will stick with it until the end of the night…West Coast states included. Now that is some dedication.