PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE with BILL ONEILL
Sounds like 2008 OH-14 candidate Bill O'Neill is doing the sensible thing and heading south for the winter. Promoted from the forums - Nick D.
Well the past is behind us...and as I pull the door closed on ONEILL08, I gotta take a moment to reflect on what a truly great election year it has been. We have TAKEN AWAY three congressional seats from the Republicans (Driehaus, Bocierri, Kilroy), we have a new President, and I played a small role in waking up a sleeping Congressman (LaTourette). We raised half-a-million dollars, found thousands of new friends, and took public discourse to a new level. It was a great year, and I have no regrets. I haven't had so much fun since Howard Dean made me THE FIRST AND ONLY statewide "Dean's Dozen" candidate in 2004.
And the present is truly shaping up NICE. I just got a three month travelling nurse assignment in a pediatric emergency room in a world-class childrens hospital in florida...so as you all swear in our new heroes, John, Steve, Mary Jo and Marian...I'll be thinking of you. Thanks ever so much for all the help this year. It was a good run and I'm glad I did it.
But eventually the future will be upon us...and I find this the easiest method to answer the question that keeps popping up. I'm getting it every day...2010...Supreme Court...Congress...Senate? Well, Here's the answer. Golf. We end 2008 with the campaign debt paid in full, my health is excellent, and maybe we will do it again. But for now, I'm gonna go south, perfect my seven iron, and think this one through. But here's the thought for the day. Every where you go...people say, that George Voinovich, what a nice guy. And I agree.
But in these times, nice ain't gonna make it. The Senator has never once brought a fresh thought to the war, the economy, or the environment. The war and the economy have brought us to our knees and he has said nothing. Global warming threatens to shut down industry and the quality of life as we know it, and Senator George has said nothing. Nothing.
He's gotta go. It's that simple. And we gotta find a candidate to make that happen. Tim Ryan and Lee Fisher are the names that come to mind. But if not them...wellllll...the last time I ran statewide I got 40% of the vote from an incumbent (O'Donnell) on a budget of ZERO. This year I proved I know how to raise money. And you know I can focus on the issues.
This is going to be a good cycle. Count me in the fight. Later.
No Good Byes. Just see ya for now.
Bill
