Strickland, DeWine Debate Presidential Performance in Ohio
Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine debated Sunday which presidential candidate will have more momentum in the important swing state heading into the last 30 days before the election during a joint appearance on CNN’s State of the Union.
Some polls have indicated GOP candidate Mitt Romney is closing the gap with President Obama after Wednesday night’s debate. DeWine suggested that it wasn’t Obama’s debating skills – as some Democrats have suggested in the wake of his lackluster performance – that were at fault.
“He couldn't defend the last four years because you can’t defend it,” DeWine said as Strickland shook his head. “You can’t defend not getting the job done.”
DeWine added that “If you ask Ohioans why Ohio is starting to come back” in terms of economic growth, most would chalk it up to Republican Gov. John Kasich.
Strickland disagreed strongly, arguing that it was Obama’s auto bailout that saved Ohio – a state where about one in eight jobs is related to the auto industry, by some estimates.
In an appeal to voters fed up with Washington, DeWine said Obama is a “nice guy, talented, but horribly partisan” and that Romney would emulate former presidents Reagan and Clinton by engaging with the other party.
Strickland repeatedly said Romney wasn’t telling the truth during the debate.
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