Ohio Democratic Chair Chris Redfern Channels Dick Cheney: Drops the F-Bomb At Political Rally

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Republicans are feigning outrage after Ohio's Democratic Party chair Chris Redfern called opponents of healthcare reform "fuckers." He seems to have had Tea Party activists in mind. Former Vice President Dick Cheney had a similar opinion about critics of George W. Bush. On the Senate floor in 2004, Cheney told Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, to "go fuck himself." The U.S. Senate is supposed to be an august body with a bit more decorum than a political rally with union steelworkers. That's where Redern uttered his expletive. Ohio GOP Chairman Kevin Dewine pounced on Redfern for boorish behavior. But I can't find anything that shows Dewine ever said anything that took offense to Cheney's foul mouth on the Senate floor.

Here's Dewine about Redfern: “No one likes trailing in the polls but Ohioans deserve better than angry speeches full of name-calling and profanity. It’s certainly far from the political of post-partisanship that the Democrats promised two years ago. Let’s show a little class.”

Cheney remains unrepentant and said earlier this year that blurting out the obscenity was "sort of the best thing I ever did." Here's more on that: "(Newser) – As potty-mouthed vice presidents go, Dick Cheney is utterly unrepentant about his 2004 slip of the F-bomb in which he told Pat Leahy to go 'fuck yourself.' Dennis Miller on his radio show yesterday thanked the former veep for 'almost kicking Patrick Leahy's ass,' reports Think Progress. Cheney responds: 'You'd be surprised how many people liked that. That's sort of the best thing I ever did.'

In a counterintuitive way, Cheney is correct. It certainly wasn't the worst thing he ever did in office. Yep, Cheney did way worse than that.

Matt Naugle at Right Ohio is shedding tears, obviously crocodile tears, about Redfern.

GOP's Kevin DeWine and Dem Chair Chris Redfern: This Year, Ohio's Prezzie Primary Counts

BATAVIA, Ohio (TDB) -- The two party leaders shared a stage at the Clermont County Chamber of Commerce today and agreed: Ohio's March 4 presidential primary now seems certain to play a significant role in selecting nominees for the White House. Deputy GOP Chair Kevin DeWine said he's convinced the early primaries and Super Tuesday on Feb. 5 won't lock things up for any candidate.

"It's my personal opinion it won't be decided by then. Hold on, because here come the presidential candidates."

Dem Chair Chris Redfern was equally as certain: "Ohio will be important, obviously, in November. But it appears Ohio will play a role in the primaries as well. There's no end in sight."

Traditionally, Ohio is a key state in the general election and often decides who wins the presidency. Its primary -- which comes late in the cycle -- is usually meaningless because the everybody already knows who the Republicans and Democrats plan to crown at the national conventions. So far, that hasn't happened.

DeWine and Redfern also agreed the run up to the November vote for president will be more intense in Ohio than ever before. Both said the campaign will be fought across all 88 counties, and Redfern said John Kerry lost in 2004 because his strategists focused too narrowly on urban areas. Redfern said Kerry could have won if he'd spent money in small towns, "just a few bucks on rural radio in places like Fulton County." He said the Dems have no intention of ignoring Clermont County this year even though it is overwhelmingly Republican.

DeWine said the state Democratic Party "now has a more organized 88-county strategy" that the Republicans intend to match. "We are planning to play in counties that have a dark blue Democratic tint to them."

Both said Ohio was crucial in November, but DeWine elaborated:

"Ohio has a long history of being on the side of the winner. The bottomline is: If you don't win the Buckeye State you don't win the White House. Especially if you are a Republican."

A questioner from the audience wondered who Redfern was backing -- Hillary, Obama or John Edwards. The state Dem chair said he was staying neutral. GOP leader DeWine said he had endorsed Hillary Clinton. That remark wrinkled some foreheads and led to a round of nervous laughs in the room. DeWine continued, "In the Democratic primary."