Drinking Fiasco

This post will hurt. I don't wish to bring anymore negative light to a precarious situation in the Democratic Governor's nomination race in Ohio, but my impartiality allows me to do so. Today's news in the Toledo Blade (http://www.toledoblade.com), has included an article of Frankie Coleman, the wife of Columbus Mayor and Democratic Governor Contender Michael Coleman. Mrs. Coleman, a possible First Lady of Ohio, was charged with drunk driving after side-swiping a parked truck. Her blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit.

This is the second mark of drunkiness on the Coleman Campaign. (http://www.colemanforohio2006.com)

The Colemans are black. Mr. Coleman, a friend of my family's, is running for Governor in a state that in some major cities, like his own of Columbus, and mine of Toledo are just coming around to seeing black executive leadership. He's running for Governor as a black man in the middle of a neo-conservative revolution in a state that is so important on the national scene. His race is not only watched in the state of Ohio, but nationwide. Ohio has voted with the successful Presidential candidate in every election since the 1960s and has 20 electoral votes, one of the largest in the nation. More Presidents have come from Ohio than any other state.

The nation has only seen one black governor, Wilder of Virginia, now Richmond's Mayor.

I hate to say it, but high-profile black candidates must be Angels when running for office in high profile races. Ohio's Governor's race is high profile because you have two black men running for their party's nomination: Secretary of State Blackwell, a Republican, and Coleman, a Democrat, among the usual white candidates. You also have the nationwide Tom Noe scandal and the lowest Governor's approval rating in the nation, bringing national attention to Ohio, the state where Toledo was the site of the "Tube War" of the November 2004 election, where Kerry and Bush spent more more in ads there than in any other market in the nation.

I wish Coleman the best and he does have my vote!! I also wish to work for his efforts, if he should ever call on me. I just hope to God, Ohioans are not fickle and see the campaign for its true face, and not today's news.

Buena Suerte!