Thursday, July 10, 2008

DISCUSSION: REVERBERATIONS IN THE BOCCIERI/SCHURING RACE!

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has learned that a thunderstorm has just blown over Schuring campaign headquarters in Canton.

A source close to the Boccieri campaign has contacted The Report with information about a number of Boccieri staffers storming (the Schuring camp take on the event) Schuring's campaign center with a challenge to a debate between Boccieri and Schuring on gasoline price containment positions, energy issues in general and the vision of the respective campaigns for 16th District voters.

The Report understands that the Schuring people are categorizing the Boccieri march on Schuring's headquarters as being "a storm trooper-esque operation." The Boccieri people deny that the label properly describes the event.

The Report asked the source why Boccieri is being so pro-active when it appears that he has the lead in the race and, in The Report's opinion, Boccieri only need to avoid a politically catastrophic event to win.

The answer: John Boccieri doesn't know any other way to be.

The Report questions the advice Kirk Schuring is getting. Anyone who knows the state senator knows him to be a very outgoing, affable guy who has gotten significant Democratic support within Stark County in prior elections.

Deep thinkers from the Republican National Congressional Committee are apparently advising Schuring to be a stealth candidate who operates by proxies and 527 groups. Kind of a "fly under the radar" type of candidacy and surprise Boccieri and everybody else as he edges out Boccieri as they cross the finish line on November 4th.

If Schuring is in fact a stealth candidate, he will not accept the challenge to debate. The Report knows Schuring to have effective speaking skills and believes he is every bit the equal of Boccieri in this realm.

Schuring's problem is not so much himself (his political and office holding record) but the fact he is a Republican running in a Democratic year. Schuring does have the advantage of running in a +4 Republican oriented district. But he is blowing the advantage big time.

Whatever chance he has lies in debating Boccieri at every turn he has.

Although The Report is on record as already predicting a Boccieri victory when the votes finally get counted, it is in the interest of Stark Countians that each candidate conduct a very public campaign. Who knows, if Schuring does so, he just may surprise everyone including The Report on election day.

Question: Will Kirk Schuring ever tune in to his considerable personal skills and allow 16th District voters to make a side by side comparison?

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