My "Sally Field Moment" With ODP Chair Chris Redfern

Yesterday in Columbus I encountered Ohio Democratic Party Chair Rep. Chris Redfern (D-Catawba Island) at the popular downtown restaurant Due Amici. I said hello and told him that I was in town to publicize his candidates. (I was waiting to meet 20th Ohio House District candidate Bev Campbell (D-Gahanna) for a lunch interview, and also talked to 22nd District candidate John Carney and 24th District candidate Ted Celeste during the day).

Redfern told me that he recently did a podcast for the Democratic National Committee in which he "heaped praise" on Ohio bloggers, and complained that "nobody picked up on it!" I expressed surprise. "Yes," he said, "I said that Ohio has the best bloggers and I mentioned Buckeye State Blog in particular!"

I told him it was wonderful to hear him say that, and reminded him that the last time I saw him he said "Bloggers - I hate 'em!" (Okay, so actually it was Paul Hackett who said that to me. What Redfern said was: "Blogs - I never read 'em!").

Redfern gave me a sideways look. "I'm coming around," he said, as he turned away. I just barely managed to hold in my Sally Field reaction ("You like us! You really like us!"), which would have been unseemly.

Well, sure enough, the podcast is here and it's well worth a listen. Redfern talks about the 50 state strategy of DNC Chairman Howard Dean, his own 88 county strategy in Ohio, and the party's plans to try to assure a fair election in 2006. He's quite frank about the shortcomings of the Democrat's narrow strategy in 2004, which he says cost John Kerry the presidency.

Late in the ten minute podcast, at about 8:10, Redfern does indeed declare that "in Ohio, we of course lead the nation in blogging." He mentions BSB "among others" as our "great presence" of bloggers who "help the party by identifying weaknesses and perhaps sometimes strengths," and says of the party "we really appreciate the support that bloggers and emailers provide us."

So, hey ... thanks, Chris Redfern! We appreciate the mention. And, we appreciate you and the great work that you are doing for the party and for victory in November.