Daily KOS: "This is weird"

So this is weird.

A few months ago, Rep. Sherrod Brown was being begged to run for Senate in Ohio. Brown demurred. Rep. Tim Ryan passed, so the baton was passed on to Paul Hackett, which had electrified progressives nationwide with his near-successful special election in a blood red congressional district.

Except that, y’know, he still lost. Other than that, electrifying.

Apparently spooked by the rumors of his (Brown’s ) potential run, Hackett's people leaked all over the place that he was, indeed, running.

Except that, y’know, Hackett lost last time.

Paul Hackett, the Iraq War veteran from Cincinnati who was hailed by national for his narrow loss this summer in a heavily Republican House district, has quickly moved up in rank to challenge Mike DeWine for U.S. Senate in 2006.

“Hailed” for losing?

"Paul Hackett is running for U.S. Senate," said spokesman David Woodruff, who served as Hackett's campaign manager in his special election campaign for the 2nd District House seat against Rep. Jean Schmidt.

That would be Hackett’s “narrow loss” that Kos is so psyched about.

So the Ohio Senate picture has gone from no Democrats to challenge the increasingly vulnerable Sen. DeWine, to a potential primary battle between Hackett and Brown.

And with all apologies to Brown, who is one of the greats in the House, but this isn't cool. He bows out, waits for Hackett to gear up, and then floats a trial balloon about getting back in? Brown must've known about Hackett's decision to run, hence this trial balloon is sabotage.

“Sabotage” suggests a negative motive. How do you sabotage a proven loser?

[…] But in a primary, Brown has the instiutional state party apparatus (no matter how pathetic Ohio Dems might be). Hackett is an outsider.

I know it sounds like I’m gloating. But I’m really not. I just can’t wrap my mind around why Kos cares so damn much about Paul Hackett. Is it because he’s an “outsider” and therefore a likable underdog? What’s the deal? Seriously, this Hackett fetishizing is creepy.

Me, give me an Iraq vet over a career politician, even one with Brown's excellent pedigree. But ultimately, if Brown runs, this will be a choice for the people of Ohio…

And really, Democrats win either way.

Except, y’know, when they lose to Republicans.