Strickland, Brown: Obama closing the deal, trumping race

Strickland and Brown at a press conference Monday: Politicker PhotoCOLUMBUS - Ohio's most senior Democrats told PolitickerOH.com that Barack Obama is closing the deal with Ohio voters, helping clear the obstacle of race that may have held him back in previous months.

"First of all I think he has a message that resonates with the people of Ohio, and that's an economic message," Gov. Ted Strickland said. "I think it will be close but in the end Ohio will support Barack and i think Barack Obama will be the next president."

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown said he's spoken on behalf of Obama in smaller Ohio towns and has noticed a shift since mid-September. Last month Brown said Obama's race was an obstacle for some voters, but now it's been generally cleared.

"I think he's mostly overcome it, as much as possible," Brown said. "I'm not going to do this, but I can name names of people who weren't going to vote for him, but now are helping him."

Brown said the shift has come from Obama's performance in the presidential debates that he said demonstrated Obama's leadership qualities. McCain's biggest problem is that he hasn't broke with President Bush on economic policy, Brown said. In addition, the senator said McCain's choice of Sarah Plain as vice president reflects poor judgment because he believes she's not qualified to be president.

Brown also credited Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden's frequent appearances in Ohio with helping Obama. 

"People make the contrast between him and Palin and they know that speaks well of Obama, and it shows that Obama is ready to lead," Brown said. "They know Biden is ready to lead. The contrast is so stark."

Brown also said Biden's roots in Scranton, Pennsylvania help him relate to middle-class, white voters, Brown said.

"He grew up in an Ohio kind of town. Scranton could be Canton, or Mansfield, or Zanesville or Lima," he said.

Brown said the only thing left for Obama to do is to keep coming to Ohio.

"The more he comes, the more people like him, and the more comfortable they feel with him."

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