OhioNews Bureau

ONB COLUMBUS: The Spring 2008 Akron Buckeye Poll released Wednesday covered an assessment of Ohio, government and politics and provided insight on baseline information for the 2008 general election in Ohio.

OhioNews Bureau

ONB COLUMBUS: The difference between the dueling rallies held by Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, just miles apart in the Columbus suburb of Westerville, Ohio, Sunday, two days before the Ohio primary on March 4th, was most apparent in the tenor and style of each candidate’s rallying events.

-- updated with Spinelli's recount of what it's like to be in the press room with the guys from the traditional media -- see comments

OhioNews Bureau

ONB COLUMBUS: Perks accorded to the media credentialed to cover the Democratic presidential debate held in Cleveland Tuesday evening included parking privileges, food, drink, restroom facilities, work space with electric hookups and free high-speed WIFI Internet access and select admittance to the spin room.

While the above list is impressive and well appreciated, maybe one of the most valuable of all media perks is receiving a complete transcript of the debate.

Reader warning: This transcript represents one and one-half hours of dialogue. If you're fatigued after reading three paragraphs of any story, this may not be your cup of tea. But for readers who want to match-up and fact check the candidate's real words with the post-debate analysis spin media pundits are putting on yesterday evening's debate, this easy-reading is for you.

If you want a break from all the words, and want to look at some pictures that give you a visual taste of what goes on behind the scenes, go here.

transcript begins below

OhioNews Bureau: UPDATE

ONB COLUMBUS: The latest Ohio Poll, conducted by the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati and released Wednesday, shows that the fall race for president will be a squeaker in bellwether Ohio, and that the split between genders shows men backing Sen. John McCain, while women favor either Sens. Obama or Clinton.

OhioNews Bureau

ONB COLUMBUS: After one year in office, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland used his State of the State speech Wednesday to readjust the state’s sails, hoping to generate enough wind power through a new jobs program, increased investment in infrastructure and the reorganization of primary and secondary education that will give high school seniors a leg up on college to steer the ship of state to calmer seas and more prosperous shores.

OhioNews Bureau

ONB COLUMBUS: With Ohio staggering at the back of the pack of states in important categories like job loss and rising poverty, and with the wolf of recession roaming close by, it was only a matter of time before Governor Ted Strickland reacted to projections that his two-year state budget could be as much as $1.9 billion in the red by mid 2009.

Ohio Treasury Cordray Launches SaveNOW to Change Citizens’ Savings Habits

OhioNews Bureau

ONB COLUMBUS: With winter winds blowing a chill across Ohio, and the prospect by many reputable economists that the next recession is waiting in the wings to make its cameo appearance, bringing with it more financial heartache to a state that has yet to recover the last recession of 2001, the timely announcement by Ohio Treasurer Richard Cordray that he’ll plunk down $25 million in state investment dollars to help Ohioans save more and earn higher interests rates on their savings, is a warm breeze in an otherwise frosty environment.

OhioNews Bureau

UPATED

ONB COLUMBUS: On the same day Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner convened a gathering of reporters to further defend her decision from mid-December to force a costly wholesale change in equipment, process and locations for all voters come the November elections, the OhioNews Bureau learned a key staffer central to her controversial EVEREST study was no longer in his position, and also failed to respond to offers of help from voting system, rights experts.

Seeing the opposition starting to mobilizing against her calls for big, radical voting changes, Brunner is counter punching by launching a PR listening tour in the form of a series of town-hall meetings around Ohio, where citizens can make their voice heard on her decisions to change voting in Cuyahoga County as early as March and for everyone else by November, when record-setting voter turnout is expected as America decides which presidential candidate will bring the kind of change the country is crying for.

OhioNews Bureau

ONB COLUMBUS: Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson is striking back at lenders he says have “enabled the subprime lending and foreclosure crisis here” by using nuisance laws to sue 21 lenders, including big ones like Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch and Wells Fargo.

In a published report from The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, Jackson accused the formidable bankers of irresponsibility in lending practices that are leaving “entire neighborhoods in ruins” and depleting the city’s tax base.

OhioNews Bureau

ONB COLUMBUS: Paper or plastic? We’ve all been given this choice by our local grocery store cashier. But when it comes to voting in person on or before Election Day as some state laws, including those in Ohio, now allow, the choice will be between casting your vote by using a digital ballot, the hallmark of touch-screen machines, or marking a paper ballot, which Ohio election officials have ordered to be available as soon as March, when Ohio holds its primary.