But it certainly isn't the mess the New York Times is presenting in this piece picked up by newspapers across the country.
From seven-hour lines that drove voters away, to malfunctioning machines, to poorly trained poll workers who directed people to the wrong polling places, to uneven policies about the use of provisional ballots, Ohio has become this year's poster state for every ailment in America's electoral process.Please! I have yet to find any reputable Ohio-based newspaper that has even alleged any major problems, much less proven any. Sure, they all call for process improvements, but let's keep things in perspective. They were minor and didn't impact the outcome of the election.
Of course that's not the impression you get when you listen to John Kerry's counsel.
"This has fundamentally shocked people's sense of whether any election can be accurately counted," said Daniel Hoffheimer, counsel to John Kerry's Ohio campaign.Shame on John Kerry. Once again he is trying to have it both ways. He allows comments like this to hit the mainstream media while trying to give the impression that he is above the fray.
To be spreading around this type of sound-bite nonsense is irresponsible. Losing the public's trust in our election system will do far more harm in the long run than anything that happened in Ohio.
Granted, these are Kerry's representatives that are making these comments, not Kerry himself. Kerry will have an opportunity to put this nonsense to rest when the recount is completed.
When that happens, he should come out and clearly state that although there were minor issues in Ohio, there is nothing that calls the outcome into question. To do anything else would be irresponsible.
UPDATE: It looks like I'm not the only one who has noticed Kerry heading toward another flip-flop...
Little Green Footballs and Riding Sun also weighed in on the matter. And so did Rob Bernard.
UPDATE 2: Keith Olbermann is now reporting that Hoffheimer has "changed his tone."
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