In the bizarre world of Ohio politics, a band of satirists and jokesters may be the state’s only hope for a gubernatorial debate in 2014. According to the PAC Central Ohioans Countering Kasich (COCK), three out of the four candidates for Ohio governor have tentatively agreed to participate in a debate sometime this fall. The incumbent, however, has not been returning COCK’s calls.
Travis Irvine, COCK treasurer, political videographer and standup comedian with the distinction of having once been ripped off by Jay Leno, described the PAC as a “coalition of disgruntled, unhappy Democrats and Libertarians” who don’t agree on much beyond their disappointment in Governor John Kasich. Irvine got the idea for the PAC while working on Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson’s campaign for president in 2012.
For the most part, all one needs to do to start a statewide PAC, or political action committee, is to file the right paperwork before a deadline. A PAC must report how much money is being raised, how much is being spent, where the money is coming from and where it is going.
Since forming the PAC, COCK has put out several videos, often parodying real ads from the Kasich campaign, including “He Yelled,” a shot-by shot counter to Kasich’s “He Listened.” Some of the early COCK videos also feature “John Kasucks,” a character who mocks the governor’s distinctive facial expressions and speech patterns.
COCK’s activities have apparently not gone unnoticed by the Kasich campaign. Irvine was recently kicked out of a public cookout celebrating celebrate Ohio State’s first home game at the governor’s campaign headquarters.
“I wasn’t going to do anything crazy,” said Irvine. “The most I wanted to do was get a selfie with Kasich.”
Irivne estimated that he was at the cookout for approximately six minutes before a “scary-looking” man tapped him on the shoulder and informed him that the public event had suddenly become private and that he needed to leave. Far from offended, Irvine seems proud of his reputation.
“Not only do they know who I am and what I look like, but they are actually scared,” said Irvine. “Republicans are scared of COCK.”
Ohio hasn’t seen a gubernatorial election sans debate since 1978, and Irvine lays the blame for this year’s omission squarely on the Kasich campaign.
“If anything a debate would hurt them,” said Irvine.
The governor’s refusal to debate his challenger prompted Irvine and the rest of COCK to decide, “Okay, Kasich doesn’t want to debate, we’ll invite all the candidates, including Kasich, to come debate John Kasucks.”
Irivne said the campaigns for Libertarian candidate Charlie Earl and Green Party candidate Anita Rios responded quickly, expressing an interest in participating. On Wednesday, Democrat Ed FitzGerald appeared at Grandview Heights Middle School in Columbus, where he was asked by a COCK supporter if he would participate in the debate. According to a COCK press release, the candidate replied, “Yes, I will attend.”
COCK has been in contact with the FitzGerald campaign via email, said Irvine, but the group is prepared for potential that one or more of the candidates won’t be able to attend due to scheduling conflicts. The FitzGerald campaign did not immediately respond to a voicemail and email requesting comment.
“We were prepared just to do it with the Green and Libertarian candidates,” said Irvine. “Once you have Fitzgerald, then it becomes more of a legitimate media thing.”
Irvine said he can’t think of any precedent for this kind of event, but said the PAC wants the debate to be like any election debate, with real Columbus journalists as moderators. Though COCK is still holding out hope that Kasich will agree to attend the debate, and is asking its supporters to call the governor’s campaign to encourage his participation, the PAC is prepared to move on without him.
“If we have three of the four candidates and then a satire version of the incumbent there, that’s a whole different ballgame,” said Irvine.
According to the PAC’s press release, the debate would take place sometime in October, though COCK and the participating campaigns have yet to agree on a definitive date. Irvine said the debate will also serve as a charity event, most likely benefitting firefighters or other public servants.
Though COCK is taking on the very serious mantle of attempting organizing the only public debate between Ohio’s candidates for governor, the PAC is equally committed to its distinct brand of tongue-in-cheek humor. As such, Irvine rattled off a few of the PAC’s most common talking points, including, “We’re the whole package,” “We’re not soft, we’ve been working long and hard,” and “This is just the tip, but we’re going in deep.”
Irvine also made note of the fact that on Sept. 29, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will be stumping for Kasich in Independence. COCK is predictably overjoyed at the location for Christie and Kasich’s joint appearance: All Erection and Crane Rental.
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