Thursday's Interview on the Colbert Report

Last Thursday, the interview on the Colbert Report was Paul Hackett. He had just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq, and he ran for congressman in Ohio's second district for a special election in 2005 (the existing congressman was apointed to something, and since the next election wasn't until 2006, they had a special election to put someone else there in the meantime).

This was a district that went solidly for George W. Bush in 2004, and is considered one of the most conservative districts in the United States. Paul Hackett was running in this District as a Democrat.

This election got a great amount of attention. I read somewhere (and I can't find the link right now) that the district would usually go Republican by about 40 points. So clearly, Hackett had his work cut out for him.

While he didn't win the election, he lost by only four points. He then considered a run for the Senate in Ohio (Senator DeWine from Ohio is pretty unpopular) but the Democratic Party, for reasons that are not clear, asked him not to run. The last I read, Mr. Hackett is planning to start an organisation to help soldiers run for public office.

Anyway, here's a video of him on the Daily Show from last year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3G6X39uQ6E

Here's the video of the interview on the Colbert Report from August 3 2006.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CgvOQK8HLE

Here's another video of Paul, and his opponent in the special election in 2005.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFo717NcRQQ

Based on all I've seen of him, and read about him, Mr. Hackett seemed like he might have been a breath of fresh air! It's too bad he isn't running for office.