Richard Cordray’s Lackluster Showing Spells Trouble For Ohio Democrats

September 6, 2017

Despite weeks of media hype around Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray’s big Labor Day speech to the AFL-CIO in Cincinnati, his remarks fell flat in front of a sparse audience as he refused to answer if he would run for governor. Political columnist Jason Williams reviewed the speech in the Cincinnati Enquirer, calling his remarks “humdrum” while noting the small audience of 50 – including roughly a dozen reporters  – “carrying on side conversations” while “background chatter noticeably became louder as Cordray continued to talk.” If this is any indication of what a Cordray candidacy would look like should he decide to run, his disastrous attempt to test the waters in Cincinnati over the weekend is a bad sign for Ohio Democrats who have touted him as their best chance for victory in the 2018 election.

The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Jason Williams writes:

“The nation’s top consumer watchdog showed no excitement in delivering a wonky, keynote speech to union workers at the Cincinnati AFL-CIO’s annual Labor Day picnic. Cordray didn’t mention anything about running for governor, but he missed an opportunity to lay the groundwork for his campaign if he does plan to run…

For 14 minutes, Cordray spoke in the same humdrum tone about financial inequality. Not once did he raise his voice.

Cordray’s dry personality might have helped the Democrat get elected statewide back in the day. But does dry fly in the age of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders?…

If it’s Cordray, well, the Grove City resident is going to have to do better than he did Monday afternoon.

…maybe 50 people stuck around to hear Cordray speak, including a dozen or so reporters. People could be seen carrying on side conversations, and background chatter noticeably became louder as Cordray continued to talk.

Midway through Cordray’s speech, a saxophone player started warming up in one corner of the giant shelter house. A band was to play after all the speakers were done.”