After Weeks of Media Hype, Richard Cordray’s Big AFL-CIO Speech Falls Flat

For weeks, the media hyped today’s speech by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray to the AFL-CIO’s Labor Day picnic in Cincinnati as his coming out party, where he would announce a run for Ohio governor to fired up Democrat activists. WVXU even suggested that it was the “perfect place” for Cordray to announce that he was running.

But instead, Cordray’s speech fell flat, was poorly attended, and when he was given the opportunity to announce a run or talk about Democrats’ chances in next year’s gubernatorial race, Cordray could only respond “no comment.”

Poor attendance, a low-energy speech, and no better answer prepared than “no comment.” If Richard Cordray does run for governor, today should give Ohio Democrats anxiety and extreme caution of his chances to compete or energize voters.