Remember lady justice?

        That was the unofficial name of a campaign 2000 ad that business groups ran attacking Supreme Court Justice Alice Robie Resnick. It showed money from special interests tipping lady justice's scales, while a narrator said Justice Resnick's opinions were for sale.

        The ad was so offensive it helped Justice Resnick win. With two more seats on the high court open again this year, interest groups that figure to campaign on the candidates' behalves have become downright timid.

        There hasn't been a hint of negative television advertising so far. Now leaders of a GOP group called Informed Citizens of Ohio publicly asked its Democratic rival, Citizens for an Independent Court, to sign a clean campaign pledge.

        “After the traumatic year that Ohioans and Americans have suffered, this is the kind of campaign they clearly want,” wrote David Milenthal, Informed Citizens' leader.

Duck redux

        A plaid-clad “Taftquack” is back once again squawking Tim Hagan's campaign message in a new Internet ad.

        This is the latest in a series of spots run by the Democratic gubernatorial candidate featuring the cartoon duck, who was naked but now wears a blue plaid shirt, spoofing Gov. Bob Taft's casual attire in his latest television ad. (Maybe he raided U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine's campaign wardrobe.)

        In the 60-second, animated-spot, “Taftquack” flaps his wings and hides behind a desk as the governor “ducks” questions about Ohio's budget crisis. The bird then reappears squawking “Taftquack.”

        Mr. Hagan's campaign manager, Jerry Austin, said the campaign also will start advertising on America Online and its subsidiary Web sites this week. The advertisements will only be seen by Internet users in Ohio and will be linked to www.taftquack.com, the site running the duck commercials.

Odd Couple

        Such Internet messages are part of Mr. Austin's low-cost strategy for beating Gov. Taft. He acknowledges Mr. Hagan has little money but says, “I don't get on board unless I think I've got a candidate who at least has a shot.”

        Mr. Austin's offbeat campaign for Mr. Hagan is in some ways a surprise, since the two men haven't traditionally been on the same team.

        In 1980, Mr. Austin supported Jimmy Carter and Mr. Hagan supported Ted Kennedy.

        In 1982, Mr. Austin got behind Dick Celeste. Mr. Hagan pushed for Bill Brown.

        In 1984, Mr. Austin wanted Gary Hart in office. Mr. Hagan wanted Walter Mondale.

        In 1988, Mr. Austin backed the Rev. Jesse Jackson. Mr. Hagan backed Sen. Paul Simon.

        “It wasn't like we had issues. We'd just always been in different camps,” Mr. Austin explained. “I wanted to volunteer, but he said I needed to be paid.”

        He said it was clear no one else was stepping up to challenge Republican Gov. Bob Taft, so he took the job.

        “I've known Tim Hagan a long time, and I knew he was an impassioned Democrat,” Mr. Austin says.

Incredible Tales

        There are always a few good stories to tell in a governor's race - and there is a good chance they will show up someday in a book by Mr. Austin.

        Last year, he wrote Incredible True Tales from the Campaign Trail, a spiral-bound book with vignettes about his experiences as the manager of several notable campaigns, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson's 1988 political campaign and Paul Tsongas' 1992 presidential bid, where he served as the senior political director.

        One story in the book says an aide to Mr. Jackson's wife, Jackie, once told a Louisiana campaign coordinator, “I only take orders from three people: Jesus, Jesse and Jerry.”

        Mr. Austin says he's handed out a couple of hundred copies to friends. He says he decided to compile the stories after a friend died and he realized all his wonderful political stories would never be told again.

        “It's not the kind of book where you can't wait to turn the page,” Mr. Austin says.

        “It's more like bathroom reading. But people enjoy the stories, and I wanted to write them because I thought even if I was the world's most creative writer I could never make this stuff up.”

        Debra Jasper is the Enquirer's Columbus Bureau Chief. Spencer Hunt is a reporter in the Columbus Bureau. They can be reached at (614) 224-4640 or email djasper@enquirer.com and shunt@enquirer.com.

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