COLUMBUS - Ohio Republican Party Spokesman John McClelland today issued the following response to Gov. Ted Strickland‘s endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama:   ”Four months ago Gov. Ted Strickland said Senator Obama‘s lack of experience and judgment made him better suited for ‘American Idol‘ than the presidency. The governor‘s recent endorsement proves that he is now more interested in weak, empty rhetoric than a real, bipartisan record on change, but one question remains: did he text or phone-in his vote?”

Strickland Suggested Obama Was More Suited For American Idol. ”…Ohioans should vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton because the March 4 primary is not about selecting the‘next American idol,‘ Strickland told reporters in Washington today, where he is attending the National Governors Association winter meeting.” (Jonathan Riskind, “Strickland: Pick a President, Not an American Idol,” Columbus Dispatch, 2/25/08)