Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Did you know that there was a CD 2 debate in Sierra Vista on Wednesday night? Not if you read the Arizona Daily Star.
You have to read the Sierra Vista Herald for a recap of the debate, and they have the report behind a "premium member" deal for which you have to sign up.
Martha McSally started the evening still whining about the House Majority PAC ad "Recipe," which calls McSally's positions a "recipe for disaster." She has attempted to conflate this ad into a "sexist" attack, Silly Season for McSally.
McSally responded with an ad of her own featuring former Congressman Jim Kolbe waxing indignant, “I saw Ron Barber unfairly attack my friend, Martha McSally,” Kolbe in said in McSally ad. “He's wrong.” CD2 Air War: Kolbe Defends McSally As Candidates Debate Social Security's Future | The Range:
Team Barber spokesman Prentice said via email that Kolbe “supports privatizing Social Security, so it is no surprise he has endorsed Martha McSally. She wants to raise the retirement age, voucherize Medicare and gamble Social Security in the stock market, just like he does. But Ron Barber is committed to protecting Social Security and Medicare and has stood up against plans to privatize and voucherize these programs—plans that would weaken Social security and Medicare and hurt Arizona seniors.”
McSally likes to portray herself as a "warrior," but she sounds more like a "whiner" when she complains about campaign ads that are not even produced by the Barber campaign. Politics ain't beanbag, lady. If you're reaching for the smelling salts and the fainting couch over a fair campaign ad, you're not cut out for this job.
McSally began the evening by demanding an apology from Barber for the House Majority PAC ad. Candidates spar in battle for Congress | The Sierra Vista Herald:
The finger pointing between the two became especially heated when McSally asked Barber if he will apologize for an ad questioning her integrity, paid for by the Democratic House leadership.
“Will you not apologize to me? Right now?,” the GOP candidate asked.
Barber started to respond he would not apologize because he did not release the ad, saying it is not something he would have done.
However, McSally kept interrupting him, as he tried to explain his reasons.
Finally an exasperated Barber said “Can I finish, please?”
He went on to say, “I will apologize for something I did, but not what I didn’t do.”
Having the final word for the evening, which was listened to by about 600 people at the Buena High School Performing Arts Center, McSally again said Barber’s refusal to apologize is an embarrassment and shows Barber lacks moral courage.
That comment elicited loud boos from some in the audience, primarily in the area where many Democrats sat.
McSally's constant repetition of how "I'm a fighter pilot" and a "leader" is beginning to wear thin on people. Especially in a community where most audience members are either active duty military at Fort Huachuca, or are retired military veterans. In response to a question about border security, McSally stated:
“[T]he federal government has failed” in stopping the movement of illegal immigrants and drugs across the border. There has to be an increase of manpower “at the border” not away from it, she said. In the first of several references to her military career as an Air Force woman fighter pilot, McSally said her 26 years military career taught her how to address manpower problems.
“This is not rocket science,” the Republican said.
McSally’s referrals to her military career began to tire the audience, with audible groans when she made the statements.
There were 10 questions posed to the candidates by the local Chamber of Commerce. Some of McSally's positions are:
- She supports making the Bush tax cuts permanent, the single largest driver of our national debt
- She supports the draconian Paul Ryan GOP budget that voucherizes Medicare and ends Medicare as we know it
- She opposes "sequestration" negotiated for and approved by the Congressional Republicans, including Paul Ryan, when the GOP took America hostage last year over the federal debt ceiling, and which resulted in the downgrade of our credit rating
- supports repeal of the Affordable Care Act and "replace it" -- with what exactly, she does not say; welcome back "donut hole" and higher Medicare fees, and don't mind those millions of uninsured Americans
- She supports Ayn Rand "invisible hand of the free market place" economics, and opposes government intervention in the economy, e.g., bailing out the auto industry, when that free market failed us in 2008; lets' have another Great Depression!
McSally is a "cookie cutter" Tea-Publican. She is simply reading from the preapproved list of GOP positions and Frank Luntz talking points. I get the impression that she does not have any depth or knowledge of the issues beyond what she learned in GOPAC candidate school and has committed to rote memorization.
Her positions are standard fare Tea-Publican extremism. And yet McSally whined:
“Stop calling me and extremist Mr. Barber. Stop with the extremist nonsense,” she said.
She went on to contend he questions her service to the nation as a member of the Air Force.
Taken aback, Barber said, “I certainly respect your service,” but said he has differences on how he sees the role a U.S. representative has, and that is where he disagrees with her, Barber said in his rebuttal.
As President Harry Truman famously said, "If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen." Oh swell, now McSally will claim that is "sexist."
What does Ms. I-won't-wear-a-burka-in-the-middle-east think about women's issues?
Posted by: Pamela | October 18, 2012 at 01:22 PM
I tried finding this thing on internet radio or television, but no luck. Was anyone recording? Is there a video out there?
Posted by: Hank Stephenson | October 18, 2012 at 03:29 PM
Can't say that I hope Mr. Barber wins, but I can say that I hope McSally loses.
Posted by: NidanGoju | October 18, 2012 at 07:23 PM
I am not aware that there was any audio or video recording. You should check with the campaigns. Wick Media has now published the SV Herald report in its sister publications, the Green Valley News and the Tucson Weekly - The Range blog.
Posted by: AZ BlueMeanie | October 19, 2012 at 09:16 AM
Now you know the Chamber of Commerce doesn't concern itself with "women's issues" -- they don't see them as economic issues.
Posted by: AZ BlueMeanie | October 19, 2012 at 09:17 AM