During the event, Miller spoke about his plans to kick off his campaign and his +óGé¼+ôWorking for Change Tour+óGé¼-¥. During the Q & A session, Miller was hit with hard questions on immigration and the ITAA+óGé¼Gäós support of business led efforts to eliminate overtime protections for U.S. workers. Miller answered these questions like a professional politician. He said that ITAA only supported eliminating overtime pay for information technology workers. Even if that is true, it is pretty harsh.
Miller was respectful of those asking the questions, but you could tell he knew he wasn+óGé¼Gäót in the friendliest of environments. Overall, there were a few +óGé¼+ôundecided+óGé¼-¥ Democratic voters in the room, but the rest were supporting James Webb. Miller did his best to play the liberal. He said he opposed +óGé¼+ôDon+óGé¼Gäót Ask, Don+óGé¼Gäót Tell+óGé¼-¥ after one woman brought up Webb+óGé¼Gäós support of the policy.
After Miller left, the group discussed the candidates. Overall, there were some disagreements between the 7 or 8 people left in the room. However, there was no certain, die-hard support for Harris Miller. When I put in my two cents, I brought up electability and the fact that Webb wouldn't use rhetoric (including Democratic Party rhetoric such as +óGé¼+ôNo Child Left Behind, leaves children behind+óGé¼-¥. I said that I felt Webb would help bring people together and promote unity and fairness in a time when our country is so bitterly divided. I said Miller would not do the same, at least not based on the rhetoric he was using in his speech. During the discussion, a woman responded to my unity comment that Miller said he would bring people together, because Miller said in his talk he could bring people together and +óGé¼+ôreach across the isle+óGé¼-¥. I said that he must be judged on what he has done in the past, not what he says. I said: "does bringing people together mean supporting Dennis Hastert and saying how he would make a great Congressman?"
Overall, this was not a good night for Harris Miller. The interest in Arlington is low. The issue is electability and credibility. The issue is defeating George Allen. James Webb can do it, Harris Miller cannot. James Webb will be a good Senator, Harris Miller+óGé¼-ªwell, he would cause George Allen to be Senator, and that would be wrong. After all, we don+óGé¼Gäót want poor George to get bored, now do we?