Ken Longmyer and Andy Hurst met before approximately 75-80 voters in a debate sponsored by the Springfield Democratic Committee at the Fairfax County Government Center on Tuesday evening the 19th of April. George Burke, 11th District Chair, monitored what turned out to be a lively and very informative meeting which showcased each candidate completely in character, as well as displaying the degree of sophistication and involvement of the audience itself.
Mr. Longmyer gave a typically measured, balanced response, noting that he came from the poorest part of Mississippi, had spent years in the Foreign Service at various posts overseas, had been a teacher, and had dealt repeatedly with Congress and the Department of Defense. With all that, Longmyer says he will bring enormous experience to areas currently under-represented in Congress and exactly where it's most needed.
Longmyer noted that he ran against Davis previously, knows Tom, and believes that the interests of the 11th District have not been represented by him. Insted, Davis has voted with Tom Delay and Bush. In contrast, Ken emphasizes that he is strongly connected to the Democratic base in the 11th.
There were 14 questions in all, ranging from "why are you running," through Iraq, health care, the economy, immigration, impeachment or censure of Bush, education, special needs of the 11th District, the gay marriage amendment, and the appropriateness of retired military officers+óGé¼Gäó commenting on Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld. In additinon, there was a question asking each candidate to pinpoint where Tom Davis is most vulnerable, and also how would each candidate will convince the editorial staff of the Washington Post to endorse them rather than Davis.
In his answers, Longmyer was reserved, thoughtful, measured - the professor discussing his specialty. Hurst was forceful, told jokes, moving in front of the podium, like a litigator convincing a jury. While there was basic agreement as Democrats on many questions, each candidate displayed a unique style and differed in the fine details of his position.
Iraq: Andy: Backs Rep. Jack Murtha, believes the generals on the ground should determine how we get out.
Ken: Bosnia and Iraq have similarities, let those on the ground set the timetable, if the country breaks into three parts, so what.
Health care: Ken: health care must be affordable, accessible, of high quality--- European countries provide that, why can+óGé¼Gäót we? Concentrate on preventive measures and eventually we+óGé¼Gäóll have national health care.
Andy: create incentives for small businesses to provide health care, fight fraud and abuse, get the consumer back in the loop instead of kowtowing to drug companies and HMOs.
Immigration: Andy: this issue has been deliberately raised by Republicans to divide us as it cuts across party lines; this is not an emergency, don+óGé¼Gäót let it become a crisis, we must not create an underclass
Ken: look at Germany with its "guest worker" program which failed miserably because the foreign workers were never assimilated. Look at Sweden, which accepted foreign workers but from the beginning set about assimilating them. One way to reduce the flow of illegals is to improve economic conditions in the countries of origin.
Both candidates saw Tom Davis as vulnerable, especially this year. Ken Longmyer pointed out that Davis runs locally as a moderate but, when he is in Congress, votes hard right almost every time, closely aligned with Tom Delay and George W. Bush. Ken asked what Davis has ever really done for the 11th District. Instead, Ken asserted that Davis has failed to do much of anything; for example, on our transportation problems.
Andy Hurst tied Davis tightly to the Abramoff corruption scandal and to Tom Delay. Hurst shared a conversation he had with Davis a few years ago when both were involved in a local charity raffle in the Lorton area. Davis was offering a lunch with himself and Delegate Albo as a prize and, when Andy asked Tom how much he thought the lunch would bring in bids, Davis responded to the effect that "well, down here" meaning in the godforsaken section of Fairfax called Lorton, "not much at all, but if a lobbyist were bidding on it, about $25,000." Andy said that right then and there he decided Davis needed to be replaced.
Also, why did you leave out the attack's on Tom's family? I was voting for Hurst until he said that, now I need to learn more.
The acoustics were just fine, and everyone there should have heard what he said.
Ken said "I've known Tom Davis for XX years..."
Andy said "I don't know him well, but I've heard stories about Tom, some printable and some not." He went on to tell how Tom had disdain for folks way "out here" in Lorton because they wouldn't shell out 6-digits for a lunch with him, as a lobbyist would.
Ask him if you want. He's an approachable guy. Send an email to the address at http://www.hurstforcongress.com
On the American low savings rate and the death of pension plans, Andy said that people can't save now, but if we make social security and medicare work better, they will have the ability to save, and that we should get rid of government incentives for special interests and instead incentivize individual savers; Ken wants stricter legislation on predatory lending, adding that government can't do it all, it's up to parents and schools to teach children about budgets, saving, and the economy.
When it came to investigating and/or impeaching Bush, Andy said Congress must exercise its oversight function and investigate Bush and the rest of his Administration, pointing out that Davis is Chair of the Government Reform Committee in Congress, and has done nothing. Ken said investigations sometimes result in nothing; what is needed is to elect a Congress prepared to do substantive oversight. That means: throw the rascals out that are currently in Congress.
How did the crowd respond? Did they like Andy or Ken? I think anyone who doesn't like Andy for this race had their heart removed. HURST 2006!!!
As I said, Andy tied Davis tightly to Delay and the Abramoff scandals, although he was quick to point out that so far, no one has directly implicated Tom. However, Davis was right there in a leadership position during much of the era, and did nothing to hinder what was going on; and, once additional underlings begin to sing, who can say what more will be revealed.
"I have heard every story about Tom Davis' family. Some are printable and some are not."
You get a guy like Andy Hurst who is willing to take the fight to Tom Davis and the wingnuts fall back to their tired claims of SOCIALISM, COMMUNISM, even STALINISM!
What a bunch of cowards. I usually like Vincent. In this case he may be a bit too much of a Davis groupie to see Davis as part of the problem. In practice, Davis is much more Santorum than Warner, no matter how much he'd like us to believe otherwise.
Today, Vincent and James Young are smokin' the same fatty.
Also a poster on Andrewsullivan.com has started touting Webb, just thought I would give you Webbfanatics something to cheer about =O)
Ken Longmyer will speak & entertain questions at NVCC's Annandale Campus.
The event is sponsored by the Campus Democrats-Interest Group and is open to all students, faculty, staff, and interested parties (i.e. the public).
He did mention family.
THEY ARE EXACT.
...sorta, kinda, sorta close.
I was sitting behind him at the end.