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From the Daily Herald:
Political campaigns often are the source of hyperbole. First-time candidate Tammy Duckworth, who’s running as a Democrat in the 6th Congressional District, was guilty of that this week. Duckworth did a campaign appearance designed to show she supports more money for firefighters and other first-responders in the wake of terrorist attacks or natural disasters. Some Bartlett firefighters said they’d love to get GPS devices to replace their paper maps. Enter Duckworth: “How useful are paper maps going to be when a hurricane blows all your street signs away?â€The last time we checked, there had been exactly zero hurricanes in Bartlett’s history.
Consider this a congressional politics open thread.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 2:37 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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Global warming is gonna getcha. A hurricane will form in Lake Michigan and wipe-out the chicago-land area. And then Bill Dennis will blame Lahood and Schock.
Comment by Lovie's Leather Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 2:46 pm
This just goes to show that she is not qualified for the position. Rather than saying I don’t know, I will find out. She shot from the hip. This is not what is needed congress. Clearly this is a person in over her head.
Comment by The Conservative Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 2:49 pm
Maybe Roskam could propose legislation to have single moms chase after the maps since he thinks ex-cons are stealing all their jobs…
It ain’t like Roskam hasn’t made goofy comments before either. We all do.
And at least we all understand what Major Duckworth was referencing (ie, Katrina).
She could have just as easily said “bomb” instead of “hurricane” and I’m sure Eric Krol still would’ve poked fun. What does Krol have against the Major anyway?
Comment by NW burbs Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 2:51 pm
maybe she was talking about the area she lives in and not the actual congressioanl district. shows why she will not win this race. of course, if that hurricane does hit on election day……..
Comment by ron Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 2:51 pm
Shocking NW Burbs excuses Duckworth and attempts a cheap shot at Roskam. Good stuff.
Comment by not surprising Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 3:13 pm
Won’t the paper maps blow away before the street signs? It’s so fun to watch Newbies, at least she might take some heat off of Dailey for being silly. By the way isn’t a map to be used when there are no street signs.
Of course there unknowns, unknown to us, that we as of yet do not know.
Comment by frustrated GOP Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 3:15 pm
Oh please. One slip of the tongue and she’s not qualified to hold office? I’m sure the phony outrage of the wingnuts will fall with all of its righteous fury yet again on an American Hero. Hey Conservative, ever hear our chickenhawk President misspeak? Bush must not be qualified to serve as POTUS under your twisted reasoning, right?
Comment by Phocion Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 3:16 pm
NW Burbs,
I don’t see you asking “what does Krol have against†McSweeney because he poked fun at him in the same article. And you’d be hard pressed to demonstrate any pattern of Krol slamming Duckworth but giving Roskam a pass. Get over it.
And no, I don’t “understand†that Duckworth was referencing Katrina. And I certainly hope it wasn’t. I honestly thought it was just an embarrassing, yet benign mental lapse. I’d hate to think that it was something more sinister and subliminal.
Comment by grand old partisan Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 3:20 pm
Please, substitute hurricane for tornado and you get the same idea. Weak. Must have been a slow news day for the Herald.
Comment by nobody sent Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 3:26 pm
This sounds like a cheap shot at Duckworth. If she was talking about getting federal more money for first responders generally, her statement about hurricanes was appropriate. On the other hand, if she had said she was seeking more money for first responders in the 6th congressional district, then I suppose it’s silly to mention hurricanes.
Overall, it’s a silly statement perhaps — but nothing that will matter in November.
Comment by the Other Anonymous Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 3:41 pm
“This just goes to show that she is not qualified for the position.”
Oh heaven. I hope you’re kidding. Listen to Bush…ummm…EVER?
Comment by SenorAnon Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 3:43 pm
Why do the “Conservative” and “GOP” posters sound like immature teenagers when they attack the Major?
At least “ron” was creative in his comeback.
Comment by Anon sequitur Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 4:01 pm
I don’t see very many people here saying Bush is qualified to be President. When Major “Cheap Ploy” Duckworth gets elected, then there will just be another unqualified elected official in office.
Comment by Papa Legba Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 4:17 pm
The firefighters SHOULD get GPS units. Paper maps do not get updated as often or consistently as we’d like, due to construction, development, etc. and in a large scale disaster like the ones we recently drilled for, what you need is for everyone to be standardized onto a dependable navigation system that can work independent of local landmarks. Hopefully, they spec out a GPS system that is automatically updated systemwide. The fire and police and EMS radios all need to be updated so they can talk to each other as well. That is a huge and expensive issue that’s still being worked out nationwide.
If Barrington gets hit by several tornadoes in one day, something that has happened elsewhere in the past, then yes, streetsigns might all be gone in those devastated areas. GPS could also be useful in blizzard white-out conditions or poor visibility from fog and/or smoke.
Comment by Old Fire Chief Wynn Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 6:04 pm
“I hope this is the worst thing that happens to anyone in the 106th during this deployment,†the UH-60 Blackhawk pilot smiled warmly on the first day of winter. “This is not so bad. There is always somebody worse off than you are. I’m just glad it was me and not one of my guys out there.â€
– Then-Captain Tammy Duckworth on her promotion to Major at Walter Reed Hospital (St. Sen. Chris Lauzen was in attendance…) on 12/21/04, Defend America News
—
Ron, Why do I get the impression that if Major Duckworth were still in recovery at Walter Reed conservative partisans would be complaining she’s out of state instead of just down the street? Heck, Senator Santorum, queen-bee of modern-day hardline conservativism, could tell her all about living out of state and trying to run for Federal office.
If you’re that concerned that her retrofitted, handicap-accessible home is a few minutes up the road from the district why don’t you volunteer to help retrofit a new home for her that meets your standards? I’m sure you’ll get a few National Guardsmen to join you, just like they did mere months ago.
Maybe the conservatives will add a Must Live In District Amendment to the Constitution while they’re busy working on all those other odd-ball amendments to our nation’s bedrock.
—
And, Legba, how is stating the fact that more national security (per capita) goes to rural areas that are unlikely to be hit by terrorists when maybe the GOP-controlled Congress ought to think a little harder about protecting major population centers and transportation routes. (How many trains, planes and automobiles run through the 6th? And why has Hyde dropped the ball when it comes to modernizing first responder units in the 6th?)
At least Major Duckworth is talking about national security (whether you think preventing the next 9/11 is a cheap ploy or not). Roskam is off talking about tollways and thinking ex-cons will soon be taking jobs from single moms.
- NW “Conservatives: now with even more predictability, but only half the spice” Burbs
Comment by NW burbs Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 6:06 pm
NW Burbs, feel free at any point to voice your criticism of Duckworth for wasting valuable campaign time and resources issuing this press release regarding the Tollway - that in no way touches on any issues she could affect as a U.S. Congresswoman:
http://www.duckworthforcongress.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95&Itemid=15
If you aren’t willing to say that it’s a waste of time for her to do it, then stop attacking Roskam doing the same thing. Especially when he has a very valid reason for publically voicing his concerns on this issue: it is of great concern to his 48th District constituents.
You know what really gets my goat about your posts, NW burbs: the way you they so unnecessarily and gratuitously exploit Major Duckworth’s heroism. Case in point: if you don’t think that there is anything wrong with her not living in the district she seeks to represent, fine. That’s your right – and, on the merits of the fact that it is not a legal requirement for that office to begin with, you may have a very valid case to make. But your need to reference hers as an “handicap-accessible home†and mention Walter Reed is absolutely irrelevant to the question. It is simply a disgraceful abuse of her heroic wounds for cheap political gain.
Our nation owes our veterans everything. What they get from the government now is certainly not enough, if only as a function of the fact that nothing could ever be enough. But Congressional seats aren’t metals or ribbons. For better or for worse, we do not reserve political office only for those who served in uniform, regardless of how valiantly. If we did, Rod Blagojevich, Barack Obama, and Bill & Hillary Clinton would all be very successful personal injury lawyers, but probably not much more.
Sorry for the rant, Rich. But I think it just had to be said.
Comment by grand old partisan Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 7:33 pm
This is quite an insult Major Duckworth has leveled on the Bartlett Fire Department.
Suggesting that the local fire department can’t find local addresses without satellite aid implies they are completely incompetent. Ever hear of training? I’m sure these firemen are smart enough to sit down and study a map as part of their professional duties. What happens if GPS is taken out in a terrorist incident? Are we all doomed because the FD can’t find 123 Maple Street?
Next they will be saying they can’t fight fires without a fire helicopter.
Comment by Johnny USA Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 7:37 pm
How dare she think beyond her own backyard!
Comment by throwthebumsout Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 7:46 pm
Touché G.O.P.
Now allow me to tell you what gets my goat…
(#1) The way conservative partisans so unnecessarily, gratuitously and *constantly* bring up her address. You are correct, there is no Consitutional requirement that she live in the district — only that she live in the state (hence, my Walter Reed comment highlighting the ridiculousness of the conservatives’ harping).
She lives a few minutes outside the district and we all know why (even though she has friends and colleagues who do live in the district). So, as long as partisan opponents are going to bring up a non-issue to attack her I and others will bring up the reason she lives where she does to defend against the attacks. Why should we back down when the conservatives will not?
Moreover, given that Roskam himself at one time ran for Congress from outside a district, albeit losing the primary, this matter should be moot. Add to that the fact he did so with much less of a reason — he didn’t like Rep. Biggert’s politics — and conservative attacks on Major Duckworth’s home border on “cheap” if I dare say so. Why is it ok for him, but not her? (…I could also delve into conservative hypocrisy regarding Major Duckworth’s home in relation to the Constitutional violation of a conservative President and Vice President who both hail from the same state as well as the questionable, politically-motivated mid-decade redistricting by conservatives in that same state… but that’s quite off-topic.)
(#2) You act so incredulous about the fact that I defend her. I take neither her heroism nor her sacrifice lightly. In fact, I believe it helps demonstrate her core values that she is willing to give up so much because she believes in America despite the fact she did not have full faith in the mission she was asked to accomplish. But she is a professional and a patriot and she did her duty with valor and honor. To me, that says a great deal about her character — much more than anything Roskam or right-wing partisans can try throwing at her.
(#3) While I respect that you disagree with my defense of her, I do not find your rant to be of much value (perhaps simply because you do not find value in my defense of her, yet do not routinely complain about the gratuitous conservative attacks on her residence).
No, we do not reserve Congressional seats (nor the Oval Office for that matter) solely for veterans. But some of our best leaders in Washington are those who have served in the Armed Forces — from our local Honorable Mark Kirk (much as I may disagree with his more-conservative-than-not record, he is a stand-up guy) to the Honorable Jack Murtha. I believe Major Duckworth is worthy of their ranks.
Defending someone with whom you share principles and values is not a cheap political stunt but even if it were — this is a political campaign and before November we all better get some real good BS Protectors because both sides are already ratcheting up the rhetoric, both the solid and the weak.
But I will not back down from defending Major Duckworth and pointing out the faults I see in Mr. Roskam, much as the conservative partisans here and elsewhere will not back down from attacking her and defending him.
—
By the by, my reply to your post re Roskam and Dillard’s comments on the tollway deal has not yet appeared on the blog (maybe it was eaten by the gremlins?)… If you had been able to read it you would see that I did indeed write that her May 17 Press Release sounded like so much spin (though this obviously is a political campaign and things like that are to be expected — Roskam’s posturing on the tollways is also spin). FYI, her May 17 Release was in response to an earlier Roskam press statement on the tollways so it was he who brought the issue up and she was reacting to his positions.
Comment by NW burbs Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 10:27 pm
Odd that none of the comments posted look at it from the firemen’s point of view, except for Old Fire Chief Wynn, of course. He is exactly correct, and succinct, too.
I would add that a decent GPS unit is much easier to deal with in a confined area, like a truck cab, than a pile of paper maps.
Unfortunately, I think Tammy’s response, like much of what I find on her website, shows a lack of in-depth thinking.
Comment by Roselle Platonist Friday, Jun 2, 06 @ 12:06 am
Why is it that the press puts some political statements under the microscope but fails to do so for others? Compared to Bush, Duckworth is an eloquent speaker of the highest order. If we were scrutinize everything Bush has (mis)spoken over the last six years the same way some have scrutinized this single statement from Duckworth, for example, there would be no end to the madness. If you want to criticize Duckworth … fine. But you’d best be able to extend the same courtesy to others, be they the U.S. President or Pat Robertson or anyone else. The spirit of Duckworth’s statement should be abundatntly clear with the backstory of hurricane Katrina and with the next the hurricane season at hand. If’n you can’t understand that and have to take the opportunity to spin everything into a scenario of complete literal simplicity, well, then, what’s the point of carrying on a democratic discourse on anything? Are all of us really that friggin’ cynical at this point? Oy!
Comment by Saluki Yay-hoo Friday, Jun 2, 06 @ 12:29 am
‘Burbs,
I am willing to concede to your points (1) and (3). But I have a big problem with your point (2):
I am incredulous about the WAY that you defend her, not the fact that you do. I do not take her service or sacrifice lightly, either. Indeed, it certainly does demonstrate her core values, including patriotism, courage, and dependability. What’s more, it’s a perfectly legitimate thing for her and her supports to remind voters of, and in turn a perfectly legitimate thing for voters to consider in the voting booth this November.
But to constantly use her war record as a default component of EVERY response and counter-attack to EVERY criticism…….the incessant way that you try to reference it in EVERY single post about her, Roskam, or their race, regardless of how unrelated the topic……well frankly, it’s repulsive. And while I am sure that it is not intentional, I think it borders on being a little disrespectful to that honorable and brave service.
People know that she’s a wounded combat veteran. In fact, for most people, that’s all they know about her. To her credit, she has personally been doing a good job of staying on message about the issues of the day…..unfortunately for her, the same cannot be said of her spokespeople, both official and self-appointed.
If you want to continue trying to shame people into not supporting a candidate (Roskam) who’s positions that, rightly or wrongly, they share with stories about handicapped accessible homes and Walter Reed….that’s your right. But if you want a nickel’s worth of free advice from your adversary, I’ll tell you that at some point it will start breeding more resentment that sympathy, and will ultimately backfire. Especially when so many of the voters you are trying to convince are more like Roskam: born in the early ‘60’s and thus too young for Vietnam and too old for the “war on terror.â€
Comment by grand old partisan Friday, Jun 2, 06 @ 9:58 am
Clever point about Rod, Obama, and the Clintons being personal injury lawyers, there sport, since none of them were personal injury lawyers. But say…you know who is?
Peter “have you been injured in an accident?” Roskam.
You can look it up in the yellow pages. He’s in a firm with “Real Conservative, Reagan’s 11th Commandment bla bla bla” Kathy Salvi.
Oh irony, they’re waiting for you down at the GOP headquarters.
Comment by SenorAnon Friday, Jun 2, 06 @ 10:23 am
Grand Old Partisan gives up too easily on NW Burb’s point no 1.
Yes, Roskam did physically live outside the Biggert district when he ran against her, but he was a sitting state representative in Du Page County and his district overlapped the congressional district. Thus, he was actually then representing 13th Congressional District constituents. A situation that was a far cry from that of the non-political, out of district Duckworth, crassly and cynically recruited by Clinton friend Rahm Emanuel to run as a war hero.
Despite Roskam’s right to run in 1998 to further represent his constituents in Congress, Biggert, who was too afraid to illustrate the philosophical between her liberalism and Roskam’s conservatism, chose to wage a campaign of vilifying him as a “carpet bagger” and recruited a male, shill, “conservative” candidate to conveniently split the Roskam vote.
In any event, the voters of the 6th District do not need the Roskam campaign to tell them that Duckworth is a carpet bagger; they already know she is a carpet bagger and will probably reject her on those grounds as well (just like hundreds of Cegelis supporters, votes critical to a hypothetical Duckworth victory, already have.) And a chest full of medals won’t change that fact.
Comment by Conservative Republican Friday, Jun 2, 06 @ 10:38 am
Touché SenorAnon. Well played.
The point was that they were all lawyers with no military experience. What’s more: Rod and Bill’s entry into “public service” legal professions had more to do with patronage than merit. Even more: Bill ran against two decorated and wounded WWII vets, and I didn’t here alot of Dems saying that he was any less patrotic or deserving of office than they.
You almost had an air-tight zinger there, too, until your last line. I don’t work for the Republican Party, but I am a pretty loyal supporter. That’s why I call myself the Grand Old Partisan…because I don’t really pretend to be anything but. Not exactly the biggest insult in the world: calling someone that which they already admit to being.
Comment by grand old partisan Friday, Jun 2, 06 @ 10:39 am
NW Burbs:
It is so obvious that you are emotionally reacting to a legitimate news story on your candidate, Duckworth. But in writing, you wish all of us to ignore two obvious facts:
1. Roskam is an excellent legislator and candidate. His reputation as a legislator is superior: name one source that says otherwise. His 15 year career as an elected official demonstrates his success as a candidate. When the Hyde seat opened up, numerous quality, prestige Republicans stepped to the front to claim that seat; all of them eventually concurred that Roskam, who had secured an enormous number of Republican endorsements, was the best candidate, declined to run against him in the primary, and endorsed his election (not the same scenario faced by Duckworth, whose very candidacy was an afront to the DuPage Democratic Party). Your demeaning comments don’t change these facts.
2. Candidate Duckworth is a cipher with no political background or record. Thus the “hurricanes in Illinois” gaffe is a legitimate news story because the press has nothing else to go on other than her day to day performance as a newbie candidate. You seem to be suggesting that somehow “conservatives” or the Roskam campaign “planted” the story in the media. Sorry, but unless you haven’t noticed, its your team that has the lock on media influence.
Finally, NW Burbs, its becoming quite obvious that you work on the Duckworth campaign, given the effort you put into the postings (and your residency outside the district). Cash your campaign check today, have a beer tonite out on the town, and chill for the weekend.
Comment by Conservative Republican Friday, Jun 2, 06 @ 11:05 am
G.O.P. —
Either Rich has banned me (from my office IP address) or there’s a bug in the system. Either way, a few of my replies have not gotten through.
In sum: you must only be reading the posts in which I am replying to attacks on her home. I have certainly been discussing several other aspects of both Major Duckworth and Roskam here at this blog and at other Illinois politics themed blogs.
I only reference her injuries when partisan attacks dictate such reference is needed as explanation to diffuse and defend the attack.
Partisan attacks about her residence necessitate explanation of why she lives where she lives.
I believe it was another progressive commenter here on the CapFax blog who said several weeks back that any time conservatives bring up her residence the left will be right there to explain her residence.
So yes, if you only read my responses regarding attacks on her home then all you would be reading are my defense of her home because of her war injuries.
Listen, I understand that you probably won’t vote for her because of your ideological beliefs (heck, I don’t know you well enough to recall if you’re even in the 6th or not). But there are certainly several readers here (posters and lurkers alike) who may vote in the 6th who have every right to be fully informed on the race — including answers to incessant, hypocritical attacks on her residence (again, Roskam once ran for Congress from outside the district simply because the Republican in office wasn’t conservative enough for his tastes — so why is it ok for Roskam to run from outside the district but it’s not for Major Duckworth?).
So, I repeat, keep bringing up her home, conservatives, and I and others will keep bringing up why she lives in that home.
Comment by NW burbs Sunday, Jun 4, 06 @ 2:27 pm
PS G.O.P. — (and another thing)
G.O.P. wrote: If you want to continue trying to shame people into not supporting a candidate (Roskam) who’s positions that, rightly or wrongly, they share with stories about handicapped accessible homes and Walter Reed….that’s your right. But if you want a nickel’s worth of free advice from your adversary, I’ll tell you that at some point it will start breeding more resentment that sympathy, and will ultimately backfire. Especially when so many of the voters you are trying to convince are more like Roskam: born in the early ‘60’s and thus too young for Vietnam and too old for the “war on terror.†(emphasis added)
Walter Reed: I brought Major Duckworth’s stay at Walter Reed (on this thread only — I can’t even recall mentioning it elsewhere but feel free to dig around and prove me wrong) as a means of making the point that the conservatives’ attacks against her home are hypocritical and valueless. If you don’t understand that … I can’t help teach you about sarcasm, you’ll have to learn to appreciate it yourself. (Though I have begun adding “Joke Alert!” to snarky posts at Illinois Review so the literalists over there don’t take my jokes as seriously as they at times do…)
like Roskam: born in the early ‘60’s: Roskam and Duckworth are only a few years apart in age (Roskam 44, Duckworth 37). If Roskam had wanted to join the military and serve he could have — he chose another path (as did I, though I graduated high school with plenty of kids who saw action in the first Gulf War and thereafter). Age in this issue is beside the point so I’m unsure as to why you brought it up, especially considering there is not yet a draft in the war against al Quaeda (not that al Quaeda was even in Iraq until after we invaded).
Comment by NW burbs Sunday, Jun 4, 06 @ 2:45 pm
Gee “Conservative Republican”, you clearly must be working for Roskam … right alongside Lovie’s Leather, The Conservative, Ron, Grand Old, and the numerous other conservative supporters in this thread.
No silly, I don’t work for Duckworth — I’m just a progressive standing up for her because I think she has as much right to run for office as you or I. I also think she brings a heckuvalot of ‘life experience’ and other worthy attributes into the race for the 6th.
In fact, I had several friends trying to bring me in to volunteer for Cegelis before the primary but I chose to help (not “work”) with other campaigns instead. I would be here supporting Christine Cegelis or Lindy Scott had they won in March — I agree with all three Dems more than I disagree. And Peter Roskam is just that extreme in his conservatism that I believe he and his supporters ought to be challenged when possible.
But apparently the conservatives have grown weary of Roskam’s record already — so now y’all are jumping on me. Just remember, when it’s Election Day “NW Burbs” isn’t one of the choices for Congress in the 6th.
Nice try though.
Comment by NW burbs Tuesday, Jun 6, 06 @ 3:34 am