NY-21: Final Forum, Part I

by: Soundpolitic

Sun Aug 31, 2008 at 22:37:58 PM EDT

After eight months of campaigning and several previous debates, and with less than three weeks before primary day, the four serious contenders for retiring Representative Mike McNulty's seat converged upon the Bethlehem Town Hall for the last candidates' debate.

The "Final Forum" as I like to call it was sponsored by Democracy for the Hudson Mohawk Region and the Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace.  It appeared to be the most heavily attended debate, and by my reckoning the most comprehensive as far as the issues and differences between the candidates are concerned.

As such, over the past week since the debate took place, I have compiled a full transcript that is far too long for one diary.  In Part I of the Final Forum, the candidates give opening statements below the fold.

NY-29: Kuhl talks about gas prices at City Hall, Massa requests debates

by: Jerri S. Kaiser

Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 16:54:49 PM EDT

Kuhl also mentioned repealing "Section 5, which prevents the government from purchasing alternative energy," to use his words.  Kuhl then called on Pelosi to bring Congress back to vote on this issue.  Said Kuhl "Now is the time for action."

After taking questions from the mainstream media, two others tried to ask Rep. Kuhl questions but he refused to answer them, saying that "We'll take your questions later."  When I tried to ask the question anyway ("Why this sudden urgency to act now when in 2005 you voted against HR 6 which would have increased fuel efficiency standards, and in February 2008 you voted against the Green Energy Bill?") his campaign manager, Justin Stokes, said "This is a non-political event."

Somehow I fail to see how this staged event (camera crews and newspapers were invited) is "non-political" when Kuhl himself calls on Speaker Pelosi to bring the Congress back, making it seem like this is what has been stalling real progress in energy alternatives all these years.

Nevermind that Kuhl voted against increasing taxes on energy companies in 2007 with HR 2776, and the fact that Kuhl voted against revoking oil and gas tax breaks for oil companies in 2006 and 2007 with HR 4297.

Kuhl then went onto say "I'm as disappointed as you are to find ourselves in this position (speaking to a fellow city councilman who questioned his practices in Congress).  The government should have done something thirty years ago."  Kuhl then referred to the solution as a 3-legged stool, indicating that the stool, like the 3-part plan, won't work unless all three parts are used.  Kuhl then reiterated that the press conference was not going to be a political issue.

Democratic challenger Eric Massa was in attendance and approached Kuhl afterwards in the lobby, cameras rolling on them both.  Massa challenged Kuhl to debate him and Kuhl ultimately said "We will debate...I expect an invitation."  Massa then said that he had given him an invitation and Kuhl left the area to go have a private meeting with Tom Reed, the Republican Mayor of Corning, who had also attended the meeting.

Massa said afterwards "I am looking for an agreement to hold public debates.  He doesn't want to do that.  He walks away, he gets angry and that's what is wrong with Washington."  Massa also said that "You don't need to call a political press conference to realize that people are hurting."

Massa's campaign released the following after the presser:

After the press conference dissipated, Massa hand delivered a letter to Rep. Kuhl, again requesting that he agree to debate at Corning Community College within the next 2 weeks:

Kuhl stated: "We will debate ... we have said publicly, we will continue to say publicly, when we can arrange our schedule we will meet for these."

Dan Kane, City Councilman for the 1st Ward stated: "I don't understand why Randy Kuhl refuses to answer the public. He said this wasn't a political event today, but his only staffer there was his campaign manager. Randy Kuhl has stopped his town hall meetings, won't take questions from the public, and refuses to respond to invitations to debate the issues of the day. He has stated that Congress is on vacation, but he still refuses to debate Eric Massa in public, even when the local media and prominent local educational institutions invite him. I'm also confused about why he was here. We all know we're hurting, but he's here campaigning in front of the cameras. How does that help families in Corning? It's a shame, but that's Washington as usual."

Video on WETMTV.com of the Massa invitation to Kuhl is here.

Here is Channel 18's take on the story.

UPDATE: Later Kuhl told the local media:

"That's not the way I was raised," said Kuhl of Massa's behavior.  "Unfortunately, there are people who didn't have the luxury of having wonderful parents like I did who taught about parental respect."

I'm confused by this statement.  How is challenging your opponent to a debate in public evidence of being raised incorrectly?  What does that have to do with parental respect?

NY-21: Candidates Debate on Health Care

by: Soundpolitic

Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 17:29:40 PM EDT

One Democrat, Darius Shahinfar, and the other Republican, Jim Buhrmaster, were both absent from the forum.  Shahinfar because his wife was giving birth to his second child at the time, and Buhrmaster to cast votes in his capacity as Schenectady County Legislator.  The five candidates that remained were then given several questions that devled deep into one of the biggest issues of the primary.

To summarize most briefly, Democratic candidates Phil Steck, Paul Tonko, and Tracey Brooks are in support of a universal health care system, specifically supporting H.R. 676 for a national single payer system; Shahinfar also supports this measure based on previous comments.  Republican candidate Steven Vasquez joined self-described conservative Democrat Joseph Sullivan in opposition to universal health care.  While the meat of the debate featured a lot of policy and a little politics, the somewhat chaotic and very passionate nature of the questions posed by the audience at the end of the debate made it worth sitting through.

Below the fold, a full report of the questions and answers in yet another debate in this hotly contested primary.

NY-21: Another (Another) Candidate's Forum?

by: Soundpolitic

Sat Aug 09, 2008 at 19:51:51 PM EDT

When the relatively quixotic candidate Joseph Sullivan made this announcement on August 8th, it seemed like a somewhat eccentric solo appearance:

DEMOGUY , Joseph P Sullivan, Democrat for Congress
21st District, NY
has accepted an invitation to appear at a local Mosque
When? 5 PM Saturday 9 August
Where? The Islamic Center of the Capital District (ICCD)
21 N Lansing Drive, Colonie
This may be one of the defining moments of the contest for the
21st District.

But a media advisory from Tracey Brooks today indicates that a legitimate, multi-candidate forum is happening as we speak:

Tracey Brooks to Participate in 21st Congressional District
Democratic Candidate Forum

Who: Democratic Congressional Candidate Tracey Brooks

What: Tracey Brooks will join the other Democratic Congressional candidates at a "Meet the Candidates" Forum at the Islamic Center of the Capital District (ICCD).

The event is sponsored by the ICCD, ARISE and the Fatima Center. Mr. Liquat Husain will moderate.

Event contacts: Mr. Liaquat Husain (ICCD) at 518-424-1503. Andreas Kriefall (ARISE organizer) at 518-331-3190.

Where: Islamic Center of the Capital District, 21 Lansing Rd, Schenectady, NY 12304.

When: Saturday, August 9, Event starts at 6:00 p.m.

Just a little NY-21 fun along with an up-to-date, though not necessarily up-to-the-minute, NY-21 debate schedule below the fold...

NY-21: Democratic, GOP Primary Candidates Debate

by: Soundpolitic

Sat Jul 19, 2008 at 21:43:20 PM EDT

Yesterday night, the Albany Jewish Community Center and NORC hosted a forum featuring all seven candidates vying for both major party lines in an open Congressional race to fill the vacancy that will be left when Rep. Mike McNulty (D-Green Island) retires.  It was the first debate held after the filing of nominating petitions, so all seven candidates will be appearing on the ballot for the September 9th primary.

"I am not the League of Women Voters!" the hostess pointed out at the beginning of the forum, before asking the first question of all the candidates: would they all sign a civility pledge as drawn up by the League?  The response was unanimous in the affirmative, and the candidates kept to that pledge for the entirety of the debate.

Below the fold, you get the candidates opening and closing statements and their answers to six questions submitted from the audience.

NY-21: Eight Democrats Debate

by: Soundpolitic

Thu May 15, 2008 at 22:18:29 PM EDT

I was lucky to be one of those 150 people in the audience, and was taking notes.  Below the fold is the summary of all the questions from all the candidates that you won't find anywhere else...

NY-21: Pre-Debate News Wrap-Up

by: Soundpolitic

Wed May 14, 2008 at 15:19:59 PM EDT

A whopping eight Democrats will make their case tonight that they are the most qualified to replace retiring Representative Mike McNulty at the first official primary debate of the season.

It is sure to be closely watched and dominate the news on the campaign from this point forward.  But what's been happening in the lead-up to this event should not be missed.

There's more below the flip...

Dem Debate Talk Clock

by: phillip anderson

Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 14:02:18 PM EST