* Democratic congressional candidate Colleen Callahan floated a pretty controversial proposal during a candidates debate this week…
One contrast did emerge when Democrat Colleen Callahan responded to a question asking what unpopular or controversial issue she would champion by saying she would re-institute the draft, saying it would be the “fairest way” to rebuild the military stressed from handling the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“I know my campaign staff isn’t going to like me saying say this,” Callahan said. “I know from all of those who are currently serving, proud as they are of their service, many of them are coming from the National Guard and it leaves us open, at risk, here at home where we have needs from disasters.”
Any time you hear a candidate say: “I know my campaign staff isn’t going to like me saying say this,” make sure to turn on your tape recorder. What follows will almost always be newsworthy.
Billy Dennis termed her response “one whopper of an answer.” Yep.
There are something like four colleges in that district. I’m not sure it’s gonna go over well.
* Callahan is now trying to walk back her answer…
Callahan said Thursday that the question put to the candidates a day earlier was merely hypothetical and that her answer was conditional.
“I’m not advocating it,” she said of a draft. “I wouldn’t introduce legislation that says that.” But, she added, “When I’m the congressman, if that came up for my vote, would I consider it? Yes.”
* But, as Bernie notes, there’s a really big problem with that spin…
News reports and the person who asked the question said it had been more direct.
Mike Dimmick, a news anchor on WEEK-TV in Peoria, said Thursday that the question he asked was, “Can you name one tough, even unpopular issue you’d be willing to champion if elected to Congress?”
In response, WEEK video showed, Callahan said, “If you want honesty and candor, I will say reinstitute the draft. You can gasp if you want, but I believe it is the fairest way for us to begin to rebuild our military.”
* Meanwhile, as I’ve pointed out before, the issue of a proposed suburban freight railroad expansion has residents up in arms. A recent forum in the south suburbs drew hundreds of people…
The prospect of running more trains on the EJ&E Railroad line and forever altering suburban lifestyles led to another packed public meeting Monday night.
About 300 people jammed into a ballroom at the Holiday Inn in Matteson to listen and chime in on Canadian National Railway’s plans to buy the EJ&E. And once again, the plans elicited no shortage of passion. […]
CN wants to buy from U.S. Steel for $300 million the 198 miles of EJ&E tracks rimming the Chicago area and cutting through Southland towns such as Chicago Heights, Park Forest, Matteson, Frankfort and New Lenox. The towns along the tracks would see train traffic more than triple as CN reroutes trains from busier rail lines in Chicago and the inner suburbs.
* 11th District Democratic Congressional candidate Debbie Halvorson has spoken against the planned expansion. The Democratic/liberal blog Progress Illinois posted a letter that seems to show one of Ozinga’s companies supports the railroad plan…
As a candidate, Ozinga has so far been mum on the sale. But his concrete company is a different story. In a Nov. 1, 2007 letter to the federal Surface Transportation Board, one of Ozinga Bros.’ subsidiaries — Ozinga Transportation — explicitly endorsed the plan.
* I asked the Ozinga campaign for a response and initially received this…
“This is yet another misleading attack from Debbie Halvorson. The fact is, Marty Ozinga has pledged to do everything in his power to adequately address the concerns of local communities as it relates to the Canadian National proposal…”
* I sent an e-mail back asking specifically if Ozinga supports or opposes the railroad proposal. The reply…
Marty wants the concerns of the affected communities addressed before anything moves forward. That’s his position.
Clear as mud?
*** UPDATE 1 *** From the Halvorson campaign….
Halvorson For Congress Campaign Manager Brian Doory released a statement today regarding Ozinga Transportation’s November 2007statement, on behalf of Ozinga Bros. Inc, that stated “strong support” for the Canadian National Railway’s proposed acquisition of the EJ&E Railway.
“Why won’t Marty Ozinga accept responsibility for sending this letter? Why won’t he take responsibility for his company’s actions? This is a question of integrity, consistency and values and the voters deserve to know exactly who Marty Ozinga will represent in Congress: his own bottom line or the interests of the community.”
“Does Marty Ozinga deny his company sent this letter? How can Marty say that he doesn’t support the CN acquisition when Ozinga Brothers is clearly on record in “strong support” of the deal? Has Marty denounced the letter or even said he is opposed to the deal?”
“Marty Ozinga is playing games with the voters. Why does he refuse to put his mouth where his money is? Until he does, one thing is clear: Marty Ozinga is only representing his own bottom-line.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the Ozinga campaign…
In an announcement sure to spark outcry from working families across Illinois’ 11th Congressional District, Senate President Emil Jones – Career Politician Debbie Halvorson’s “father figure,” according to Halvorson herself – said Thursday that he would not call senators back to Springfield until after the November elections.
His announcement means that five state parks in the 11th District will close. And it means that the ethics reform bill will die.
Based on her own words, one can only assume that Debbie Halvorson – despite whatever she may now say out of political expediency – agrees with the Blagojevich-Jones agenda of closing state parks and killing ethics reform.
* On another front, GOP Congresscritter Mark Kirk is on the attack…
One of the leading moderate Republicans in the House, Kirk is among the wonkiest members of Congress. So when he goes full bore against his Democratic opponent, business consultant Dan Seals, it’s evident that he knows he’s in the political fight of his career. In an interview here last week — conducted just after he had finished discussing the minute details of energy policy with other moderate Republicans — Kirk leveled some harsh, personal attacks against Seals, calling him an unemployed carpetbagger who wants to raise voters’ taxes.
“He didn’t move into the district and has some résumé issues. He has no steady job. He made $5,000 in income this year. He has made a number of missteps,” Kirk said. ”One of the things my opponent wants to do is raise the capital gains tax. You don’t have to explain a capital gains tax cut in my district. They can spell it out to you in spades, what it has done for their family.”
* That prompted a response from Kos frontpager brownsox…
It’s absolutely true that Seals “made $5,000 in income this year”.
It is also true that Mark Kirk himself made $7,000 the year he first ran for Congress.
Kirk took a leave of absence from work that year…
* Related…
* Editorial: Silly ads in 11th District no help to voters