Diane Farrell is one of our top challengers in the upcoming midterm elections. After losing a close election against nine-term incumbent Chris Shays in 2004, she’s back for a second run.
With over half a million in the bank so far ad the support of the DCCC, EMILY’s List, and labor, she’s got the guns to take the fight to the Republicans and come home a winner. In a swing district that John Kerry carried, the political pundit class thinks that she’ll give Shays his toughest fight yet and represents one of our best pick-up opportunities in the country.
Diane has consistently run against Shays’ irrational, unwavering support for the disastrous war in Iraq. This morning, she challenged him to debate her on the issue this month. Below the fold is the letter she sent him this morning.
Dear Chris:
As you well know, recent developments in Iraq indicate it is a country teetering on the edge between civil unrest and the abyss that is civil war. That explosive development, combined with the President’s recent request for another $70 plus billion dollars makes one thing more clear than ever before: Iraq is a quagmire, and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel becomes increasingly more difficult by the day. To date, 2298 American lives have been lost, and $250 billion – by the most conservative estimate – has been spent — in some cases, misspent.
And for what?
Even those who agree with you that progress is being made are now being contradicted by the Pentagon, which less than a week ago indicated that the one Iraqi battalion that appeared to be independently battle-ready is no longer capable of operating on its own.
In short, we appear to be no closer to having a plan to win the peace that will allow us to bring our troops home than we were last year.
Since leaving office, I’ve spent a lot of time campaigning throughout the district; no matter where I go, the Iraq War is the issue I’m asked about most often. I’m sure the same is true for you.
Our differences on the issue, and all its moving parts, couldn’t be clearer.
You believe we went to war for the right reasons; I don’t. You strongly support the President and his Administration in their prosecution of this War; I don’t. You believe we’re making sufficient progress in Iraq; I don’t. You believe the money we’ve spent over there on “reconstruction” has been well-spent; I don’t. And you believe there is a plan to win the peace; I don’t.
As we both know, campaigns too often follow a predictable path: in the early stages, the public doesn’t pay much attention, in part because the campaigns don’t get a lot of media coverage. As the campaigns progress, much of the “news” revolves around fundraising, endorsements, and polls. Then, as we approach Election Day, a blizzard of tv and radio commercials hits the airwaves. Lost in all of this, too often at the very end of the campaigns, are a few debates that are overwhelmed by the “noise” on the airwaves.
What’s missing in this process is a substantive dialogue between the candidates that, free of typical campaign-related distractions, can better inform the people about where the candidates stand on important issues.
Partly as a result of that “process,” we’ve watched voter turnout decline for years. I believe you and I can and should change that.
To that end, I ask you to join me in a debate some time within the next 30 days on the issue we both agree is the most important issue facing our district: the war in Iraq.
Rather than speaking to our constituents, or to each other, through the press, why don’t we set a time and place to meet and have a civil exchange of ideas on this incredibly important issue? I’m sure we can find a suitable organization to host this event, and a venue in which it can be held.
Because we both have such busy schedules, I ask that you get back to me some time this week with a few dates that “work” for you.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Diane Farrell
Now, Chris Shays has been saying for months that he’s willing to lose the war over his position on Iraq. He claims that our incredible loss of lives and resources and the hollowing out of our military are that important. And he also says that he wants to see a vigorous, issue-based campaign this fall, and that he’s confident that he can win such a fight.
You’d think he’d jump at the chance to defend his position on Iraq, wouldn’t you? After all, he’s been there eleven times and chairs the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, while Diane is the former first selectman of Westport and has no military experience. If his position was so strong, you’d expect him to be pretty confident that he could win that debate and put Farrell’s run away early.
But you’d be wrong. This afternoon, Shays told Diane that he would not be accepting her challenge. I guess between attending fundraisers with Roy Blunt and voting to cut federal student loan funding, he doesn’t have much free time on his hands.
Here’s Diane’s reply:
“It is unfortunate that Chris is choosing to hide in Washington D.C. behind President Bush and behind Senator Lieberman here in Connecticut instead of meeting me for an honest discussion about our very deep differences on the Iraq War. The people who lose out with Chris’ refusal to this debate are the people of the 4th District.”
Eventually, Chris Shays is going to be forced to take a stand and explain why he still thinks that we need to stay in Iraq indefinitely. When he does, I think he’ll get his wish and have the chance to lose over the issue.