08.18.06
Oh, Harrell’s Got Credentials
Credentials, LTE in the AAS on 8/15:
Who has the credentials?
Re: Aug. 4 article, “Texas congressional candidate defends herself on Iraq”:
Who is most credible on the subject of Iraq: U.S. Rep. John Carter or challenger Mary Beth Harrell? A little research indicates that although Carter was 22 in 1963, when the buildup for Vietnam began, he is not a veteran.
Harrell, on the other hand, has 23 years of experience as an Army wife, and she has two sons on active duty with the Army. One son is currently in Iraq. I could find no policy statements about Iraq on Carter’s Web site.
We have got to start sending representatives to Washington who know what they are talking about on Iraq and the war on terrorism. They are not the same thing. We need representatives who can think beyond meaningless bromides like “stay the course.”
RICHARD MARTIN
Austin
Now Mary Beth Harrell’s credentials are so good that her opponent is now attacking her husband:
The race between U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, and Democratic challenger Mary Beth Harrell in District 31 is getting nastier.
Even though Carter has suggested that Harrell might not warrant a debate before the November vote, a staffer from his campaign obtained copies of the voting records for Harrell and her husband, Bob, from the Coryell County clerk’s office.
What they found: Bob Harrell asked for a Republican ballot for the 2006 primary and runoff elections.
Harrell said that her career military husband is a “Reagan Republican” but that she can “guarantee he did not vote for Carter in the primary.”
Harrell wondered why the Carter campaign would dig into her husband’s records. Carter’s office said he was out of the country on an official trip and could not be reached for comment.
“I don’t think spouses are fair game in a political race,” Harrell said. “The point is, if he thinks I am not important enough to debate, why was it so important to send someone up there to get hard copies of our voting records? If he wants to run a campaign honorably, he needs to come out and debate me.”
A few things on this. If Rep. Carter would just show up and debate Mary Beth Harrell I’m sure she would clear all this up and set him straight on this, and many other issues. Like so many Republicans that support Mary Beth Harrell, her opponent would find out, in person, that she is the far better candidate. Which is why John Carter’s handlers don’t want him on stage with Mary Beth Harrell. There’s no reason to drag spouses into this, they’re not running for anything. And that also goes to show who the real family values candidate is, Mary Beth Harrell. And last, like the AusChron article from a few weeks ago stated if Harrell’s opponent didn’t think she was credible why would they be allowing her this “free publicity”? He would not be looking into voting records or even responding to the many inadequacies of his record being pointed out by Mary Beth Harrell. That leaves two explanations: Him and his campaign staff are stupid or Mary Beth Harrell’s got credentials and Mary Beth Harrell’s opponent is looking over his shoulder.