08.04.06

More From Yesterday’s Band of Brothers Press Conference

Posted in Commentary, Election 2006 at 11:24 am by wcnews

Watch the video or listen to the podcast (scroll to 12 minutes in for start of press conference). It starts with a question to Mary Beth Harrell about whether her son in Iraq has a position on whether to get out of Iraq. Her answer - which you must hear for yourself – is sane and reasoned. She describes what should be happening in Iraq but isn’t. She says her son doesn’t understand why this administration has completely ignored a plan that worked previously – Bosnia – and refused/refuses to have a plan for success in Iraq other than “staying the course,” which is not working. It’s the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.

Which brings us to Mary Beth Harrell’s opponent, John Carter. Every day it is becoming clearer, and the majority is growing, that the American people favor a plan to leave Iraq in the near future. That approach is not even on the horizon for this president and particularly discordant with Carter’s false choice: “stay the course” or “cut and run”. If your world view is this over-simplified then vote for Carter. If you want a sane, reasoned and proven successful approach to bringing democracy to another country, then choose representatives that have the mental capacity to understand complex situations and the wisdom to learn from the past. Your candidate is Mary Beth Harrell.

Here’s a good write up on the press conference from the Temple Daily Telegraph, Harrell challenges Carter on ‘cut-and-run’ charge:

Speaking to an audience of 50-60 in an open air pavilion at the Sun City retirement community, the six Democrats and one independent fired back at Carter for what they termed a tasteless remark and poor judgement.

Charlie Thompson, a retired Navy aviator running for the 5th Congressional District seat, said Carter had nerve attacking Mrs. Harrell when he has never served in the military, and has no children serving in Iraq while Mrs. Harrell has spent her life supporting those who serve.

Mrs. Harrell said she is the wife of a 23-year career Army officer and has two sons in the Army - Joshua, 27, stationed in Arizona, and Rob, 30, with Fort Hood’s 4th Infantry Division in Baghdad.

“Because she is a thoughtful, honest and truly concerned American, Mary Beth opposes our occupation in Iraq,” Thompson said. “She is a courageous woman who takes tough stands because it is important to her to do the right thing.”

Thompson said Carter smeared Mrs. Harrell on her stance on Iraq and could not believe he had used a cheap cliche to do it.

Many thanks to the TDT for accurately reporting the message this group sent yesterday, though it would have been nice to have read more about the Texas Band of Brothers’ “Contract with Soldiers, Veterans and their Families - Keeping Our Promise to Those Who Serve.” We will have more on this later.

Click, “Read the rest of this entry” for a report from someone who was there.

[UPDATE]:

Band of Brothers Stand With Soldiers’ Mom

An extraordinary event took place Thursday, Aug 3 in Sun City Georgetown — Six Congressional Candidates, all veterans, all Democrats, took time from their own busy campaigning schedules to come take a stand with Mary Beth Harrell, Candidate for Congress, District 31 against outrageous statements made by Rep. John Carter (TX-31) in a July 6 fundraising letter to his ‘faithful supporters’.

In front of a crowd of 60 supporters and media, Mary Beth served notice that she will not sit by quietly while her opponent makes such ridiculous claims that she has “joined with national liberals who call for a cut and run policy in the War on Terror.” Both of Mary Beth’s sons are on active duty with the Army, her older son, Rob, is currently serving in Iraq.

Mary Beth was joined by fellow congressional candidates, Dan Dodd, Dist. 3; Charlie Thompson, Dist. 5; Ted Ankrum, Dist. 10; Roger Waun, Dist. 13; John Courage, Dist. 21; and Rick Bolanos, Dist. 23. All members of this “Band of Brothers” are veterans and were appalled that Mary Beth’s opponent would be so desperate as to stoop so low and call into question Mary Beth’s abiding support and commitment to our service men and women as well as veterans, which is surely above reproach.

Each candidate acknowledged Mary Beth’s service, and the service of all military family’s, which is seen in the support they give loved ones who do actually serve in the military. Mary Beth’s service as a military wife and mother brought this Band of Brothers out to call her their Sister, one of their own. Each also acknowledged that neither Mary Beth’s opponent nor any of his immediate family has ever served in the military, with several referring to him as a ‘Chicken Hawk’ with his own brand of cutting and running – cutting appropriations that would provide our service men and women with what they need and running from serving their country while criticizing those who do.

Questions from the press and audience were handled effectively and forthrightly by the various candidates who pointed out that the situation in Iraq has caused the standards for military recruitment to be lowered such that personnel is now being accepted which never would have before and that is lowering the professionalism of our military. Mary Beth also acknowledge that her son in Iraq is a true professional, not wanting to leave the job half done but understandably frustrated that the policies in place are not creating a true international collation that is needed to make it possible to finish up and get out of Iraq successfully and honorably.

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