FeedPolitics: ‘Is Aaron doing the chicken dance?’
August 27, 2008 in Uncategorized Tags: Aaron Schock, Colleen Callahan, debate
(Press release)
Is Aaron doing the chicken dance?
Despite a barrage of verbiage and immature name-calling from Aaron Schock’s campaign manager on Tuesday, two things were conspicuously absent in his press release.
One was the unmistakable fact that the campaign manager for the GOP candidate for the 18th Congressional District refused to accept or even acknowledge Colleen Callahan’s challenge to debate her in all twenty county seats in the district.
The other glaring absence in the lengthy press release was the candidate himself.
“Aaron’s campaign manager called me confused, among other things,” Callahan said Wednesday. “And I am confused. Who, exactly, would I be debating should his campaign actually quit this chicken dance and accept our challenge? Will I be debating his campaign manager — who continually speaks for Aaron — or would voters finally get a chance to hear from Aaron himself? We continue to hear from confused voters who wonder just where Aaron has been hiding all summer.”
Schock’s campaign manager accused the Callahan Campaign of seeking publicity. Schock’s handlers, on the other hand, have done everything in their power to shield Aaron from the press and the public all summer.
Is publicity in a Congressional race really a bad thing?
Could it be that Schock’s GOP handlers don’t want you to know that Aaron Schock proposed selling nuclear weapons to Taiwan to use against China?
Or that he voted against benefits for families of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan?
Or that he accepted thousands of dollars from Big Oil?
Ask yourself why Aaron Schock’s campaign handlers don’t want him appearing before a microphone. The answer is simple — he’s not ready.
Colleen Callahan represents true change for the voters of the 18th District. The working men and women of central Illinois deserve responsible and mature leadership in Washington.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:42 am
… and in other news, Schock gets the support of the Illinonis Farm Bureau
http://www.pjstar.com/homepage.....au-support
August 27th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Schock has agreed to participate in 10 debates. Obama has accepted 3. Which office is more important?
August 27th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
*WHOOSH* The Republicans man the harpoons!
August 27th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If the nukes-to-Taiwan fiasco couldn’t dislodge voters from supporting Schock, ain’t nothin’ gonna stop him. The boy could claim he can lay golden eggs and he’d still pull in over 60% of the vote.
August 27th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
It should be beneath Callaghan to raise a straw man of an offer to debate in all 20 counties 70 days before the election. If you want to offer such a challenge after a primary in April, that would be tough enough to coordinate a campaign schedule. But to now raise it in the last 2 months before the election, when any serious campaign manager would have already booked 99% of their candidates waking hours……..if Callaghan actually had the time in her schedule to add another 10 debates, then it is because her campaign manager has failed to completely book her.
August 27th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
OK, I confused. I read somewhere that there were going to be 10 debates between Schock and Callahan. But when I read Callahan’s press releases it sounds like there isn’t going to be any.
So how many is it? 10 sounds like a lot anyway for less than 3 months.
August 27th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Chase, it would be nice to say 99% of Schock’s time is booked, but nobody has really seen him anywhere that I’ve heard. For all we know he’s hanging out in his basement playing Pokemon and chugging Mountain Dew.
August 27th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Pez, in answer to your question, Aaron Schock has agreed to ten debates, and has already done one of them. Details of each event are listed at the end of the Schock news release on this subject which appears as an earlier item on this blog.
Steven Shearer
Schock campaign manager
August 27th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Sheldon Schafer is ready to debate either of the candidates at any time. His background of intelligence, leadership, and service show that he is indeed the best candidate for the job, as will become apparent in any contest that vested interest do not keep him out of.
August 27th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Well, Sheldon Schafer has approached this election in a completely different way than the “traditional” candidates. Think about it: How much money has Schock raised? The kind of extravagance we witnessed only last month at his large fundraiser is something we’ve come to expect - but is it right? Is it really necessary to waste hundreds of thousands when the communities he wishes to represent are suffering from a poor economy? (And, not to mention, a poor economy brought ON by his “special” guest!) Unlike the two candidates from the “traditional” parties, Sheldon Schafer not only brings years of experience and community service, but he has a level-headed approach to politics. When Schock and Callahan were at fundraisers last July, Sheldon Schafer was out at the Peoria Riverfront giving out information on how people could help their communities through volunteer work and donations to charities. I think the choice is clear! I’m voting for the person who actually cares about my future.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
CHASE: Callahan’s time IS booked… but she’s willing to juggle her schedule for the people of her district, so they can judge the candidates (all 3) and judge for themselves.
Shock has NOT yet debated either Callahan or Schaefer - period. He has met them in an open meeting, but that’s not even close to a debate… those are simply “meet your candidates” happy hours; they are not an exchange on specific issues or a debate on stances & proposals.
By the way, Shearer fails to mention that Shock has twice (at least) cancelled on real debates recently (after first agreeing to the debates).
And while Callahan & Schaefer get out to talk with their future constiuents, Shock is making his rounds across the continent, but not in the 18th district. Please tell us how many flights he’s made between Washington DC, Chicago, Florida, San Diego, Los Angeles (many at IL taxpayer expense, I’d bet) just within the last month??
What could Shock possibly be learning about agriculture or the struggles of 18th district families, when he’s taking red-eye flights to DC and to LA?? How does that help us here in mid-IL ??
lee: his time may be booked, but doesn’t seem like Shearer has booked much of it right here in the 18th — where the people he wants to represent actually LIVE ??
August 27th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Ginny, you just floor me at every comment. How do you manage to know the inner workings of every campaign and organization - years of practice, just naturally gifted or magic crystal ball?
Please, let us commoners in on the secret.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:50 am
She slept at a Holiday Inn Express last night?
August 29th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Allison and Diane - is Ginny wrong? Is Schock not flying all over the US vs. spending his time in the 18th? Post his schedule if she’s wrong. Where has he been all summer? When is the first debate between he and Callahan? Post a schedule, please, I’d appreciate it.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
*psst* nobody knows.
August 29th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Well cgiselle, Ginny seems to have a tendancy to through accusations out there without proof. Where does she gets her information? How about some proof. Its always funny when someone makes a statement and when challenged tells everyone to prove the statement false. So, I can make an outrageous comment about Colleen and then say prove otherwise? I have a feeling that wouldn’t fly with the Schock bashers.
Also, I think the debate schedule was posted on this site already.Check old posts.