FeedPolitics: Schock will miss Peoria World Affairs Council debate
August 29, 2008 in Uncategorized
By Billy Dennis
Aaron Schock will not attend the Peoria Area World Affairs Council debate, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 10, at the Peoria City Council chambers. There’s no word yet on whether the debate would proceed with other 18th District Congressional candidates Colleen Callahan (Democrat) and Sheldon Schafer (Green). It’s guessing it will, and will post when I find out.
Callahan’s campaign manager, Terry Towery, says they were notified by the PAWAC by phone earlier today. No explanation was given. He speculated that Schock may be trying to avoid being videotaped by the television news media during a debate with Callahan.
Towery reiterated the campaign’s position that Schock is ducking the debates by either not committing to actual debates or by committing and then not showing up. And Towery said that Schock’s campaign manager, Steve Shearer is “playing word games” by citing forums and joint appearances when refuting the accusations.
I’ve sent an email to Shearer and I am awaiting his reply.
Both campaigns have been trading snippy press releases over the “debate debate” issue this week.
UPDATE: Elaine Hopkins reports that the debate will go forward with or without Rep. Schock. The debate will be carried on WCBU-FM and streamed over the Internet as well.
August 29th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Now Bill, if you had the slightest interest in fair and balanced reporting, you would also remind your readers that there is a debate between these candidates already scheduled and confirmed for earlier that morning. I’ll remind you of the details since you must have forgotten:
Peoria Area Chamber Candidate Forums
Would you like to hear these candidates talk about the issues of importance? Don’t miss your chance to hear what the candidates’ positions on local and national topics. Join us for these candidate forums:
18th District Congressional Candidate Forum
Aaron Schock/Colleen Callahan/Sheldon Shafer
Date: September 10th, 2008
Time: 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Location: Hotel Pere Marquette
Live Broadcast on September 10th by 1470 WMBD.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Forums are not debates.
But spin away, Ms. Vespa, spin away. Your boy has backed out of yet another appearance.
Wassup wit dat anyway?
August 29th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
… and how are they different BJ? It is all semantics… for all practical purposes the terms can be used interchangeably.
August 30th, 2008 at 12:57 am
But you didn’t answer my question (again). He backed out of yet another appearance. So far, that’s all he’s done…backed out. So I ask (again):
Wassup wit dat anyway?
August 30th, 2008 at 1:59 am
BJ, Schock hasn’t backed out of one debate. Callahan seemed determined to make debates an issue and can’t take yes for an answer. No other campaign I’ve followed has WHINED because their opponent agreed to 10 debates. She needs to stop incessantly whining and get on with the campaign. The incessant whining and nitpicking is such a turn off. McCain isn’t whining every day because Obama only agreed to three so why is Callahan whining because Schock agreed to TEN? Doesn’t she have anything else to talk about?
August 30th, 2008 at 2:41 am
Well Sage… it looks like you really put your foot-in-your-mouth again, huh?!?
No sooner did you post your blog, then *boom* - Shock’s rovian robot calls to cancel on yet another debate on Friday!! The PAWAC said that Shock’s campaign didn’t even bother to give a reason for his late-date drop-out.
I think this makes the 3rd or 4th time he’s backed-out on a group of organizers who spent many hours planning these events for the good of the community, based on Shock’s initial agreement… so they move ahead with their plans, and A-ron ditches another debate. More broken promises from Shock.
It doesn’t matter how many times he AGREES to debate; the only thing that counts is that IF he ever actually DOES debate…
August 30th, 2008 at 3:21 am
Vepsa - re: comment #3 about ’semantics’… so, using your rationale - when Shock stands before a group of Mason County farmers (while wearing a suit & tie, in a farm field), and states that he “doesn’t really know too much about agriculture” - apparently, what he really meant is “I know A LOT more than Callahan about agriculture”, huh…
-or is it more like Shock stating that “girls who dress in low-cut and provacative clothes are asking for it” - by saying ‘IT’ Shock really means we are just looking for compliments, rather than being forcibly violated by a man??
Gee Veps, thanx 4 clarifying that “semantic”; I’m sure all the victims of violent rape in the 18th district will now rest better, since you cleared-up that confusion for everyone.
The FACT IS, that in our beautiful English language, words really DO matter.
OK, so if I ever relocate again, and sign a lease at another house, I won’t need your agency; instead, I’ll just say “Well, I live here now, and this is all my furniture, so I guess I actually OWN this house”! Rent vs Own… it’s all semantics.
August 30th, 2008 at 3:24 am
Ginny: ” or is it more like Shock stating that “girls who dress in low-cut and provacative clothes are asking for it” - by saying ‘IT’ Shock really means we are just looking for compliments, rather than being forcibly violated by a man??”
Woah! When did Shock. Did YOU hear this in person? Is there any article in which he is quoted saying this? I have a hard time believing he said that.
August 30th, 2008 at 7:21 am
It’s a paraphrase of what was reported in the news about 4 years ago. No, I did not hear it personally, but it was a semi-big story for a short time, a few years back. Maybe the Peoria paper would have an archive on it… maybe?
August 30th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Ginny, you are off the wall.
August 30th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Ginny, post the article. If you make comments like that you should be able to back up your statements with proof.
If it was in the paper there is no “maybe” about it…the paper archives it all. If your statement is true, show us the article otherwise you might just be a liar (maybe).
August 30th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Ginny, I’m pretty sure I would remember something like that.
August 30th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Ginny
You must have fallen off your rocker so hard you hit your head hard.
Despite what you say, Schock has not agreed to and then pulled out of any debates. He never agreed to the PAWAC debate in the first place.
Schock never ever said he didn’t know much about agriculture.
For you to say he is going to not show up at any of the debates on the list of 10 he agreed to is ridiculous. You are criticizing him based on what YOU THINK he will do. Let reality play itself out. He will show up at each of them just like he showed up to all the debates in the primary he agreed to.
You are so much an emotional zealot and obviously have such a hatred and jealousy of Schock that you are making a fool of yourself by making up things he supposedly said 4 years ago that no one else recalls and for which you have offered no proof. Your rants against him are really over the top with no proof to back them up.
Ginny, also just wondering, what do you think about Obama agreeing to only 3 debates, none of which are Lincoln/Douglas style formats? He said last spring he would be glad to tour the country debating McCain and really has backed off that. Do you a record of Schock agreeing to more than 10 debates?
August 30th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
The comments have wandered off here, and I’m still waiting for Ms. Vespa to answer my original question…again.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
How can you back out of something when he never seemed to agree to it?
We haven’t heard from Ginny for a while. Hopefully, she is searching through the pjstar archives.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
BJ, to answer you question, Schock accepted 10 invitations to debate, several with mulitple organizations sponsoring them.
He has “backed out” of none. He never accepted every invitation in the first place. He never agreed to do more than 10, which is a lot.
He could get 40 invitations to debate, which is what happened in the primary and he is not going to accept each and every invitation. He, Jim McConoughey and John Morris accepted almost every invitation to debate in the primary and you know what? Most had the same 20 people there and received no media coverage. It got out of hand and really didn’t serve the voters. Ten is more than most other races have.
Schock has already had his views expressed to the Peoria World Affaris Council which hosted a debate in the priamary that was broadcast on radio. Ditto for nearly 40 other organizations. Callahan has some catching up to do but that isn’t Schock’s responsibility.
BJ, can you answer a question: what do you think of Presidential candidate Barack Obama only agreeing to debate 3 times when McCain asked for more?
August 31st, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Sage, your spinning it just like Diane.
My only question has been about the past, not the future, and is simply this: How come has has backed out, or, if you prefer “not shown up” at events he said he’d be at? There have been things on the schedule of HIS own website that he has later begged out of, correct? Someone please answer the question honestly: Why? And the initial claim of the Callahan campaign (which, btw, I am not a part of…I am a part of NO campaign for any office) is that he has refused to debate her. I STILL have not seen anything convincing me he HAS debated her.
And again, a forum where the candidates both say their piece and then leave without a head-to-head rebuttal is NOT a debate. And all efforts to spin THAT fact are to be ignored.
August 31st, 2008 at 12:41 pm
BJ, you are incorrect. Callahan’s website posts events, not Schock’s. Kind of defeats the purpose of your last comment, I know, but I’m sure your find another way to spin it.
If you are looking at the past then there hasn’t been any debates yet.
What debate didn’t he show up at “in the past.”
Schock hasn’t refused to debate Colleen as there are several debates scheduled, besides the “forums.” How many debates are enough?
The Barack question is an interesting one. Are 3 debates plenty for the presidential race?
August 31st, 2008 at 4:11 pm
So he doesn’t have his schedule posted on his website. Thanks for that. I didn’t know, that’s why I asked. Most candidates’ sites I look at have a schedule. So there. No spin.
Now, in this post, http://pundit.blogpeoria.com/2.....-confused/, it is Steve Shearer of the SCHOCK campaign that lists 10 events. By comparision, the Callahan website does not have this same list that Mr. Shearer posted on Billy’s site. No spin. Printed fact.
And this discussion has nothing to do with Barack Obama. Or Bill Clinton. (I thought I’d better throw that name in there, too, because all discussions involving criticism of someone in the GOP eventually get back to Bill Clinton). This diiscussion is about Aaron Schock. who, frankly, doesn’t appear to be very forthcoming, honest, or open about anything, except a desire to sell nukes to Taiwan and in his opinion that a guy who was president before he was born was a “socialist”.
So again, I stiill await the answer: Why has he not shown up to these various events he seemed to agree to attend? It’s a simple question, and I’ll keep asking it. Maybe some of his blinder-wearing supporters should call him and ask him to explain, instead of twisting conversations into other discussions.
August 31st, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Let me ask again which events did he not show up at?
None of these debates have taken place yet nor has an organization stated he confirmed a debate and then unconfirmed.
As you stated, “why has he not shown up to these various events he “SEEMED” to agree to attend.”
The issue is Colleen agreed to other debates but that doesn’t mean Aaron or Sheldon agreed to them just because Colleen said so.
August 31st, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Why doesn’t he show up at these events? Simple question.
August 31st, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Your question, as stated by you, is “about the past not the future” so let me ask again
what events has he not shown up at? I agree it is a simple question but you can’t seem to answer it.
As for future events, why does Colleen dictate where he or Sheldon should be? Just because Colleen attends an event doesn’t mean Aaron or Sheldon follow her around. They have their own campaigns to run.