FeedPolitics: ‘Schock seeks center stage, shuns debate stage,’ Callahan says
September 3, 2008 in Politics Tags: 18th District, Aaron Schock, Colleeb Callahan
(press release)
Schock seeks center stage, shuns debate stage
Aaron Schock’s last-minute invitation to speak at the Republican National Convention underscores a fundamental flaw in the young Republican’s candidacy. Schock has again proven he is more than eager to step up and into the national spotlight to bask in the toxic glow of eight years of a failed Bush Administration while being totally unwilling to address voters or debate his opponents here in the very Congressional district he seeks to represent.
It’s also surprising that GOP Presidential candidate John McCain would invite a state Representative from Illinois to speak at the RNC, especially one who has advocated selling nuclear missiles to Taiwan to use against China. It would seem to be a dangerous and risky move on McCain’s part to have such a reckless young man speaking on his behalf before a national audience.
Schock has taken thousands of dollars from Big Oil while publicly disagreeing with McCain on whether ethanol subsidies should be discontinued for farmers here in Illinois. Schock also brought President Bush to Peoria for a private, exclusive fundraiser that brought hundreds of thousands of dollars into Schock’s already substantial war chest.Aaron Schock stands for the status quo in Washington, despite his campaign manager’s repeated efforts to position his candidate as a “breath of fresh air.”
It’s time for the voters of the 18th District to hold Aaron Schock accountable to the needs of people here in central Illinois. Aaron Schock needs to spend more time telling voters here what he stands for and less time standing for what he craves most — national attention in order to further his ambitious political agenda.
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:59 pm
WOW! What an honor for Aaron and our community. A true testimonial to the high esteem he is held in by the Republican party and his constituents. Way to go, Aaron. Knock their socks off!
What time does he speak?
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:13 pm
WOW! When does he roll over and play dead?
September 4th, 2008 at 12:16 am
This is the second Callahan campaign press release based on a blatant lie. To quote the above press release about Aaron Schock: “while being totally unwilling to address voters or debate his opponents here in the very Congressional district he seeks to represet.”
The fact is that Aaron Schock has agreed to debate Colleen Callahan and Sheldon Schafer 10 times. The list of those debates has been published on this very blog. When her campaign says Aaron Schock is “totally unwilling” to debate, they are being purposefully deceptive.
Ten debates in an exceptionally large number of debates for any campaign, (ask Barack Obama who has agreed to only 3). When a candidate such as Aaron Schock is attacked for not being willing to debate, when in fact he has agreed to 10 deabtes shows the level of desperation of Colleen Callahan and her floundering campaign. It is absolutely pathetic behavior. I ask, is basing press releases on lies a breath of fresh air? Is that “change we can beleive in”??
Once again, Colleen Callahan has unleased a Hillary Clinton type “throw the kitchen sink” attack at Aaron Schock. That is emblematic of desperation.
Colleen Callahan would have jumped at the chance to address the Democratic Convention. Her own party did not give her that honor because they don’t see her a serious candidate.
September 4th, 2008 at 6:12 am
Mr. Shearer,
What exactly has your candidate DONE with his life, other than seeking higher and higher political office based entirely on his school-boy charm? Callahan’s description of him as a narcissistic attention seeker concerned more with his own image than his constituents strikes home.
Finally, joint appearances where all candidates answer questions don’t count as DEBATES. The “ten debates” figure is a gross misrepresentation.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:07 am
An “honor” for the “community”?
I’ll put this on the level of appreciation I have for the C.E.O. Roundtable letting me know how great the museum will be for this town.
Schock is really positioning himself as a career politician.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:31 am
Hard to bite my tongue on this one robert!
September 4th, 2008 at 9:41 am
That just cuts me up that the same people that accuse Aaron of being a career politician are the same ones squarely backing Obama. Fortunately, the majority opinion expressed here is not even remotely representative of the overwhelming support this young man has in the community.
September 4th, 2008 at 9:41 am
That’s just funny. Shearer coming here and saying it’s all lies by lying. KiD is right–it’s a gross misrepresentation.
September 4th, 2008 at 9:44 am
You’re sitting there calling Obama a career politician but squarely supporting John McCain?
Where I come from, we call that a trump card, ma’am.
September 4th, 2008 at 9:46 am
If Ms. Callahan spent even 25% less time attacking Aaron and promoting her own ideas she’d have a much better chance at winning. I see no leadership qualities coming out of this campaign
September 4th, 2008 at 9:48 am
You bet your bippy I am, Pots
September 4th, 2008 at 10:06 am
“Squarely backing Obama”?
Not directed at me I hope.
Prediction: Shock will parlay his political career into a lobbyist position.
Just like all the rest. Dem or Repub. Same ol’, same ol’.
And the beat goes on……
It also “cuts me up” how some will eat anything fed to them by their party.
September 4th, 2008 at 10:15 am
I’m not being fed anything from my party… my opinion of Mr. Schock is based purely on my own opinion and experiences. No one tells me how to think. Don’t you know that by now, Mazr?
September 4th, 2008 at 10:25 am
So let’s hear your take on his “very well thought out” (according to his campaign) plan to sell nukes to Taiwan?
September 4th, 2008 at 10:56 am
You need a new mantra Potsimian. That was a mistake on his part (wether he admits or not). The few that are still fixated on this should move on because it is obvious that your repetition of it has no impact whatsoever on his appeal as a candidate.
Hopefully if anyone is ever trying to make an assessment of you they don’t pick out the single worst statement you ever made and keep repeating it. That would be fundamentally unfair wouldn’t it?
September 4th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Different standards; I’m not seeking the responsibilities that go along with holding a national office. This guy has maximum “I told you so” potential.
Things like this can cause an international incident, and the fact that he has the capacity to make such statements is something that ought to be remembered. Five years down the road, not so much.
However, I am quite happy that you at least admit it was a mistake. Some supporters still think it’s a good idea.
September 4th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
“That just cuts me up that the same people that accuse Aaron of being a career politician are the same ones squarely backing Obama.”
Not true Diane. I am not voting for Obama and agree completely with KID and I am about as Republican as can be.
Obama and Schock have the same problem, they have no career accomplishments except for progressively higher elected offices with little to show for it.
September 4th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
“repetition of it has no impact whatsoever on his appeal as a candidate”
I could care less if they statement has any impact on his “appeal” but is sure has a helluva lot of impact on his ability to develop foreign policy. Diane, it wasn’t just his “worst statement”, it was defended and defended and defended until Shearer realized how utterly stupid the idea was that even he had to retract it and tell Aaron to apologize. It wasn’t just an off the cuff comment.
The fact that you can so easily dismiss it and fall all googly-eyed head over heals for the kid really says a lot for the amount of rational thought involved in the Schock voter’s decision making process.
September 4th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
The idea of candidate debates is SOOOO 18th century. Can you imagine the naivete of standing before one constituents to debate the issues and to test oneself when confronted by an unexpected question from a local citizen. The problem with this is that it completely ignores the reality of modern politics. Aaron’s constituency are those Beltway lobbyists and the professional politicians who have given Schock his money via contributions and various leadership PAC. He was vetted by the interests when he visited D.C. weeks ago. They know that he won’t betray them. Ms. Vespa thinks its a great “honor” for him and his constituents to have him speak. Is it a great honor to speak a four day commercial for a political party. That’s about as valid as Hefner’s girlfriend’s talking about posing for Playboy. Is it really an honor to accept money and quote Eric Cantor on his website when Eric Cantor was such a frequent patron of jailled GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s Signature’s restaurant that he had a sandwich named after him? Is it an honor for Schock to accept a campaign contribution from James Albertine past president of the American League of Lobbyists, a man characterized as the “King of Travel” for his junkets for Congressmen. Is it an honor for Schock to receive contributions from California Indian gambling interests? Mr. Schock is going to spend all that special interest money to run some slick television ads. I will say that Mr. Schock will receive a much greater honor adressing the Convention, than Sen. Craig received in a Minneapolis restroom.
September 4th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Steve, you claim that Aaron agreed to participate in 10 debates, but he already cancelled out of one this week, with the World Affairs Council, no? Does that make 9?
September 4th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Reading the press release it sure sounds like sour grapes. Is Ms. Callahan implying that she’d pass up a chance to speak at a National Convention of her party if offered the chance? I know it’s purely rhetorical since that will never happen for her.
I used to love listening to her reports on the radio (and I’m not in any way involved or particularly interested in the agriculture industry/field). She did a wonderful job at it. However, my opinion of her as a person is dropping fast. Let’s see her issue a press release focused on what she would do if elected, rather than beating the dead horse regarding the number of debates/forums/whatever you call them (they are really nothing more than pandering affairs in reality).
You don’t build yourself up by tearing other people down….even in politics.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
I’d like to point out that Obama spent 20 years working before holding an elected office. From community organizer, to teaching and practicing law. It’s tough to make an argument that he’s inexperienced and a career pol.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
cgiselle12, you are incorrect. There was no debate scheduled this week. The World Affairs Council debate is next week. I spoke to a member of their organization and he said Schock never agreed to their debate. So, how can you back out of something you never agreed to?
Let me ask you this, name ONE, just ONE other congressional campaign in this state that is doing ten or more debates. I think you will be hard pressed to come up with one. This race isn’t the only competitive, open race in the state so lets hear who is doing more than our 18th district candidates. Lets assume that our candidates are doing 2, 3, maybe even 4 times or more the number of debates than any other congressional race in this state. How many debates will finally make you happy?
You have ten opportunities to see the candidates debate the issues in one form or another. It is entirely up to you to make an effort to attend one of those debates or to watch or read the press coverage. If you are looking for foreign affairs issues, try attending the Jewish Federation’s debate. I am sure foreign affairs will be discussed. The debates, I believe, are posted on this very site. Maybe I will see you at a debate.
September 5th, 2008 at 12:22 am
No one has mentioned the point about the Callahan presser lying about Schock not debating. Brian G. won’t get off the point, acting like Schock has refused to debate. Brian G keeps going on as if Schock is ducking debating. They are debating ten times. It seems a line of attack was preconcieved on Schock not debating and even though he is,debating his political enemies just ignore reality and keep attacking. It’s just ridiculous. TEN, can you understand TEN.
September 5th, 2008 at 12:45 am
Vepsa:
Regarding item #1 (above)… I think your line, “WOW, what an honor…” and “true testimonial to the high-esteem he is held in by the [sic] party…”
I do believe those are the same words that Goebbel’s said to Hitler - just before the Munich rallies.
September 5th, 2008 at 12:49 am
BLAKEly: Shock has NOT agreed to 10 debates — he hasn’t even agreed to that many ‘forums’ in side-by-side issue discussions with both opponents. (Forums are not debates; but regardless, Shock hasn’t agreed to 10 of EITHER.
And even when he does “agree” to them, he’s ducked-out of the last 3, anyway.
September 5th, 2008 at 12:50 am
Blake, its kinda like how Schock is acting like he’s already won the race by startin his own congressional PAC and promoting foreign nuclear policy, huh?
September 5th, 2008 at 12:50 am
Ginny: “I do believe those are the same words that Goebbel’s said to Hitler …”
AAAAAAAAND that’s a banning. See ya.
September 5th, 2008 at 1:15 am
So, I originally glanced right over Mr. Shearer’s comments, but wouldn’t comments like:
“Her own party did not give her that honor because they don’t see her a serious candidate.”
“shows the level of desperation of Colleen Callahan and her floundering campaign. It is absolutely pathetic behavior”
“That is emblematic of desperation”
coming from the man who tells Aaron what to say, and normally just takes him out of the equation completely by doing the interviews himself, constitute at least a hint of a story?
If Shearer called up Karen McDonald tomorrow and said: “The Democratic Party doesn’t see Callahan as a serious candidate”, that would be in the PJSTAR. I am going to be flabbergasted if this doesn’t make it into the local media.
September 5th, 2008 at 4:23 am
Schock most certainly has agreed to 10 debates and no matter how many times commenters say it or how loudly they proclaim otherwise, Schock has not pulled out of any debates he agreed to do.
The list of ten debates is posted on this web site. By belittling that list, you are insulting these organizations who go to a great deal of work to organize these events. If you don’t believe organizations such as AARP, the League of Women Voters, the Farm Bureau, WMBD Radio and WEEK-TV are legitimate organizations to host debates that’s your opinion. The formats vary but all have questions to each candidate and several have full blown rebuttal formats.
Now if Schock was to miss one of the ten debates on the list, you would have a valid argument. But that won’t happen. You can continue to rant all you want and make stuff up as you go, to fit your latest attack, but what you say has no basis in fact.
Again, again, again, how many debates is Barack Obama going to do? Schock is doing 10. TEN.
The game goes like this. Schock agreed to 10, Callahan seems to want 15. If Schock agrees to 15, Callahan will want 20. If he agrees to 20, she will want 30. If he agrees to 30, she will want to debate 3 times a day, every single day between now and election day. That is the only way she will get widespread attention.
Write to Barack Obama and give him all the reasons you’ve been writing about as to why debates are so important. He doesn’t seem to agree.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Godwin’s Law in action yet again.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Schock and Shearer have brougth this on themselves. By not allowing vidoetaping at public forums during the republican primary race, by having Schock appear at friend events sponsored by Demonte in Tazewell County and the televised forum hosted by Khazzam, he has created the appearance of ducking debates. Mr. Shearer and Mr Schock have made their decision to run as if they are an incumbent with a 30 point lead against a Democratic sacrificial lamb, and that is their prerogative.
As for Blake’s comment, I’m much more interested in who is giving him money. Why would anyone in Washington D.C. be giving him money? Were they impressed with his hiring of a school superintendent? The reason why is he is part and parcel of the “culture of corruption” that the American people overwhelmingly voted out of office two years ago.
September 5th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Joint public appearances ARE NOT DEBATES. No matter how many times Schock’s proponents call them debates, that doesn’t make it so. This Rovian “I can change reality by repeating lies over and over” meme is becoming ohhhh so annoying.
Obama is participating in as many debates as every presidential candidate has for every election cycle in recent memory. Do Republicans actually think they’re scoring points by belittling that?
For all those accusing of Obama of being a career politician … please take five minutes of your time to read his bio before you completely talk out of your rear end, {COUGH}Diane{COUGH}. He worked for five years after graduating from college before entering Harvard Law, and then another five years before he entered the Illinois Legislature in 1997. That’s a decade for you Republicans who have trouble with science, math and real data.
There is NO comparing Obama to Schock. None. Zippo. Little Aaron went from high school to school board to state legislature, and now he’s trying for Congress. Am I missing a gap somewhere after age 18 where he actually experienced REAL LIFE?
Obama’s star has risen rapidly on the national stage since his speech at the DNC in 2004 because of his intelligence, charisma, hard work and proven ability to reach across the aisle. He has been the primary Democratic sponsor of several major bipartisan bills.
Yes, he’s a freshman senator and therefore he doesn’t have as much legislation under his belt as McCain. Duh. Again … do you think that’s a surprise to people? That criticism had some traction before McCain picked Sarah Palin, but now Republicans are complete hypocrites if they try to stress the importance of experience and accomplishment. Sarah Barracuda pales in comparison to Obama … and that’s not just from lack of sun in Alaska and the Senator’s above-average dermal melanin content.
September 5th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Not true KID, the Republicans put their experience at the TOP of the ticket. The Democrats did not, the criticism still stands. However it is interesting that now Obama, and his supporters, feel the need to prove he is more experienced than the Republican VP candidate as opposed to McCain who he is really running against.
September 5th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Bravo, seems to me to be the other way around…wasn’t it Palin who struck first with the experience thing, her v. Obama? Obama responding is only natural, since the question was asked by the press after Palin made the first claim.
September 5th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
No its not, if this was thought through well the Obama campaign wouldn’t address the experience comparison between him and Palin at all. I think the Republicans are smart for distracting him from the real race, but he didn’t have to fall for it.
I can’t recall any campaign in recent memory where the top of the ticket felt he had to make a case for his experience over his opponents VP. Its a sign that the Obama campaign is still very concerned about his lack of experience.
September 5th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Three out of four people on both tickets are ready to be president: Palin isn’t one of them.
September 5th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
No honest person can say Schock ducked debates in the primary. Morris, McConoughey and Schock did a ton of them hosted by bona fide organizations in the area. They were every bit as real as the ones presidential candidates have. Ask Morris or McConoughey.
For the ten debates this fall, details of the formats involve serious questioning and in several cases the exact same kind of rebutalls in the presidential “debates.”
You allow Obama to escape his previous commitment to do more debates than previous presidential campaigns. You let him hide behind the fact that all Presidential campaigns in modern history have only done three debates.
Well congressional campaigns in this district have done none or one or two. But Schock should do 20??? Where is your consistency of reasoning?
Several of the debates in the list of ten have exactly the same formats as the Presidential candidates will have.
So how can a candidate for Congress be ducking debates by doing more of them than a candidate for President when the Presidency is more important than a US Representative?
Support Schock or hate him, but have consistent standards with regard to Congressional and Presidential campaign debates.
September 5th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
To me, it is darn hard to compare a congressional race and it’s relatively small number of potential voters to a presidential campaign. When McCain and Obama do debate, those debates will be delivered live into the homes of every American with a TV or radio. They will be analyzed, scrutinized, and punditized for days and weeks on end upon their completion.
But in a congressional race, having one on WMBD radio will get your message out to 3 of the 20 counties…putting it on WEEK TV will reach a few more than that. You’d have to have a debate broadcast on Springfield, Peoria, and probably Quincy and the QC TV stations, as well as several radio stations in between, to think you could reach all the constituents in one fell swoop. Therefore, since the coverage areas are quite different (entire U.S. vs. a few counties in Illinois), to get equal reach and frequency into a congressional race, you’ve got to take the debates to as many people as you can as many times as you need.
This is not a pro-anyone or anti-anyone analysis, it’s simply the truth. Unless you can get all three major TV outlets in Peoria, all of the Springfield stations, the Quincy stations, and the QC stations to all agree to drop regular prime time programming and simulcast a debate between Schock, Ms. Callahan, and Mr. Schafer, then you can’t reach the audience Obama/McCain are going to reach.
So how DO you reach them? More debates. End of discussion on the irrelavent comparison the Schock camp seems to be trying to make to Mr. Obama. (BTW, even if it WAS a valid argument, why blame just Obama? Is John McCain asking for 10 debates? Didn’t think so.)
September 5th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Oh, and one more thing. Forums are not debates. If there is no chance for immediate rebuttal (and counter rebuttal, depending on format), it is NOT a debate.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
“Several” of the joint appearances have rebuttal formats? So … you’re saying they’re not all debates. Thanks for conceding the point, Sentinel.
11Bravo,
John McCain is 72 years old. He has a strong family history of heart disease … both his father and grandfather died of heart attacks at ages younger than McCain is now. He has a hot-tempered type A personality, and he is seeking the highest-stress job on earth. 9 out of 43 times in our country’s history, the vice president has taken the reigns of power. McCain’s vice presidential pick is CRUCIAL … and he made a very reckless choice in order to rally the base to his ticket.
The McCain campaign emphasized the importance of experience from the time he secured the nomination to the start of the RNC … and then they pick Palin? You don’t see that as at all hypocritical?
September 6th, 2008 at 1:34 am
Now officially a Republican for ‘Anyobody but Schock’!
I thought we left the subtle racism of the 60’s & 70’s behind, until I saw Aaron Schock speak to the GOP delegates tonight. I am bitterly disappointed in Aaron. In just two sentences, he insulted an entire race of humans, when he equated people on food stamps solely with the black community.
In the span of 1 paragraph, Schock implied that only persons-of-color are ever in-need of a ‘leg-up’ or a ‘hand-out’. Yes, in just one paragraph Schock lumped all blacks into a single category, when he exclaimed: …by “helping impoverished folks…” and then “I was re–elected with 39–percent of the African–American vote”.
Sad & repugnant, Aaron… but you can now add another title to your list of offical names.
Along with being a Bible-thumping Sexist, you have now shown yourself to be downright RACIST.
Pathetic to think that we ever actually considered him for the seat once held by Lincoln.
Sad, sad, sad.
September 10th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Hey Billy,
Any comments about THIS!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/10/13317/8563
I’m waiting
:drummingfingersontable:
September 10th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Stop drumming your fingers. I have a post up on the matter.