Team Pompeo, You may have read over the last few weeks that Mr. Tiahrt has not responded to our request to sit down and discuss a series of debates. That’s still true and we are now less than 30 days from the primary election day. We’ve not received even one call, or one email – not even a smoke signal – indicating any willingness to talk with me or our campaign about how to get debates set up with fair and common rules. That’s too bad. Not for Mr. Tiahrt or for me, but for you. The Tiahrt campaign has instead tried to work through intermediaries to shape various appearances and generally make it difficult for the two of us to debate. That is not proving to work well. The dispute over the rules for the debates boils down to this: Mr. Tiahrt is demanding that each candidate be permitted to bring pre-written materials, statements and notes to the podium to assist in his presentation. Speaking without notes or aids is a common debate rule (and even more common in the real world outside of the beltway!). Mr. Tiahrt seems to have some trouble speaking to you without aid or assistance from notes. Watch this video from the Kansas Senate Republican Primary Debate hosted by KSN-TV in Topeka - https://youtube/watch?v=0FAgeoLuDAg Mr. Tiahrt’s refusal to stand on his own two feet raises a series of questions: How would Kansas voters benefit from watching candidates read answers pre-written by their handlers and advisors? Don’t voters deserve to see if the candidates can think in response to questions from Kansans and to challenges from their opponent? (Goodness knows that President Obama is not going to back off because the congressman from KS-4 reads someone else’s statement from a podium!) Does Mr. Tiahrt not know what he believes? After 16 years in Congress, three years as a federal lobbyist (washingtonexaminer/quasi-lobbyist-runs-as-earmarker-in-kansas-gop-primary/article/2550515), and a political career before that, is he incapable of addressing the complex issues facing our nation without crib notes and a three ring binder? We were all critical of President Obama when he read all of his statements from the teleprompter. How is using pre-written statements at a debate any different from that? I truly do hope that we get multiple opportunities to give you all a side-by-side comparison of where Mr. Tiahrt and I have different views. We are very different men with very different missions. Debates would make clear that: I believe in you; Mr. Tiahrt raised his own pay five times. Five times. He voted to raise the debt limit four times with zero budget reforms in exchange. Zero. Mr. Tiahrt believes that nearly everything good that happened in Kansas during his decade and a half in Congress was because he took your money to Washington, D.C., and sent a little bit back to Kansas in an earmark; I just want government out of the way because I know you’ll succeed; and Mr. Tiahrt continues to believe that our children’s education is best directed from Washington, D.C. He voted to federalize our education system by supporting No Child Left Behind that took massive power from our teachers and principals and handed it over to the federal government. There are many others. It’s why the opportunity to communicate with Kansans in debates matters. I hope Mr. Tiahrt will reconsider and be willing to share his ideas – not those of his un-elected counselors – with the good people of South Central Kansas. Mike P.S. Take a look at our photos from the great opportunity we had to learn from, listen to, and connect with Kansans during our Fourth of July weekend!
Posted on: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 14:44:04 +0000
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