The Weekly Standard’s John McCormack reports from NY-23:
Earlier today Lindsay Beyerstein reported that Scozzafava responded to an AFL-CIO questionnaire by saying she would support card-check legislation that eliminates the secret ballot requirement for organizing unions. As Beyerstein notes, this contradict[s] statements made by a Scozzafava spokesman in September.
So after the dinner, I asked Assemblywoman Scozzafava if she supports card check. “Yes, yes I do,” she replied.
At that point someone from her campaign placed himself between Scozzafava and me and told me I should direct all my inquires to the campaign’s spokesman. I nonetheless asked Scozzafava if her signing of the Americans for Tax Reform pledge not to vote to raise taxes means she would oppose any health care bill that raises taxes. “What kind of taxes?” she replied. Then another couple of gentlemen interposed themselves between Scozzafava and me as Scozzafava headed for the door.
I spotted Scozzafava later as she was walking to the parking lot, and asked her: “Assemblywoman, do you believe that the health-care bill should exclude coverage for abortion?” She didn’t reply. I asked her twice more. Silence.
After she got into her car, I went to my car and fired up my laptop to report the evening’s events.
Minutes later a police car drove into the parking lot with its lights flashing. Officer Grolman informed me that she was called because “there was a little bit of an uncomfortable situation” and then took down my name, date of birth, and address.
“Maybe we do things a little differently here, but you know, persistence in that area, you scared the candidate a little bit,” Officer Grolman told me.
“[Scozzafava] got startled, that’s all,” Officer Grolman added. “It’s not like you’re in any trouble.”
As weird and unpleasant as Scozzafava’s call to the cops may be, let’s not lose the lede: The Republican candidate in NY-23 supports card check. That’s not a vote forced on her by the shape of her district. It’s a personal ideological adventure. The state Republican party leaders who handpicked Scozzafava have a lot to answer for… assuming that they don’t share Scozzafava’s police-backed dislike of questioning…
17 responses so far
1 joemarier // Oct 20, 2009 at 9:51 am
For the sake of fairness, I’ll note that Pete King signed onto EFCA early on, but took back his support this year. There are plenty of pro-union Republicans out there, but the SEIU’s partisan antics are making it tough.
2 Churl // Oct 20, 2009 at 10:11 am
I think the lede is that those who would prefer a real conservative to Scozzafava have been correct all along. Why should conservatives bother to support a liberal who calls the police to intimidate the press?
3 denminn // Oct 20, 2009 at 12:01 pm
David,
I’m not crazy that she might support cardcheck, but let me ask you this: why is it that more moderate candidates are thrown through the wringer and have to pass every little conservative hoop to pass muster, while we still have people in Congress who consider themselves fiscal conservatives and yet during the Bush years, spent like crazy and added to the deficit?
The Democrats don’t have near this sort of craziness when it comes to their candidates. They are willing to be more pragmatic because they know that they want to win and have governing majorities. But we Republicans want to have some kind of perfect candidate who stands up to “principles” and forsake any chance of actually having a chance to govern.
So in the end, we will lose NY-23 to the Dems who will now have more power to enact their policies.
But hey, at least we have our “principles.”
4 Cforchange // Oct 20, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Wierd? Considering the parking lot topic, its recent history, and the overall mood of this election, the candidate acted appropriately by contacting the police.
Maybe Scozzafava was intimidated – why wasn’t this question asked inside. As the reporter has written, it appears the 2 were alone in the parking lot. Sounds like the inside questioning was ramping up to be agressive. Sounds like the election itself is turning agressive.
The media and reporters of every ilk are viewed more unkindly than they realize. No matter the credentials, most would consider the media to have no respecting boundries, masters at word twisting to their benefit, usually wrong on details and to be quite capable of acts considered violent. In fact it is high time they recognize their huge role as a detriment to many quality candidates ever entering the fray.
5 rbottoms // Oct 20, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I love the GOP.
A man corners an elected official in a dark parking lot to harass her about abortion and then is mystified that the cops are called. Teabaggers, birthers and anti-abortion crusaders can’t see themselves for what they’ve become: fanatics.
6 …At Least We Have Our Principles. | Republicans United. // Oct 20, 2009 at 1:00 pm
[...] David Frum and the Weekly Standard are talking about the Dede Scozzafava, the GOP candidate for NY-23and her position on card check (not to mention her calling the cops on a reporter). [...]
7 rbottoms // Oct 20, 2009 at 1:06 pm
What’s truly odd is Frum doesn’t even see how frighting this reporter’s action would be to a single woman in a dark parking lot who is being harassed by some stranger who claims he’s a reporter.
Her mind could have been on more than is this an abortion nut, how about is this guy a rapist.
The GOP has cornered the market on dumb.
8 mlindroo // Oct 20, 2009 at 1:12 pm
The GOP ought to be in an excellent position for the next elections considering they have very few vulnerable seats left to defend, the state of the economy isn’t good, young/minority voters traditionally are less interested in midterm elections etc..
Still, one has to wonder if “Tea Baggers”, the Club for Growth and other uncompromising hardliners will undermine those efforts to some extent by refusing to support centrist candidates in non-conservative areas. WSJ and TNR list quite a few potential problem spots. It seems New York’s 23rd Congressional district will flip to the Democrats as Hoffman and Scozzafava are splitting the Republican vote. In New Jersey Jon Corzine might win because conservative and moderate Republicans are supporting different candidates. In Florida, California, Illinois, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Delaware the GOP has a number of fairly attractive candidates well suited for statewide elections in areas won by Obama and the Dems last year, yet the “Tea Baggers” remain opposed and in some cases are backing alternative candidates who (with the possible exception of Marco Rubio in Florida-) probably won’t be as competitive in the general election.
When the Dems won back Congress in 2006-08 they did not handpick hardline liberal candidates for conservative districts and (except Joe Lieberman-) centrist/moderate incumbents were generally left alone. In contrast, Erick Erickson et al. seem really determined to take on the 91 House Republicans who voted for TARP last year.
MARCU$
9 Cforchange // Oct 20, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Per Politico update: Here’s the Scozzafava campaign’s response as to why they called the cops:
“Agree or not with Dede Scozzafava’s positions, she should still be afforded a basic level of respect. Reporters asking tough questions is expected and welcomed, but acting like John McCormack did last night shows a complete lack of decency,” Scozzafava spokesman Matt Burns told POLITICO.
“This self-described reporter repeatedly screamed questions (in-your-face-style) while our candidate was doing what she is supposed to be doing: speaking with voters (remember, those who will decide this election?). And then he followed the candidate to her car, continuing to carry on in a manner that would make the National Enquirer blush. I have no doubt he intended to follow her home, too. His actions were reprehensible. Those are the facts.”
This media reporter is simply another rabid party member masquerading as a “conservative”. All issues aside, no matter the underlying mission, this persons conduct appearts to be out of control, period.
Like this reporter, it is fully expected that alot of people will become unhinged as the GOP finds it path to majority membership. Looks like if Scozzafava wins, the doors might be blown right off. Whopee, who would have thought a recession so much fun.
10 rbottoms // Oct 20, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Like the reporter in question, these two think they are the vanguard of a resurgent GOP ready for the previously uninformed public to catch on to all the good they’re doing.
11 rbottoms // Oct 20, 2009 at 5:28 pm
The entire GOP isn’t hard right quite yet. But keep at it, another election or two ought to do it.
12 rbottoms // Oct 20, 2009 at 7:00 pm
From Balloon Juice:
13 Churl // Oct 21, 2009 at 9:41 am
Balloon Juice is certainly your go-to blog on how to build a conservatism that can win again.
“pack heat” – I love the Chicago gangster gaudy patter. But I am surprised that the lefties can’t distinguish a reporter’s notebook from a roscoe.
14 sinz54 // Oct 21, 2009 at 10:18 am
McCormack:
Probably her husband, who is a union organizer in the local AFL-CIO, lobbied her to support it.
Scozzafava seems to have been insufficiently vetted by the GOP. Her ties to the AFL-CIO and the Working Families Party would put her at the very left of the GOP. I want to see the GOP broaden its base. But you don’t start out with someone like Scozzafava, who represents just too big a break with the base at this time. And it’s almost a waste, since the chance that Scozzafava’s husband and support for card check will attract union members to the GOP is nil anyway.
15 rbottoms // Oct 21, 2009 at 12:07 pm
I know empathy is not a gene present in Republicans, but try to put yourself in the shoes of a woman corned in a dark parking lot cornered by some fanatic shouting at you. He’s lucky she didn’t have a weapon or a Taser.
16 mlindroo // Oct 21, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Sinz54 wrote:
> Scozzafava seems to have been insufficiently vetted by the GOP.
> Her ties to the AFL-CIO and the Working Families Party
> would put her at the very left of the GOP.
> I want to see the GOP broaden its base.
> But you don’t start out with someone like Scozzafava,
> who represents just too big a break with the base at this time.
Nonetheless, according to WSJ it seems Hoffman reneged on his promise to support the eventual GOP nominee which is what every candidate was asked to do before Scozzafava was chosen… So, no matter how you feel about Scozzafava or the GOP leadership, it seems they played by the rules whereas Hoffman and his backers did not.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125564976279388879.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
[...]
‘GOP leaders were outraged, especially since Mr. Hoffman, like other congressional hopefuls, had pledged to support the nominee. “He did say it repeatedly,” said Sandra Corey, the former GOP chairwoman of Jefferson County. “And then all of a sudden, it’s a no-go, like he hadn’t understood her background, which is a falsehood. I would never, ever trust him.” ‘
‘Mr. Hoffman says that during the selection process, he didn’t realize that Ms. Scozzafava was as liberal as she is.’
17 Churl // Oct 21, 2009 at 12:53 pm
rbottoms, was Ms. S. alone? Was the parking lot darkened? Was the reporter shouting at her? If he was shouting, did he shout threats or questions? Did she not have some campaign aides or assistants with her? How are we to know these things?
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