I was looking forward to the debate last night between Gerry Connolly and Keith Fimian because I thought it would force the candidates to discuss the issues and give voters more information. After all, with the tremendous attention being devoted to the presidential election, this would have been an easy way for the 11th CD candidates to communicate directly with the voters. Based upon conversations I had with people from both sides of the aisle while waiting for the debate to start, I wasn't the only person who held this belief. One person even said that he believed this was Fimian's chance to define himself in a positive frame of light.
Unfortunately, Fimian simply didn't seem to understand this and gave one of the worst appearances in a debate that I've ever seen. He set the tone for his performance during his opening, when he spent most of his time talking about how he was a football star in college who didn't have a career in the NFL because he got injured. When he finally got around to talking about something that might be considered relevant to the election, it was about how he started his business in a room above his garage. He continued by saying that businessmen like himself needed to be elected to Congress or else the country as we know it would come to an end. It honestly sounded like he had just talked to Karl Rove and had decided to use the same scare tactics as the Bush Administration. Fimian simply substituted not electing a business executive as the thing we needed to be afraid of instead of a terrorist attack.
more after the flip
Throughout the debate, Fimian made sure that he mentioned his business experience and desire to cut government spending in essentially every answer that he gave. When he was asked a question about intelligence, for instance, he automatically included a lot of talk about business management and how that's necessary in a Congressional candidate. Even the Republicans sitting right in front of me appeared to be confused on why he had tried to turn the conversation in that direction.
The scare tactics continued when he said that people in Springfield are worried about the "fraternity houses" in the area that he implied were filled with undocumented workers. When you combine this with the fact that Corey Stewart called into WTOP this morning to attack Gerry Connolly, this move definitely tied Fimian to some of the measures that the extreme right wing of the Prince William County Republican Party have been using. I'll give Fimian the benefit of the doubt though, he might not have realized that most people don't agree with the controversial tactics that Stewart and his cronies have used in order to promote their partisanship.
Just as most people joined me in being excited about the debate and the opportunity to gain information about the candidates, I wasn't the only person who was disappointed with Fimian's lack of concrete answers and new ideas. As people filed out of the debate, one person said, "the only thing I learned about Keith Fimian was that he started his business in a room above his garage." This lack of talking about the issues and the use of scare tactics is what has gotten us where we are today. In other words, if you're happy with the way the Bush Administration has run the country, then Keith Fimian is your candidate for Congress.
Fimian mostly stuck to a few soundbites, even when they did not address the questions that were asked. He repeated them multiple times as he dodged and weaved to avoid looking downright ignorant.
Even some of the hardcore Republicans in the room cringed when Fimian failed to answer the questions asked and, instead, resorted to mouthing vague homilies that highlighted his ignorance on federal issues that have a direct impact on Northern Virginia.
To say Connolly won the debate is an understatement. Connolly responded to questions with clarity and detail, while Fimian looked like a deer caught in headlights as he grasped to understand and respond to questions from the audience about issues that were clearly over his head.
Score one for Connolly.
I told him I had just missed meeting him when he was at the Viva Vienna Festival Memorial Day weekend, and wanted to introduce myself. I made it a point to put a Connolly sticker on my shirt beforehand so it was clear to him that I was not one of supporters. Then I asked him if was o.k. for me to take his picture. He said yes but my request seemed to make him a little bit uncomfortable, although he may have just been preoccupied with thinking about what questions he might be asked. But when he finally faced the camera I was never able to get even a hint of a smile. It was then that I realized that he seemed to be nervous, not just preocupied - even when he resumed his conversation with his friend.
I'd say it would not be a stretch to discribe his demeanor as a "deer in the headlights".
My intention had been to ask him to explain what he meant in one of the claims about Gerry's Fairfax County BCOS chair record in the fliers on the table, but I thought better of that idea since it was pretty obvious that his flier attacks (distortions/lies) against Gerry would be his main theme throughout the debate regardless of the questions asked.
As it happened, I watched the Warner-Gilmore debate, with Gilmore also going back to his theme that he is honest and trustworthy and Warner is dishonest and can't be trusted - regardless of the questions asked, most of which had nothing to do with what he or Warner did during their respective terms as Governor. It was almost as if Fimian had watched the Warner-Gilmore debate and had followed the same "script" to avoid answering questions he didn't know how to answer.
I think the main difference between Gilmore's and Fimian's question-dodging strategyand abilities are that Gilmore is a pretty intelligent and experienced professional politician skilled in the art of deception and changing the subject. Whereas it is no surprise that Fimian is the opposite of Gilmore - he is clearly a rank amateur REALLY not ready for prime time.
Judging from his apparent total lack of preparation for not just the debate but for his candidacy from the very beginning, there doesn't seem to any evidence that he will ever be "ready for prime time" to even run for a Board of County Supervisors seat.
The question I really should have given to the question-selection committee was a two-part question: 1.) Will you regret spending so much of your own money on the campaign if Gerry wins and 2.) Do you expect to receive RPVA or local party financial contribution to supplement your own money ?
I'll be watching for the debate transcript.
Is it turning out that Fimian is a dolt along the same lines as George Allen?
It was exactly one hour long.....
Whatever happened to the passion of public service? The "Contract with America" or "restoring honor and integrity" to Washington DC. The Republicans have no platform anymore. It is almost like the Republican Party has to reinvent themselves for the 21st Century, except the Party leadership shuns anyone who wants to do that. They are so obsessed with retaining the status quo they even turned McCain into a Republican sheep. They alienated Ron Paul and Bob Barr, who had the integrity to stand up to the appalling spending increases of the last 8 years.
Although I am anxious about the Presidential race, I certainly enjoy watching Republicans self-destruct in their Congressional races.
Surprise, surprise -- only Mark Sodrel (the guy Baron Hill's been facing over and over) is serious about retaking the seat for the GOP.
One guy on another message board told me one of the GOP 'candidates' (Luke Puckett, IN-02) was late in sending in an FEC-required expenditure form late for the 2Q. His reason, apparently, was that he hadn't spent any money.