Linda McMahon Says No to “Where We Vote”

by JD -

Well, we tried. Throughout this entire campaign season, dogged producer Tucker Ives has been trying to schedule Republican senate candidate Linda McMahon for our series on Where We Live called “Where We Vote.” We ask for one hour of the candidate’s time, in our studio, to answer questions from me and our listeners. We’d wanted to have her on during the primary against Chris Shays. Shays came on the show, she didn’t.

For weeks since then, we’ve tried again and again, and had our phone calls unreturned, and requests for dates unanswered. It’s a bit ironic, given the press release I got on September 19 with the heading “Will Murphy continue to stonewall and duck media questions for another 48 days?” 

McMahon’s rival, Democrat Chris Murphy, will join us on October 3 (originally scheduled for tomorrow), and has also already been on the program once before, during the primary season. He’ll answer some tough questions that have been dogging his campaign, but also get to talk about policy issues and give voters a reason to elect him in November.

McMahon has appeared once before on “Where We Vote” - back in March of 2010 when she was running against Rob Simmons in another senate race. During that interview, McMahon suggested that I was asking too many questions about her company WWE. Obviously, questions about WWE were on the table again this campaign year, given the wrestling empire’s ongoing effort to scrub the internet of distasteful video “highlights” of past episodes of their “scripted entertainment.”  And, for months, I’ve been wanting to ask her about the lack of access to her campaign by the press, and the feud that developed with newspaper editors over their characterization of WWE’s product.

And of course, we’d be talking about what has become the highlight issue in this campaign for Senate.  No, not jobs or the economy, but as Colin McEnroe puts it, the burning question of “who’s the bigger deadbeat?” We’d ask questions about the creditors McMahon is only now paying back from her bankruptcy in the 1970s.

We’ve said it before: If you have the money to pay for your message, I suppose you can afford to avoid interviews on “free” media like “Where We Vote.”

If Linda McMahon still wants to join us, and there’s someone from the campaign reading this, we’ve got some open dates. Get in touch with Tucker. You know where to reach him.

Monday’s Where We Vote: More Dan Malloy!

by John Dankosky – Well, now it’s getting down to it.  One week and one day until the August 10 primary.  Like Colin McEnroe, I’m not really sure who in our listening audience is paying attention, but we are going to end up with nominees in the race for governor pretty soon regardless.  We’re trying to keep you as informed as possible with a marathon session of Where We Vote.  Today, it’s Democrat Dan Malloy, fresh off of three endorsements over the weekend, and in advance of his much-anticipated debate with Ned Lamont on WNPR, CPTV and WFSB this week. I’m pretty sure we’ll spend some time talking about the increasingly ugly ad campaigns being waged.

Tomorrow, we’ll take a break from the state race and check back in on the senate contest.  We’ll have Rob Simmons, the “stealth” candidate, who was pretty unwilling to directly take on front-runner Linda McMahon during his last appearance in March…we’ll see if that changes.  (McMahon didn’t want to come on the show again before the primary, Peter Schiff was on recently.)

Then, on Wednesday it’s Mike Fedele, Lt. Governor and fast-car enthusiast, who is – by some accounts – closing the gap between himself and front-runner Tom Foley.

You can call in your questions (9-10 am ET) at 860-275-7266, email wherewelive@wnpr.org or tweet us @wherewelive.  And, to ask questions for our gubernatorial debates on August 3 and 4, just go to YourPublicMedia.org, and click on “You Ask The Questions.” Dennis House and I will be sorting through them starting this afternoon.

Blumenthal Reactions Keep Coming

by John Dankosky – You can find full coverage of the fallout from the New York Times article about Richard Blumenthal from WNPR and our partners at The Connecticut Mirror and WNYC on YourPublicMedia.org.

You can also join a lively discussion of today’s Where We Live with your comments.

And check out Colin McEnroe’s blog today, where he lays out a series of interesting interactions with the Times reporter who broke the story.  With as big a hit as the local press seems to be taking for “missing” this story, I think the genesis of the story is very important.  As usual, Colin is right on the money.

Also, listen for WNPR’s Diane Orson on NPR’s All Things Considered today at 5:15 p.m.

Where We Vote: Rob Simmons on Climate Change

By Libby Conn–  When John asked Rob Simmons this morning about any mistakes he’d made in congress as the Representative for Connecticut’s second district, Simmons pointed to his support for cap and trade legislation, saying:

Rob Simmons shows off his Barry Goldwater book - Photo by Chion Wolf

At the time that I was involved with that issue, there was a huge amount of information out in the public domain focusing on issues of climate change and global warming, etc.  Over time, that information has become modified with new information and with some very disturbing news about how that data was manipulated, improperly, by folks who had a vested interest in manipulating it.  And so there’s been a shift away, if you will…

But then Simmons went on to explain that it was actually his time serving as Connecticut’s Business Advocate that convinced him that a cap and trade system would result in higher energy costs for businesses in the state already struggling to operate with some of the nation’s highest rates.

JD: Are you backing away though from the idea that human activity has an impact on the climate? Do you still believe that what we do here does raise the temperature of the planet and something needs to be done about it?

RS: I think we all know that the Clean Air Act, which was signed by Richard Nixon, kind of ironic, and the creation of the EPA, created by Richard Nixon was in response to clean air issues.  I mean, I’ve suffered fro asthma.  So I understand how air pollution and particulate matter in the air can affect our health and our lives.  And that particulate matter, in some cases, is created by human beings…the same issue goes to water.  If you pollute the water and we don’t have clean water, we don’t have the opportunity to live in a quality environment.  So we want to make sure the water is clean.  I remember the days when the rivers of Connecticut ran different colors based on the dyes being used by the velvet mills.  So there’s no question that certain human behavior causes pollution that we need to be concerned about.

JD: The idea that carbon dioxide is one of those pollutants though is something that’s changed since the Nixon administration…..Do you believe that the US moving forward needs to have controls on carbon dioxide emissions, so that the temperature of the earth does not continue to rise?

RS: We need common sense solutions and that’s why I support nuclear power.

At least one caller, Susan, was confused:

Susan:  I thought that Mr. Simmons skirted the question about whether or not he accepted the science about C02 and the cause of global warming and I would like to hear a definitive answer from him because that is kind of the crux of the issue.

RS: It’s nice to have a definitive answer if there is a definitive answer….I’m not convinced there is a definitive answer I’ve read a number of books on both side of the issue and I think it’s basically part of a discussion that is ongoing….I’m continuing to educate myself on the subject and will continue to do so.

JD: You changed your stance on cap and trade, you said, because you thought it would kill business.  But when you supported it at first, it must mean that you believed global warming was happening and there was a reason that we should have cap and trade at all.

RS: There was a lot of information out on the subject at the time.  But in retrospect, as we update ourselves, as we live and as we learn, we’ve discovered that some of that data was manipulated and incorrect.  The entity in Great Britain that was charged with millions of dollars of research on the subject concealed some of their findings, and worked to disregard people who had alternative viewpoints…..I think this issue is a developing issue where new information is being brought to bare and we have to keep our mind open to that.  What really concerned me, as the Business Advocate, is that we have the highest energy costs in the continental United States.  To lay another layer of cost on these companies without being certain that other countries will engage in the regime , without being certain that the science is absolutely correct, it is a job killer and we can’t afford job killers right now.

We had some tweeters take issue with Simmons’ characterization of the science and the significance of  “climate-gate.”:

@wherewelive the climate change emails were shown to be innocent of what Simmons is accusing by an independent panel.

And…

@wherewelive Simmons is just out of touch with reality w/r/t global warming. The email scandal doesn’t impact the main body of research.

In any case, it doesn’t seem that Simmons, or anyone will have an opportunity to vote on cap and trade legislation again anytime in the near future.  Though the House passed legislation last year, the Senate never did so and the policy has, to a certain extent, fallen out of favor.  President Obama’s most recent budget didn’t include the term at all.  Read more on the demise of cap and trade in yesterday’s New York Times.

Connecticut Mirror: McMahon Feeling “Great Momentum”

by John Dankosky - After a few scheduling snafus, Republican Senate Candidate (and now front-runner for the nomination) Linda McMahon is scheduled to appear on our Where We Vote series March 30.   A few days earlier (March 26), her major competitor for the nomination, Rob Simmons is scheduled to appear.

For now, we’ll have to rely on profile pieces, like the nice one written by Mark Pazniokas of the Connecticut Mirror. Some highlights:

• She admired Sen. Jim Bunning’s stand on deficit spending
• She escapes by reading Michael Crichton
• She really doesn’t like talking about steroid use and the WWE.  A sample:

“There is not an incentive to use steroids in WWE. The reason I bring up the fact it is entertainment is because a performer’s popularity in WWE is not relative to size,” she said. ”It is the charisma. It is the story line. It’s the soap opera that runs every week. It’s the connection with the audience. It’s what goes on back stage.”

Read Mark’s full story here.

Do you have questions for the Senate candidates?  Leave them here, or email wherewelive@wnpr.org.

Friday’s Where We Live: Alpert Runs, Walks, Writes

Merrick Alpert Walks - courtesy Rick Green

by John Dankosky - We kick off our 2010 Where We Live election coverage Friday with Democratic Senate candidate Merrick Alpert (for those of you wondering, yes there is a Democrat other than Dick Blumenthal running).

Here’s the basic rules for our candidate forums:

1. We talk to every candidate for every statewide race, and the five congressional races as a solo guest, with questions from me and from listeners.

2.  We require the guests to spend an hour on air, in our studios in Hartford.  If they want to phone in, or only be here for 20 minutes, they don’t get to play.

3.  In an hour, we have enough time for them to lay out some of their platform, but most of the hour is spent answering policy questions.  They don’t know what we’re going to ask…or what you’re going to ask…unless they’re planting questions on Twitter.

In 2006, when we started this, these conversations became a pretty important part of a few races, and we hope the same will be true this time.  We’re waiting until later in the year to get into the statewide office races like Attorney General, and those for the congressional seats…we’re waaaay too far out on that.  But with party conventions looming, we are starting to try and whittle down the field of candidates for Governor and Senator.  (I truly couldn’t even tell you how many people are running at this point.)

Anyway, up first is Merrick Alpert, walking crusader.  Yes, I said walking.  I guess he took my buddy Rick Green of the Courant out on one of his treks recently.  I’m giving you this one, Merrick…my first question will be about walking with Rick Green.

Aside from that, I’m not sure what we’ll be talking about.  In this letter sent to Chris Dodd (courtesy the New Haven Register) it seems he had nothing bad to say about the man he was trying to beat:

Dear Senator Dodd,

Upon hearing the news this morning, I wish to commend you for acting honorably in deciding not to run for re-election in 2010.  For 30 years you have provided exemplary service to the citizens of Connecticut, producing substantial improvements in the lives of families and, in particular, children.  You have been a voice of reason in American foreign policy.  Most importantly, you have shepherded through the Senate affordable, nearly universal health care for all Americans, perhaps the most important legislative accomplishment in a generation.

I wish you, Jackie and your entire family well in the future.  I am

Sincerely yours,

Merrick Alpert

This seeming lack of major policy disagreements with Dodd has been fairly well detailed by the liberal blog MyLeftNutmeg.

One thing we know for sure…dude likes to write a letter.  Today in the Courant’s Capitol Watch, Daniela Altimari shared Merrick’s note to new challenger Dick Blumenthal:

“I am delighted that the contest to succeed Chris Dodd has opened up so that Connecticut Democrats can decide who they want to represent them in the U.S. Senate,” Alpert writes.

“As we each campaign over the next seven months to the August primary, we need to keep focused on the important task before us: of making certain that Connecticut elects a Democrat as Senator come November…Our mutual responsibility through the primary season is to make certain the Democratic Party runs the strongest possible candidate to defeat an anti-government, fear-based Republican platform.”

Questions for Merrick Alpert?  Leave them here, email wherewelive@wnpr.org or call us Friday morning 9-10 ET.  Or, be civilized…write a letter.

Democrats: Joe “duplicitous?”

Mark Wilson/Getty Images Sen. Joe Lieberman walks off the Capitol subway Tuesday, after discussing his opposition to expanding Medicare in the Senate's health care reform bill.

For a while this week, it looked like the opposition of Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Connecticut independent, could doom the Democrats’ attempt at passing health care. That changed when Majority Leader Harry Reid gave in to Lieberman’s demands on the Medicare buy-in program and the public option.

In Washington, many Democrats and progressives were furious at Lieberman; some called for him to be stripped of his chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security Committee. But for his constituents back home in Connecticut, it’s more of a mixed bag.  WNPR’s Diane Orson reports for NPR’s Morning Edition.

The Tower Grill is a small diner just off Route 8 in an industrial area in Waterbury, Conn. During his political campaigns, Lieberman routinely stops at diners like the Tower for his “Cuppa Joe” sessions: scrambled eggs, orange juice and a chance to talk with state residents like Myrna Wantanabe.

But mention Lieberman’s name this morning, and Wantanabe gets pretty caffeinated — and that’s without any coffee.

“I would hope that this is the end of him politically,” Wantanabe said. “I mean, I would truly hope that he is politically finished. I’m pretty angry, as you can tell.”

Wantanabe is a member of Connecticut’s Democratic Central Committee. She says Democrats in the state are furious over Lieberman’s opposition to expanding Medicare coverage — an idea he championed as Al Gore’s running mate back in 2000, and supported just three months ago.

“The word that comes to mind,” Wantanabe said, “is a word that one of my fellow State Central Committee members used in discussing him — and it’s ‘duplicitous.’ What does Joe want?”

Read the rest of Diane Orson’s story for NPR’s Morning Edition.

NPR’s Washington Editor Ron Elving: Joe Leads Caucus of “Me.”