The Star-Gazette has Tom Reed's reaction to the most recent Massa dust-up.
Some bloggers who attended Netroots Nation weigh in on Massa's appearance there. Robert Harding from the Albany Project has some video of Massa's appearance there. And reader Vincent sends this post from blogger Digby who says that Massa was "adamant" about the public plan.
Update: Rochesterturning also has video of Massa's appearance.
Comments
In my book, Tom Reed already had two strikes against him, just for being a lawyer. We don't need more of those in Washington.
Now it seems that he would legislate on sound bites. He hasn't read HR 3200. He goes on 96 seconds of video out of a 45 minute talk to comment on his opponent, ignoring how that sound bite was Massa comparing himself to Republican Amo Houghton.
Other than his stature, he is coming across to me as a light weight. Also, as a tax and spend "conservative".
Being a lawyer is 2 strikes, not one? You're a tough audience!
Rotten -
You can check out our video of Massa being "adamant" on the Public Option as well. Plus there is a link to Buffalo Pundit's take as well.
http://rochesterturning.com/2009/08/17/rep-eric-massa-to-vote-against-hr...
Thanks!
Tom Reed says he’s stunned by Eric Massa’s arrogance. I’m stunned by Tom Reed’s arrogance working the "he's not one of us" angle rather than offering solutions. Tom Reed is a divider not a uniter, he's so much of a light weight on the issues that he can only pander to the low information voter.
Reed says that the people Eric Massa “meets with in our district understand upstate New York values. He moved into western New York shortly before he ran for office, but he doesn’t understand us.” What Reed is saying to the low information voter is Massa doesn't understand you because he came from somewhere else, he's not one of us, he doesn't have our values. Reed’s comment is a slap in the face of anyone who has ever worn the uniform. Eric Massa might have put his life on the line for Tom Reed and everyone else in the 29th Congressional District for 24 years but because he lived where The Navy sent him, so he's not one of us, he doesn't have our values. Eric Massa and family moved to Corning not so Eric could run for Congress but to work for Corning Inc. Apparently Tom Reed, a lawyer, thinks that not living in the district your entire life makes you not one of us and not capable of understanding us. A 24 year Navy veteran is not one of us, he doesn't have our values. I’m stunned by Tom Reed’s arrogance and I question his patriotism.
Stop the Navy veteran crap already. I am a Navy veteran. I was named after my Uncle who died in WWII and was in the Army. My father and four uncles were in the Marines and one uncle was in the Air Force. My brother was in the Army. That doesn't make any of us great politicians or leaders. Massa is proud of his service, as he should be. I am also proud of my service.
But....
I'm sure you voted for McCain over Obama because McCain put his life on the line for all of us and Obama didn't. Let's get past this. There are plenty of great reasons for voting for Massa other than the fact he was in the military. Some people want to use the vet angle in this race but not others.
I don't think that being a vet is a reason to vote for or against someone, but it's one reason to cut the "not born here" nonsense.
Randy Kuhl used that "carpetbagger" line of argument as well, and I thought it was just bad politics. Maybe some in the Southern Tier value it, but the Rochester suburbs are full of people who weren't born in the state -- or even in the country -- who are proud to be New Yorkers and proud of their community and citizenship. Another reason why it's so tone-deaf is that Rochester is trying really hard to grow rather than shrink, and the growth is going to come from keeping kids from moving away after college, and from getting people from other areas to move here.
Thanks Rotten, you got exactly the point I was trying to make. Of course you don't vote just because someone is a Vet but after 24 years in the military don't pull the Massa's not born HERE, he's not one of US, he doesn't have OUR values stuff. A pretty provincial outlook for someone who wants to represent us on the Federal level. Again Tom Reed shows he is a light weight on the issues and can only pander to the low information voter.
Explain what you mean by a "low information voter"
A "low information voter" will not make the effort to get news and information from multiple sources and then make an informed decision. A "low information voter" might rely on talk radio, questionable hearsay from friends and family or an inflammatory political commercial to shape their political decisions.
Or their union bosses!