Republican U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Emken today called on Dianne Feinstein to ignore the hasty and predictable response by her campaign consultant, Bill Carrick to last week’s challenge, and accept the invitation to take part in a series of regional debates while the Senate is in recess. Each debate would focus on issues of local importance, such as national defense and the military in San Diego and water issues in Fresno, and would be moderated by local media.
SHOT: Carrick, Feinstein’s longtime political guru, arrogantly dismissed Emken’s debate offer when asked last week by the San Francisco Chronicle:
"No. No plans for debate. ‘I don’t know if this makes much sense.’ After all, Carrick said, DiFi didn’t debate state Sen. Dick Mountjoy in 2006 ‘and he was an elective office holder.’"
CHASER: In fact, the last time Feinstein faced the music in a public debate forum was against then-Congressman Tom Campbell in October 2000.
Let’s step into the Way Back Machine and see how much the world has changed since then. In October 2000:
Bill Clinton was PresidentThe world has changed. Dianne Feinstein hasn’t. It’s time for a fresh look at who should be our United States Senator. Let’s start with a debate.
Gray Davis was governor of California
Saddam Hussain was running Iraq
Most Americans had never heard of Osama bin Laden
Most Americans had never heard of Barack Obama, either
The World Trade Center towers dominated the Manhattan skyline
No one had ever seen a Harry Potter movie
No one had ever followed or friended anyone on Twitter or Facebook
No one had ever used an iPod, iPhone or iPad
Unemployment was…only 3.9%
The federal debt was…only $5.7 trillion
Gas was…only $1.79 a gallon
Elizabeth Emken
