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Boswell Ducks Debate with Ed Fallon in IA-03
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May 3, 2008 Posted by Stacy Brenton
EENR Blog, by: heartland dem, Fri May 02, 2008 at 21:50:48 PM EDT
Blue Dog Democratic Congressman Leonard Boswell is ducking any debates with his progressive challenger Ed Fallon, who has been endorsed by EENR. At least nine debate invitations were issued, all of which Fallon accepted. Today, the Boswell campaign announced their decision to decline the debate offer from The Des Moines Register and KCCI, the Des Moines CBS affiliate. The reason given by the Boswell campaign for turning down a date in the second-to-last week of May was that the Congressman would be too busy in Washington. He was then offered two dates in the last week of May when the U.S. House plans to be in recess. According to the Register story, "a Boswell spokesman said the campaign did not feel there would be adequate time before the June 3 primary to respond to any misinformation that might arise during the debate."
This is a stunning statement from the Boswell campaign. While the Fallon campaign has focused on grassroots organizing, the Boswell campaign has relied on a push poll and a series of glossy mailers that distort his legislative record and libel Fallon. In just one week, the Boswell campaign sent two mailers blaming Fallon for the Iraq War and the deaths of 4,000 American servicemen and women. It flatly claims that Fallon's endorsement of Nader in 2000 elected George W. Bush and led to the War. The mailer doesn't mention that Al Gore carried Iowa, nor that Boswell broke ranks with the majority of House Democrats and voted to give Bush the authority to go to war in Iraq, nor that he continued to support the Iraq War for five years.
Another mailer portrayed Boswell as "taking on George Bush" and the "special interests" in the healthcare system to give prescription drug benefits to seniors. His actual record shows the opposite. Instead of taking on Bush and the pharmaceutical and insurance companies, Boswell not only supported the Bush plan, he was the deciding vote. House Democrats opposed the bill 195-9, which passed 216-215. Had Boswell voted with his fellow Democrats, the Bush plan would have been defeated. Because Fallon, who doesn't take money from PACs and paid lobbyists, doesn't have the resources to match Boswell's direct mail (and anticipated TV and radio campaign), it seems Boswell is counting on not having to publicly defend his distortions.
Is is worth noting that Boswell has made trips to the district to appear in at least two parades during the campaign, as well as attending fundraising events in the district.