Thread: McCain gets heat at town hall, Dems avoid 'unscripted' event

The Hill
McCain gets heat at town hall, Dems avoid 'unscripted' events
By Sean J. Miller - 06/07/10 09:56 AM ET

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) went where few of his congressional colleagues were willing to go last week — a town hall event with his constituents.

During an event in the wealthy Phoenix suburb of Scottsdale on Thursday, McCain faced hostile questions about amnesty for illegal immigrants, waterboarding terrorism suspects and why he hasn't debated primary opponent J.D. Hayworth, according to the Arizona Republic.

"You won't have any debates; you're afraid of J.D. Hayworth," said Scottsdale resident Richard Martin, who kept interrupting McCain. "The people in Arizona deserve debates."


McCain's experience is an interesting one, as The New York Times reported Sunday that Democrats avoided town halls during the Memorial Day recess.

"[M]any Democrats heeded the advice of party leaders and tried to avoid unscripted question-and-answer sessions," the Times reported. "The recommendations were clear: hold events in controlled settings — a bank or credit union, for example — or tour local businesses or participate in community service projects."

Back in Arizona, while McCain has shown a willingness to come face to face with his constituents, that hasn’t extended to his primary opponent. The Hayworth camp has dubbed the last three months the "century of shame" because McCain has avoided a debate for 100 days.

"It's been 100 days of ducking and dodging and making excuses not to face me in a debate," Hayworth said in a statement. "I've proposed a series of debates here in Arizona and have even offered to travel to Sen. McCain's beloved Washington, D.C., if he will square off with me."

Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/sen ... ed-events-

The Arizona Republic
McCain answers tough questions at Scottsdale town hall meeting
Jun. 4, 2010 10:04 AM

Sen. John McCain met with a hostile attendee Thursday at a Scottsdale town hall meeting who questioned the senator on amnesty, waterboarding and why McCain hasn't debated GOP opponent JD Hayworth.

"You won't have any debates, you're afraid of J.D. Hayworth," Scottsdale resident Richard Martin said. "The people in Arizona deserve debates."

When McCain tried to answer the questions, Martin would speak over him. McCain asked Martin to be respectful and not interrupt.

McCain said that he was open to talking about debating Hayworth, "but I have a day job also in the United States Senate."

The four-term senator is running for re-election and faces Hayworth and another Republican in the GOP primary Aug. 24. McCain will host another town hall at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at FCF Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Building B.

McCain told the filled room of about 80 attendees at Scottsdale's Mustang Library that he is not in favor of amnesty, instead supports securing the border and gave the example of how a year ago he called for the National Guard to be stationed at the Arizona border.

He also told Martin that most people who support waterboarding as an interrogation technique have never been in combat or the military.

"I can tell you that our military leaders are opposed to torturing people unless it is an extreme circumstance," McCain said.

He mentioned his time that he spent as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War and what happens when a person is tortured.

"I know this for a fact from personal experience, that after awhile that person will say anything that you want to hear in order to make the pain stop," McCain said. "Many times you get bad information as well as very good information."

McCain returned to the immigration debate after another participant asked for his thoughts on having Social Security cards with expiration dates.

He said it was similar to a temporary legal worker program, which he favors. For example, an employer advertises a job and if he is unable to find any American workers to apply, then it is open.

"There are jobs in the agriculture sector like Yuma, where they cannot get Americans to do that work," McCain said.

There should be a process where people can work for a limited period of time with a card that has an expiration date, McCain said.

"That has to be part of any viable legal temporary worker program. The unions are dead set against it. They killed off the Bracero program a long time ago," he said

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... sdale.html

Expiration dates????

How about a Temporary worker number so they can pay taxes. Why would you ever give them a number like the ITIN or a card that resembles a citizen's ID?

Dixie