Why Andrews should debate Glading (and why he's hiding)NJ CD1

Examiner ^ | 7/13/2010 | William Hughes

[curth]

During the quiet political months of the summer local politicians take to the parade routes and beaches to make their personal appeal before the last big stretch going into the November election.

This year, amid the patriotism, fireworks, and burgers a call to debate has gone unheeded by a career politician, one of the authors of the House Obamacare bill, who seems to think that he doesn’t need to explain himself to his constituents.

To be fair, Rob Andrews has a long history of getting re-elected without much effort.

And yet this election season is heating up to be something altogether new and different.

Andrews, the Congressman from New Jersey’s First Legislative District has repeatedly been challenged by Republican Dale Glading to debates to no real public progress on the matter in a stinging indictment of both his political cowardice and hypocrisy.

Andrews, once a debate enthusiast when running against the aged New Jersey political apparition Frank Lautenberg, suddenly finds debating beneath him.

When running against Lautenberg, Andrews called for debates. When Lautenberg chose to nap in secrecy over debating in the public forum against the young whippersnapper, Andrews called him out, calling him “pathetic” and noting that “this is a job application. We’re talking about issues of life and death and he is unwilling to engage the issues. He’s hiding from them.”

In addition to his shocking lack of respect for his elder, Andrews’ comments during the Senate primary season gave a spirited defense for public discourse and political debate among rivals. And yet in 2010, suddenly the issues of “life and death” are now only matters for closed door government “death panels” thanks to Andrews’ Obamacare bill and not matters for the public discourse.

It’s not surprising that Andrews would dodge debates.

[curth]

Career politician and author of Obamacare,Rob Andrews, has to go.