Posted on 03/07/2008 6:16:01 AM PST by kellynla
Last week, I had the chance to sit down with Jeff Beatty, a Republican U.S. Senate candidate for the state of Massachusetts. Beatty is currently rallying support in order to offer a strong challenge to the current seat holder, Senator John Kerry. Jeff, who was in town to receive the prestigious "Guardian Award" from the International Association of Counter-terrorism and Security Professionals (IACSP), left me confident that we are putting our best foot forward in November's race and that Kerry will be facing a worthy opponent. Jeff's unique background as a counterterror professional and businessman positions him well to unseat Kerry and provide the leadership that this nation needs in an uncertain security environment.
As a counterterrorism professional, Jeff is well suited to set security policy, as he is the only person that I know who has served with all three of our nation's elite counterterror units. As an Army officer, Jeff was wounded in combat while serving as a Delta Force Assault Troop Leader during the invasion of Grenada. His story of being shot down during a helicopter assault is both harrowing and inspiring. Jeff -- though wounded during the helicopter crash -- organized the evacuation of his fellow Soldiers and then continued on to complete his assigned mission. For his actions, Jeff received the Purple Heart and medal for valor.
After leaving the Army, Jeff went on to serve in the FBI as an advisor to the Bureau's elite Hostage Rescue Team (HRT). I know a little bit about that unit, and I can tell you that they are the best of the best in terms of tactical proficiency and intellectual and physical prowess. Jeff's leadership in preparing the HRT for its role in the 1984 Olympics speaks volumes about his expertise and professionalism. Only the best are selected to train the best.
Jeff then went on to serve as a CIA Counterterror officer, running operations in Europe and the Middle East from 1985 to 1992. While much less is known about this portion of his career (Beatty would certainly not divulge anything), one need only to take a look at the timeline to know that he was knee-deep in taking the fight to our nation's enemies.
When I asked Jeff why he was running for the Senate and what made him think that he was a better candidate then Senator Kerry and his Republican challengers for the nomination, he relayed a story in which he was invited to the Pentagon with a select group of businessmen who were professionals in the security industry. A senior Pentagon executive outlined a soon-to-be-executed military operation, and at the end asked for comments. With over 30 years of military planning experience behind him, Jeff saw deep flaws at all levels of the plan, from tactical to strategic. When he expressed those doubts, he was unsatisfied with the answers. And the fact that his question was the only one that penetrated the briefer’s statements left him wondering why no one with his experience and credentials was there beside him. The short answer is that very few have the perspective and experience he has.
Despite being asked his opinion, Jeff realized then that as a businessman, he had little say in the conduct of national security policy and military strategy; but as a Senator, he could effect these areas for the better -- as one of the few elected officials who could ask the hard questions based on a lifetime of operational experience.
Beatty's Pentagon visit made a powerful impression: he knew that he had to run.
If there is a bottom line here it is this: Jeff Beatty has spent a lifetime walking the foreign and security policy decisions of our nation, giving him a unique perspective that will serve him well in setting future policy.
Interestingly, Beatty's business career will also help him lead our nation as we navigate through an uncertain security environment. As President of TotalSecurity.US, Jeff has established a reputation as a leader who understands the threat and takes preventative steps to meet that threat head on. The citation that Jeff received last week states that "pre 9-11 Mr. Beatty trained every Officer in the MBTA Police Department in prevention and response to terrorism" and that "pre 9-11 Mr. Beatty trained every headmaster in the Boston Public School System on prevention and response to violence." Did you get that? "Pre 9-11."
What goes unsaid is that Jeff also warned officials in Atlanta of a threat prior to the Olympic Park bombing and that he also advised officials in the airline industry -- again, pre 9-11 - of sophisticated hijacking threats that would require changing counter-hijacking procedures and the hardening of cockpit doors.
Now I don't know about you, but Jeff's track record of predicting the threat prior to September 11th and his efforts to prepare for yet-to-happen attacks leaves me confident that he will be one or two steps ahead of our adversaries in the future. Personally, that is precisely the kind of person I want setting our national security agenda.
And to think that I have not even mentioned that since 9-11, Beatty has been cited for training over 10,000 professionals in the Massachusetts transportation arena on anti-terrorism awareness. Anyway you cut it, this guy knows our enemy and works hard to deny him an opportunity to strike.
But allow me to place his government and business expertise in the field of counterterrorism aside and focus on an equally important part of Beatty's qualifications: that of running a business in a challenging economic environment. Unlike Senator Kerry, Beatty has spent more than a few years managing a payroll, paying business taxes, and providing jobs, healthcare, and benefits to his employees. Jeff, who smiled as he told me that he is a "proud member of the middle class," is quick to remind me that he knows what it is like for his employees to balance paying a mortgage, wrestling with rising fuel costs, and putting food on the table. Because he has faced those struggles himself.
Draw your own conclusions, but if the voters of Massachusetts want to elect someone who understands and relates to their daily challenges, they need look no farther than Jeff Beatty.
As you can tell, I was deeply impressed by Jeff. As a guy who has spent the last four years running around Senatorial offices on Capitol Hill and dealing with elected officials on all matters national security related, I can state that Jeff Beatty is exactly the kind of person we want shaping our policies and leading the security debate.
To put it plainly, at a time when we have so few leaders in Congress who have served in the military and even fewer who understand the nature of the threat that our nation faces, Jeff Beatty strikes me as the kind of leader that our nation needs as we move into an uncertain security environment. Warrior, businessman, and "proudly middle class," Jeff has what it takes to give Senator Kerry a run for his money.
Ogonowski also republican running for his seat
My apologies if I sound like a defeatist, but nothing is going to change in MA unless the foolish citizens there stop voting for elitist liberals.
This is still Massachusetts where they will still support a Kerry over any Republican.
One of the old sayings in MA in past has been this one: “Good luck to you and the Red Sox.”
I wish Mr. Beatty well. But the Commonwealth is packed tightly with liberals and socialists who think defending our country means going to the Cape on Friday nights and having “an ice cold frosty(a beer),” or voting for Democrats.
Politically, MA is a stinking Democratic swamp full of wimps.
John Kerry served in viet Nam.
Was he in Vietnam?............
Didn't he win a Purple Heart or something? I dimly remember hearing something about that.
Can we trade Massachusetts to a socialist paradise like France, for the French Riviera.
The good (and bad) part is at least Monseiur will have to campaign some this time.The bad part is that leading up to the elections is we are going to see Lurch on the news,a few commercials,and glowing newspaper articles from the B.S. Globe.Ususally we don’t hear or see much of him unless he up for re-election.
I think he won some CIA guy's hat, and got his mind seared for Christmas.
We all need to seriously know if there are any differences on a variety of issues between Jeff Beatty and Jim Ogonowski as well as if one of them is truly more of a credible candidate than the other in order to know which of these two should be the final GOP candidate to face Senator John Kerry(Will it even matter, or will Kerry beat the GOP very badly yet again on November 4 with the GOP at every political level yet again “so not voted for” by the majority of Massachusetts voters?).
All of the U.S. may become a socialistic country soon enough, with or without Massachusetts!
“Served”??????? I thought he faked his way into some purple hearts which allowed him to desert his men before his tour was up. Once he got back home he turned traitor.
One could only hope we could replace this disgrace of a senator. I imagine Teddy’s liver doesn’t have much time left, so we may have a chance there soon.
Along with Senator Byrd in W.V. In fact, there are still too many old U.S. Senators from both political parties as well as having the two Independents in the U.S. Senate.
Ogonowski got in at the last minute and is being foisted upon the Rs of MA much like McCain is being foisted on us.
I have seen them both speak. Jim is a nice enough guy but his big claim to fame seems to be the sad death of his pilot brother on 9/11...a tragedy for sure. But he is, in my opinion, not an engaging speaker and not a candidate who can go up in this tough fight.
Jeff, on the other hand, has years of military experience behind him and offers a wonderful counter to Kerry. He also has the spine to get up and get in Kerry’s face.
I am disturbed by the shananigans of the State GOP for MA who have attempted to smear and bring down Jeff because he had the audacity to run without their stamp of approval. How can we ever expect to clean up the national RNC and have them respond to us if we let it happen on the state level.
Remember Steve Laffey of RI? He ran against Chaffey and the RNC would not back the more conservative candidate (Steve) in favor of trying to hold on to power. Results? Chaffey got smoked in the general and now there is an official D holding that seat.
Go Jeff go...
The fact that Beatty is a good man with superb credentials on national security matters, will likely make him a national target by the Democrats to prevent him from coming onto the national scene and becoming an eventual challenger at that level.
Thanx, I’d asked for commentary ont his subject previously, this was quite informative.
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