Freepmail or ping me on the thread to be added to the John Armor for Congress ping list.
Posted on 04/09/2008 11:58:16 AM PDT by MitchellC
FLAT ROCK -- Hours after Flat Rock's mayor called him an "arrogant a--" who didn't deserve his vote, congressional candidate Carl Mumpower on Tuesday afternoon reversed himself and agreed to participate in a candidate forum sponsored by the Village Council.
Mumpower and organizers of the debate had engaged in a low-volume war of words since last week when Mumpower objected to restrictions on electioneering by candidates.
By Tuesday afternoon Flat Rock mayor Bob Staton was fed up.
"In my three decades of practicing law in our Nation's Capitol, I encountered my share of arrogant a--es, but none could hold a candle to you!" he wrote to Mumpower, an Asheville city councilman. "And you want to be my Congressman??? I think not!"
Mumpower responded: "I encourage you to invest your insults and votes as you feel best. I have no personal animosities on this matter and simply have a principle disagreement based on the above. If I am not willing to stand up to nonsense at home I certainly won't be able to do it in Washington."
Signs of trouble
Last week, debate moderator Terry Hicks sent an e-mail to the candidates -- Mumpower, Highlands attorney John Armor and former Henderson County Republican Party Chairman Spence Campbell. The e-mail established rules for the debate, including one limiting the size of signs in the St. John of the Wilderness parish hall, where the debate is being held.
"We encourage all candidates to bring promotional materials, no larger than 81/2" x 11" in size or smaller, to place on the seats for attendees to take home," he wrote.
"Posters and signs are not acceptable in the auditorium."
Mumpower objected.
"We are, after all, in the election season and artificial efforts to impair our ability to campaign in responsible fashion seem counterproductive to a principled agenda," he wrote. "I am not inclined to play in rigged games -- however well intentioned they may be. I wish your good group and the other two candidates every success with the event."
Hicks called Mumpower's position "regrettable" and said he hoped he would participate in the debate.
Mumpower's e-mails are often a topic of conversation in Asheville, where he has gotten in squabbles with the city manager, the police chief and a local business, and has often battled the Democratic majority on the council.
On Monday Mumpower issued a formal "position statement" on the dispute.
"In the case of the Village of Flat Rock forum the rules change is in contradiction to the guidelines that were originally sent to each of us in January defining the parameters of the event," he said. "There was no mention of a restriction on active campaigning -- had there been, I would have flagged the issue at that time.
"Going forward I want all organized bodies to understand that, should they choose to artificially limit active campaigning, I will decline those invitations as well."
An olive branch
Staton responded in an e-mail he was initially worried about Mumpower not participating but concluded "my disappointment has waned, and I have since concluded that your absence from the forum will be your loss and not ours."
Hicks held out an olive branch, saying he had received "several comments indicating misunderstanding of our approach to handling campaign signage. If so, the error is mine and my responsibility to clarify."
That seemed to bring Mumpower around.
"It will be my pleasure to participate in the event," he wrote.
His e-mail press releases would be funny if they didn't elevate him to near Christ-like levels of perfection.
Freepmail or ping me on the thread to be added to the John Armor for Congress ping list.
NC ping!
Can't you just hear the snot saying "We are, after all...." Sounds like a Pelosi beginning. And what does the size of signs have to do with campaigning "in responsible fashion"? How is it counterproductive to a "principled agenda."
This is Debbie Wasserman-Schultz lib type talk...use some big words but in a way that makes no sense whatever.
I don't know what's typical of debates for US congressional party nominations, but could you imagine a debate for president, or governor, or even US senate, where a candidate was allowed to paint his own name all over the walls of the building to essentially make up for his poor performance in the debate (which is absolutely the case, as can be seen by watching the debates and understanding the difference between where he stands on positions and where the average voter in his district stands)? And then the first time the debate organizers ask him not to, he cries that they're out to "rig" the debate against him?
The complaint is just ridiculous on its face. He sounds like a pompous fool.
Thanks for all of your pings MitchellC. Bump for one of FR’s finest.
Fascinating look at what it takes to run for a congressional seat (and that does not even include the candidate’s lifetime of experiences).
Educational BUMP! Birdseye view BUMP!
Go John!
“Whenever a candidate turns into a public joke, it is all over.” Up until this dust-'em-up, it looked like Carl Mumpower was my main opponent for the Republican nomination to run against Democrat Heath Shuler. Now, with this absurdity on his record, only Mumpower's Kool-aid drinkers will stay with him.
As I put it in a press release three weeks ago, this is now a two-man race between Spence Campbell and John Armor. Those of you who haven't seen the candidates live and head-to-head, please go to my website. Every minute of every televised debate is on the Internet, because my people put them there.
If I can do a good enough job of getting the word out, I should win. And then, I will immediately become the favorite to defeat Heath Shuler and take his position in Congress.
And that's the name of that tune. (Please help. Now. While you're thinking about it.)
John / Armor
HOORAY John! WOOOHOOO!
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