In Sierra Vista, Giffords slams foe, ‘that guy’ [Dems attack on Jesse Kelly]

SIERRA VISTA Herald/Review ^ | Bill Hess

[SandRat]

SIERRA VISTA — For Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the start of the campaign trail in Cochise County’s largest city was a wet one.

Fortunately, the Saturday event attended by nearly 60 people was held indoors.

As thunder rolled over the University of Arizona South administrative building, Giffords verbally lashed out against her Republican opponent, Jesse Kelly, who defeated the perceived GOP establishment candidate, Jonathan Paton, in Tuesday’s primary.

But never once did she call Kelly by name, instead calling him “that guy” or “this guy” or “my opponent.”

Before she took the podium, Giffords was introduced by Judy Gignac, who has supported the Democrat since her first campaign in 2005.

A former Republican, but now a registered independent, Gignac first introduced a video highlighting a number of Giffords’ supporters — self-identified Democrats, Republicans and Independents — who are veterans, senior citizens, educators, firemen, law enforcement officers and ranchers.

Air Force retired Lt. Col. Bob Gent then talked to the audience by saying, “I’m a vet for Giffords,” noting the Congressional District 8 representative has not only supported veterans but has been “watching out for all of us.”

Gignac went on to say the congresswoman listens to all the district’s constituents and “she does work both sides of the aisle,” which is the way rational people obtain results in the political arena.

Giffords told the audience, “I’m not flashy,” but also that she will not stand by and allow her foe to call her achievements for people of the district into question.

Now that the opponent is known, so are his views, which are counter to those of people with a sense of reality, she said.

Then followed a number of statements about “that guy,” who she said would emasculate the important social safety nets for people by calling for the privatization of Social Security and its eventual elimination.

“This guy has said those on Medicare are on the dole and called the middle class unproductive,” she said.

He supports rich business people to the exclusion of ensuring the middle class is protected. He wants to give more tax breaks to big business, she said.

The nation continues to face major economic woes, but Kelly’s ideas are a way to help only the wealthy, not all Americans, Giffords said.

There is still a hard road ahead and she said she knows “my opponent will hit hard on the economy.”

But his solutions are not only wrong, they will lead to even deeper problems economically and socially, the two-term congresswoman said.

“What we are hearing from my opponent is ‘crush the liberals,’ ” without looking at the end result of such ideology, Giffords said.

His ideology comes from the far right, which is not the philosophy of most, she said.

Hailing achievements

She listed what she said are some of her accomplishments, including seeing more funds coming to secure the border, a new post 9/11 GI bill and her support for solar energy.

But perhaps what she is the proudest of is ensuring Arizona receives some of the money back that it sends to the federal government. Giffords noted that she will not apologize for getting some of those funds for the district, which includes all of Cochise County.

While many call them earmarks, Giffords said the funds are rightful returns to the state from federal coffers, including programs she supports through transparent means, which are published and listed.

One thing she does not do is seek funds for businesses, and she never takes political donations from any group that gets financial support through her support, she said.

She said people should visit the nation’s capital and see all the monuments and memorials that symbolize America’s greatness.

Walking around the monuments and memorials, one sees the “tribulations and trials this nation went through” and how it achieved and continues to be successful, she said.

Like many of the issues of the past that have been overcome, so will the current economic difficulties, the congresswoman said.

However, the ideas of Kelly are wrong on every issue he is talking about, she said, describing herself as a moderate centrist or an extreme ideologue.

“This fall, the choice is clear,” Giffords said

[SandRat]

..the Saturday event attended by nearly 60 people .. Poor attendance.

Slime and smear attack as usual Gabby. Using the Pelosi/Grijalva playbook?

[A_Former_Democrat]

What a juvenile woman.

Grow up

[SandRat]

As I said in 1; Slime and smear attack as usual Gabby. Using the Pelosi/Grijalva playbook?

[InterceptPoint]

Jesse Kelly has a shot in this Republican year but he is really underfunded as you can see from the KeyHouseRaces "Race at a Glance" entry. Watch the YouTube video - Kelly is running on all the right issues.

AZ-08   Arizona District  8    Kelly (R) vs. Giffords (D)					Updated: Aug-27-2010
INCUMBENT	CHALLENGER	The District & The Race	YouTube - Recent Polls - Ratings - History
		Spotlight On: AZ-08		Jesse Kelly on YouTube
		SW ARIZONA INCLUDING PART OF TUCSON AND NORTHERN TUCSON SUBURBS In 2006, Democrat Gabrielle Giffords, a former State Representative and Senator, captured the seat which was left open by the retirement of Republican Jim Kolbe. Giffords is vulnerable on two fronts: the unpopular health care reform bill in which she voted yes and Arizona’s immigration law. The Republican challenger will be AZ-08 primary winner Jesse Kelly who has achieved “On the Radar” status in the NRCC “Young Guns” program.	Kelly  (R)		%
			Giffords (D)		%
			Kelly (R)		%
			Giffords (D)		%
			Kelly (D)		%
Gabrielle Giffords (D)	Jesse Kelly (R)		Giffords (D)		%
$2,364,406 Total	$568,372 Total		Avg-Presidential-Vote			R+5
$1,922,680 Cash	$78,980 Cash		KeyHouseRaces Rating			LEANS-D

[mazda77]

The attendance is what I would have expected from the town I called home for 2 years but the flowery story was indicative of a reporter on the farm of Giffords. Her support base is in the Tuscon area which is where the Ltc. was most likely from.

Those who have been there know SV to be an Army town so the creds of a liberal flyboy are seriously called into question. Granted, the services have a diversity of political leaners in the ranks, history has proven this is not friendly ground, especially in the heart of Cochise County, for politicians not up to the task or will of securing our border which is only about 30 miles from this town and Ft. Huachuca.

[FrdmLvr]

Desperate woman, that one.

[upchuck]

Ms Giffords, your opponent’s name is Jesse Kelly. Get used to it.

[Mygirlsmom]

Giffords told the audience, “I’m not flashy,”

She sounds like rather a dim bulb to me.

[nhwingut]

Fortunately, the Saturday event attended by nearly 60 people was held indoors.

Whoa... Overflow parking needed I'm sure.

[az_gila]

Giffords told the audience, “I’m not flashy,”

She sounds like rather a dim bulb to me.

---

But she is the “Solar Queen” - on our dime, of course...:^)

[VeniVidiVici]

Another non-partisan article. Must be hard for these journ0list types to keep their views out of the story. /s

[SubMareener]

Mrs. Submareener and I went to a Jesse Kelly rally in his SV headquarters, which is an office and a garage, during the primary and there were more than 60 people there! Bye Bye Gabby Bye Bye!

[SandRat]

Jesse does pack them in. Gabby is toast!