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Posted on 09/30/2002 3:34:05 PM PDT by Lil'freeper
Ron Smith just scored a football! HRH Kathleen Kennedy Townsend sat for an hour+ interview on WBAL radio with Ron Smith and various Maryland callers. There were many excellent questions raised and some absolutely astounding answers- including a few classic KKT statements. There was even some empty "air" time as Ron Smith sat, I am sure, dumbfounded at some of her responses and times when she was completely stumped. What follows is a rough outline of the questions and the answers paraphrased from my notes. My thanks to the excellent callers and emailers that had that woman squirming in her seat.
KKT: Affirmative action is corrective. It corrects the harms that were done in the past. (direct quote here:) "And I think there is values in corrections."
KKT: All he has to do is explain "Why?" Why did he vote to put assault rifles and guns on the street? Why did he vote to abolish the dept. of education? Why did he vote to reduce spending on education?. We want to know: Who are you and what do you believe.
KKT: No, it was a matter of timing. And I thought it might be better to wait. Actually I had been trying to come on for a couple of weeks.
KKT: He appears to be a moderate, but he's not. His voting record says he's not. I'm sure he's a good guy. But..
Ron interrupted pointing out the nature of congressional voting- that many odds and ends are crammed into omnibus bills. And that voting against one ammendment can be interpreted as voting against some other ammendment that was in the bill.
KKT: (repeating a debate theme) Well, I can't criticize Elijah Cummings' record like that. Ben Cardon either. Why can't he stand on his record? Why not say "I was with Newt" Are you hiding? Have you changed your mind? What? He hasn't explained what happened.
3) RS conversationally asked about the budget. The next governer is going to have a deficit to fix.
KKT mentioned that she would be happy to send Ron his very own copy of her budget which is also available from her website.
KKT: We're doing better than 42 other states. I like to look at it this way: "Hey we're a strong state..we've got sound fundamentals" we have a rainy day fund. Overall poverty is down, child poverty is down and family income is up.
She then tried to be cute and mention that the wonderful economy during her term as Lt. Gov was due to the democrat in the white house. I tried to quell my nausea and keep taking notes.
RS: In the '01 year 4.5 billion was spent on education and in the '02 year 6.5 was spent, but the 8th grade reading scores wen down. Why should we vote for someone who wants to spend 1.3 trillion (?? was that supposed to be billion?) more with no accountability for it.
KKT: Well, let me tell you a different story Ron. In Baltimore city, spending was increased from 3K per kid to 6K and the reading and math scores are now well above average. The question is how to make sure the money is well spent. I spent 7 years in the schools talking to parents and administrators, writing curricula, and teaching teachers so I know about accountability. We can do better and try to spend the money well.
KKT: The studies show that slots cause an increase in crime and an increase in addiction. Its a simple answer really. Slots will hurt small busineses and restraunts.
RS: Well, why are slots bad but the lottery good?
KKT: The studies show that slots are more addictive than the lottery.
KKT: I'd make a way for the bad news to travel up. The problems didn't get reported. As soon as we knew we replaced the people responsible and set up reforms including independent monitors.
John: So you started this with no safeguards to protect the kids who are mainly young blacks? Was this an ill-conceived idea, poorly planned?
KKT: Well, we had boot camps long before I was Lt. Governer. The abuses were there but they didnt' get reported. Once we heard about the abuses we fixed it and put in the safeguards.
KKT: I went to private school, but my daughters and husband went to public schools. His parents worked for the public school system. My family has a long history of commitment to the public schools.
KKT: Studies show that our laws reduced murders by 40 deaths.
RS interjected that when Florida introduced its concealed carry law, crime plummeted as did with many other states that had similar laws. Why is Maryland a holdout?
KKT: (getting a little testy) Our study was by Johns Hopkins, it says our gun laws saves 40 lives every year. < talking over- hehhehheh she was irritated > The police officers I talk to don't want uzis and AK-47s on the streets. It's not just bad guys, it's bad guys with bad guns. < talking over- she's really irritated. > YOU'RE the one who raised the 2nd ammendment issue. Why is the NRA so adverse to any laws? Why does the NRA support him (Ehrlich) so much?
KKT: It was the way he put it. How he said it. Actually I was more offended by the way he would not answer the questions.
KKT: No, I'm in favor of goals. They are different than quotas.
RS: What's the difference?
KKT: It's aspirational really. You want it, you aspire to it, and if you don't get it it's ok.
Harvey: Do you want any new programs?
KKT: I dont' think we need new programs, we need more opportunity. We need to provide the ladder up with character education. We need to set the spark inside an child so he can say I want to do that. It all goes back to education.
Harvey: Your position is that affirmative action is supposed to correct past wrongs and you want to do that by increasing bugetary spending on education?
KKT: Yes, absolutely.
KKT: No. Isn't that something? People couldn't believe I could do it on my own.
KKT: < pause > Sure!
caller reads a Ghandi quote regarding the worst thing the British did to them was disarm them
caller continues: What's the difference between the bullet that comes out of an AK-47 and the same caliber bullet that comes out of a legal rifle?
KKT: < silence> Is that a serious question?
< more silence >
< stammer > The difference is one is more powerful
John: They're the same bullet. They're the same caliber
KKT: < talking over- arguing with caller- he keeps repeating "they're the same bullet!"> I've talked to police officers, the FOP. They don't like to be on the street with....
John: Just that one is ugly and the other is not. THEY'RE THE SAME BULLET!!!
KKT: < gets that screechy nasty voice > YOU LISTEN TO ME! You called and asked the question, you're going to get my answer!
John: They're the same bullet!
KKT: These weapons are more dangerous!
John: Ron, tell her they're the same bullet.
RS: They're the same bullet.
KKT: Yes, my staff is still working on that. I think two debates would be appropriate. Actually, they haven't returned our phone calls.
KKT: Yes, I have a specific plan for education. My blueprint is on my website. It starts with early childhood education- before pre-K- for at risk kids where they can start learning their colors and letters. Then we have to reduce class sizes. Get clear curriculum goals and train the teachers so they know the goals. For kids who can't meet the goals we have summer help, summer school, after school programs for areas that need the most help.
Lee: What about the middle income child? They're not....
KKT: Those are the kids the schools are reaching already.
KKT: I didn't say that. I never said that. I'm for opportunity. I'm for clear results. Education. There's a great contrast. I'm for real classrooms, not trailers. He was for the largest cut in pre-k education. He cut school lunches, school breakfasts. I'm for a ladder to opportunity.
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