Re: question for Forbes / submitting the Guardian piece

A few days back, The Tidewater News ran an editorial that we at the Wynne LeGrow campaign found to be of great interest. After first noting that the papers long-beloved incumbent Randy Forbes is a swell and honest guy, the editors go on to raise a minor but noteworthy concern regarding a mysterious decision on Forbes part, made all the more mysterious by the congressmans perceived virtues:

Curiously, though, Forbes was unresponsive to an invitation by the Virginia Peninsula League of Women Voters to take on LeGrow in a debate. Hes also been unresponsive to our newspapers attempt to find out why he shunned the debate invitation. Thats unusual for Forbes, a straight-up guy whose re-election bids we have endorsed over the years.

We would respectfully submit that a longtime politician who refuses to debate his opponent and who ignores questions submitted to him by a friendly newspaper is probably not a straight-up guy at all, but rather a crooked one who would prefer that the voters not have a chance to compare their candidates side-by-side lest they conclude that its time to send a better, more competent representative to Washington. If Forbes wanted the voters to be better-informed on how his policies differ from his opponent, he would happily agree to a debate. The fact that he refused not only to take part in such a debate but also to explain this unusual decision to his supporters among public and press alike should alarm anyone who believes that a representative should be answerable to his constituents. Forbes disregard for those who have elected him is itself an answer; he wants your vote, not your input.

However much the people and press might like Forbes to face LeGrow for a frank discussion about how to bring jobs back to Virginia, reduce the budget deficit, and ensure that the U.S. stays competitive amid a fast-changing international landscape, such a debate will almost certainly not come to pass. Luckily, we have come up with a partial solution, one which we think will be even more informative to the voters than a debate would have been.

Tomorrow, the LeGrow campaign will ask Forbes a question. This question will appear on our website, LeGrowForUSCongress.com, and will likewise be sent to every media outlet catering to the 4th district, as well as to the Forbes campaign itself. The day after tomorrow, we will ask another question, which will again appear on our website and again be sent to all of the parties noted above. The day after that, we will do the same thing. Likewise for the day after that one. We will, in fact, be asking a question each day, right up until the eve of the election next month.

The wonderful part of this plan is that it doesnt require Forbes to participate or to do anything at all. If he or his campaign would like to answer any or all of these questions, they may do so. In the more likely event that they ignore these questions lest they accidentally help to inform the voters and thus break with Forbes campaign policy, we will happily assist in getting the word out that they would prefer not to answer.

On Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 4:02 PM, Jonathan Farley <lattice.theory@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi,

I don't see the question for Forbes.

I will add my thoughts to what you send me, and send it back to you tomorrow to run by the campaign. Once they approve it, I'll submit it to the Guardian, but I'll need the campaign's contact information.

Regards,

Jonathan

On 11 October 2010 14:56, Barrett Brown <barriticus@gmail.com> wrote:

Just finished a press release that they're going to use to announce that they'll be publicly asking Forbes a question every day until the election since he won't debate; I've pasted it below for you to take a look. Now will finish the op-ed and send your way. After you've edited, should the campaign send it to the Guardian?

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Regards,

Barrett Brown
512-560-2302