2006.10.22: October 22, 2006: Headlines: Figures: COS - Fiji: Politics: Congress: San Francisco Chronicle: Anti-war mood could unseat Shays

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Fiji: Special Report: Former Congressman Chris Shays: RPCV Congressman Chris Shays: Newest Stories: 2006.08.31: August 31, 2006: Headlines: Figures: COS - Fiji: Politics: Congress: New York Times: Congessman Chris Shays Shifts to Favor an Iraq Timetable : 2006.10.22: October 22, 2006: Headlines: Figures: COS - Fiji: Politics: Congress: San Francisco Chronicle: Anti-war mood could unseat Shays

By Admin1 (admin) (ppp-70-129-41-31.dsl.okcyok.swbell.net - 70.129.41.31) on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 11:07 am: Edit Post

Anti-war mood could unseat Shays

Anti-war mood could unseat Shays

Shays has been taking heat recently for his shifting views on the war. He has long opposed setting a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, saying as recently as this summer that leaving prematurely "would be an absolute outrage." But after his 14th trip to Iraq in August, he changed his mind, arguing that a firm timeline was needed to force Iraqis to broker a deal to end the sectarian violence. And earlier this month, Shays called for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign, accusing him of stonewalling his committee's requests for documents about the conduct of the war. The trouble for Shays is that his latest statements on Iraq looked opportunistic, coming just weeks after Lamont's stunning victory in the Aug. 8 primary showed the anger of Connecticut voters over the war. Farrell dubbed Shays' shift "an election-year conversion." Congressman Chris Shays of Connecticut served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Fiji in the 1960's.

Anti-war mood could unseat Shays

Anti-war mood could unseat GOP stalwart

Connecticut's Rep. Shays tries to shift his stance

Zachary Coile, Chronicle Washington Bureau

Thursday, October 19, 2006

(10-19) 04:00 PDT Stamford, Conn. -- During his 19 years in Congress, Republican Rep. Chris Shays has been seen as a good fit for this district of wealthy suburbs north of New York City, from his penny loafers and Brooks Brothers shirts to his support of President Bush's tax cuts and his more liberal stands on abortion, gun control and the environment.

But Shays' chances for re-election have eroded steadily over one issue: Iraq. While the veteran lawmaker has steadfastly defended the war since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, his constituents have grown increasingly opposed to the war and its costs in dollars and lives.

Shays, in a recent interview, acknowledged his support for the war could cost him his seat. "It wouldn't be a close election if it wasn't for Iraq," he said. "I have one of the most anti-war districts in the country."

The Iraq conflict is roiling congressional races from coast to coast, but nowhere is it having more of an impact than in Connecticut. Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman was beaten in his party's primary by an anti-war challenger, Ned Lamont, and now is running as an independent. The war and Bush's sagging popularity also threaten the House seats of two of the state's other Republican moderates, Rep. Nancy Johnson and Rep. Rob Simmons.

"It's all of Connecticut, not just this district," said Eileen Heaphy, executive director of the World Affairs Forum in Stamford. "This is the major issue for this election. And Chris has been so visible on it nationally. He's made 14 trips to Iraq, and the newspapers always report on his trips. He's a lightning rod because of his role on the issue."

The race is rated one of the 25 closest in the country by congressional analysts. Democrats, who see the seat as crucial to their hopes of retaking the House, are running a strong challenger: Diane Farrell, who served as a local council member for eight years and in 2004 was narrowly defeated by Shays.

Shays is one of Congress' foremost experts on Iraq policy, serving as chairman of the House Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations. He likes to remind voters that he has held almost 100 hearings on counterterrorism and the war.

But Shays has been taking heat recently for his shifting views on the war. He has long opposed setting a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, saying as recently as this summer that leaving prematurely "would be an absolute outrage." But after his 14th trip to Iraq in August, he changed his mind, arguing that a firm timeline was needed to force Iraqis to broker a deal to end the sectarian violence.

And earlier this month, Shays called for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign, accusing him of stonewalling his committee's requests for documents about the conduct of the war.

The trouble for Shays is that his latest statements on Iraq looked opportunistic, coming just weeks after Lamont's stunning victory in the Aug. 8 primary showed the anger of Connecticut voters over the war. Farrell dubbed Shays' shift "an election-year conversion."

"If he had come out, say on his third or his fourth trip to Iraq, and said, 'We have a very serious problem here,' he would have ensured his re-election, in my opinion," said John Orman, a political science professor at Connecticut's Fairfield University, who now sees the race tipping slightly in Farrell's favor. "But he just kept saying, 'I support the war, I support the president.' "

A Quinnipiac University poll in September found that Connecticut voters, by 55 to 25 percent, believe the United States is losing the war in Iraq. Thirty-five percent called it the most important issue in next month's elections.

Shays still has formidable strengths in the race. He's secured hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money for local transportation and community projects. He has a record as an effective legislator, having helped pass a landmark change in campaign finance law that bears his name and a bipartisan measure that created the Sept. 11 commission.

He also has a deep well of support in a district he has represented for 19 years in Congress and before that, for 14 years in the Connecticut state house.

At a recent Columbus Day dinner hosted by local Italian American groups, Shays strolled into a banquet worthy of Tony Soprano, with crystal chandeliers, green, white and red balloons and a band playing Frank Sinatra. Shays, a natural-born schmoozer, kissed the women on the cheek, embraced a Roman Catholic priest and thanked a local Italian grocer for letting him campaign outside his stores. Then he and his wife, Betsi, took the stage and danced to the song, "Shake Your Booty."

"There have been very few dinners or graduations or funerals that he's missed," said Joe Richichi, former president of the Italian Center in Stamford. "He didn't just come off the street to make an appearance tonight. He's been here hundreds of times."

Shays' strategy is clear from his billboards along Interstate 95 and his campaign mailers, which never mention that he's a Republican but label him an "independent" and a "reformer who gets results." He boasts that he was the first Republican lawmaker to call for former GOP House leader Tom DeLay of Texas to resign and to criticize the Bush administration for failing to provide enough body armor for U.S. troops.

"At a hearing (last month), I had Sunnis, Shias and Kurds come in to testify," he said in an interview. "Tell me another member of Congress who brings in Sunnis, Shias and Kurds to testify."

But Shays may have met his match in Farrell, a 51-year-old former account executive for the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency. A mother of two college-age daughters, she has proven to be a shrewd campaigner. She has relentlessly linked Shays to the failures in Iraq and to Bush's policies. Even when asked about education or Medicare, she reminds voters more money would be available for social needs if America wasn't spending $250 million a day in Iraq.

At a recent campaign stop in Bridgeport, she sought to poke holes in Shays' image as a moderate. She noted that his opposition to oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and his support for a higher minimum wage are undermined by his repeated votes to elect GOP leaders in the House who oppose those policies.

"In the 19 years that Chris Shays has served in Congress, has the Republican Party become: A) more liberal, B) more moderate, or C) more conservative," she asked. "Chris has obviously had very little influence on his own party, because they've clearly become more conservative."

The race is quickly becoming one of the most expensive in the nation. Records show that Shays has raised $3.2 million and Farrell $2.5 million as of Sept. 30. The Republican and Democratic congressional campaign committees also are spending heavily on negative ads and mailers.

Despite his experience, Shays has stumbled recently because of his own gaffes. At a debate last week, he said the abuse by U.S. soldiers of captives at Abu Ghraib prison wasn't torture but a "sex ring" -- a comment that drew a rebuke from Amnesty International. He later acknowledged the behavior was degrading and constituted torture.

Shays also defended House Speaker Dennis Hastert's handling of the congressional page sex scandal by citing the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident in which a young woman was drowned in a car driven by Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Shays said: "I know the speaker didn't go over a bridge and leave a young person in the water and then have a press conference the next day. Dennis Hastert didn't kill anybody." Analysts said the normally mild-mannered Shays is flashing his temper under the strain of a tight campaign.

Interviews with commuters at a Westport rail station on a recent crisp fall evening showed that the district's voters remain sharply divided on the race.

Joyce Riccio, an attorney from Westport, said she's a Republican who dislikes Bush and supports Democrats on most issues. But she likes Shays and will vote for him again this year because "he's a nonpartisan. He'll vote for a Republican cause, and he'll vote for a Democratic cause, whatever he thinks is right."

Peter Holland, a federal worker from Westport, is a Democrat who has voted for Shays in past elections. But he's backing Farrell because he likes the job she's done as a local elected official in Westport. He added: "Mr. Shays is very nice, but I don't like the war. I don't think we ever should have been there."

Fairfield University's Orman said the district's breakdown of voters -- 500,000 Republicans, 800,000 Democrats and 900,000 independents -- narrowly favors Democrats. "In the past, when push came to shove, independents often just meant moderate Republicans who were afraid to write down Republican ... so Chris would always win," Orman said.

"But now a lot of those people, moderate independents in an affluent district, are against the war in Iraq. They like Chris as a friend, he's been there for 19 years, he's done great constituent service ... But on the issue of the war in Iraq, for many people Chris comes up really short."





When this story was posted in October 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:


Contact PCOLBulletin BoardRegisterSearch PCOLWhat's New?

Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps Date: September 23 2006 No: 996 Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps
Senator Chris Dodd (RPCV Dominican Republic) spoke at the ceremony for this year's Shriver Award and elaborated on issues he raised at Ron Tschetter's hearings. Dodd plans to introduce legislation that may include: setting aside a portion of Peace Corps' budget as seed money for demonstration projects and third goal activities (after adjusting the annual budget upward to accommodate the added expense), more volunteer input into Peace Corps operations, removing medical, healthcare and tax impediments that discourage older volunteers, providing more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process, a more comprehensive health safety net for recently-returned volunteers, and authorizing volunteers to accept, under certain circumstances, private donations to support their development projects. He plans to circulate draft legislation for review to members of the Peace Corps community and welcomes RPCV comments.

Top Stories and Breaking News PCOL Magazine Peace Corps Library RPCV Directory Sign Up

The Peace Corps Library Date: July 11 2006 No: 923 The Peace Corps Library
The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory or leave a message on our Bulletin Board. New: Sign up to receive our free Monthly Magazine by email, research the History of the Peace Corps, or sign up for a daily news summary of Peace Corps stories. FAQ: Visit our FAQ for more information about PCOL.

He served with honor Date: September 12 2006 No: 983 He served with honor
One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor.

September 12, 2006: This Month's Top Stories Date: September 12 2006 No: 984 September 12, 2006: This Month's Top Stories
John Coyne writes: The Lion in the Garden 12 Sep
John McCain says: We passed up an opportunity after 911 12 Sep
Jody Olsen speaks at Headquarters about 911 11 Sep
Bill Moyers Returns to Investigative Reporting 8 Sep
Boating Accident kills two PCVs in Mali 7 Sep
Director Vasquez bids Farewell to Washington 7 Sep
James Rupert writes: Pact reached with pro-Taliban forces 6 Sep
Carol Bellamy to speak at Global Risk Conference 5 Sep
New trial ordered for Jerry Mark in murder case 2 Sep
Ken Hill to step down as NPCA Chairman 1 Sep
Clintons, Gearans dine at resort 1 Sep
'Chris Matthews' Turns 5 31 Aug
Taylor Hackford thinks Chuck Berry is a pain in the ass 31 Aug
John Kefalas alleges dirty tactics in house race 30 Aug
DRI receives Charity Navigator's highest ratings 29 Aug
Kris Holloway writes "Monique and the Mango Rains'' 28 Aug
Richard Celeste writes: Watch Out For Voting Day Bugs 28 Aug
Donna Shalala boosted UM's image 27 Aug
Leonard Robinson devoted his life to the underserved 24 Aug
Phil Hardberger will run for re-election in 2007 24 Aug
Snakes on the Plain - the black mamba 23 Aug
Eunice Kennedy Shriver still going strong 20 Aug

Meet Ron Tschetter - Our Next Director Date: September 6 2006 No: 978 Meet Ron Tschetter - Our Next Director
Read our story about Ron Tschetter's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that was carried on C-Span. It was very different from the Vasquez hearings in 2001, very cut and dried with low attendance by the public. Among the highlights, Tschetter intends to make recruitment of baby boomers a priority, there are 20 countries under consideration for future programs, Senator Dodd intends to re-introduce his third goal Peace Corps legislation this session, Tschetter is a great admirer of Senator Coleman's quest for accountability, Dodd thinks management at PC may not put volunteers first, Dodd wants Tschetter to look into problems in medical selection, and Tschetter is not a blogger and knows little about the internet or guidelines for volunteer blogs. Read our recap of the hearings as well as Senator Coleman's statement and Tschetter's statement.

Chris Shays Shifts to Favor an Iraq Timetable Date: September 2 2006 No: 971 Chris Shays Shifts to Favor an Iraq Timetable
In a policy shift, RPCV Congressman Chris Shays, long a staunch advocate of the Bush administration's position in Iraq, is now proposing a timetable for a withdrawal of American troops. How Mr. Shays came to this change of heart is, he says, a matter of a newfound substantive belief that Iraqis need to be prodded into taking greater control of their own destiny under the country’s newly formed government. As Chairman of the House Government Reform subcommittee on national security, he plans to draft a timetable for a phased withdrawal and then push for its adoption. A conscientious objector during the Vietnam War who said that if drafted he would not serve, Chris Shays has made 14 trips to Iraq and was the first Congressman to enter the country after the war - against the wishes of the Department of Defense.

Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance Date: August 19 2006 No: 964 Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance
The purpose of Peace Corps' screening and medical clearance process is to ensure safe accommodation for applicants and minimize undue risk exposure for volunteers to allow PCVS to complete their service without compromising their entry health status. To further these goals, PCOL has obtained a copy of the Peace Corps Screening Guidelines Manual through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and has posted it in the "Peace Corps Library." Applicants and Medical Professionals (especially those who have already served as volunteers) are urged to review the guidelines and leave their comments and suggestions. Then read the story of one RPCV's journey through medical screening and his suggestions for changes to the process.

The Peace Corps is "fashionable" again Date: July 31 2006 No: 947 The Peace Corps is "fashionable" again
The LA Times says that "the Peace Corps is booming again and "It's hard to know exactly what's behind the resurgence." PCOL Comment: Since the founding of the Peace Corps 45 years ago, Americans have answered Kennedy's call: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." Over 182,000 have served. Another 200,000 have applied and been unable to serve because of lack of Congressional funding. The Peace Corps has never gone out of fashion. It's Congress that hasn't been keeping pace.

Support the US-Peruvian Trade Pact Date: July 20 2006 No: 930 Support the US-Peruvian Trade Pact
Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, the Peace Corps President, has been lobbying both Democratic and Republican legislators to support the US-Peruvian trade pact before July 28, when his term ends and a US congressional recess begins. If President Bush fails to get approval before Congress goes on recess, it will be a case study proving that the United States does not reward its friends. Please call your representatives.

PCOL readership increases 100% Date: April 3 2006 No: 853 PCOL readership increases 100%
Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

History of the Peace Corps Date: March 18 2006 No: 834 History of the Peace Corps
PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.


Read the stories and leave your comments.






Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: San Francisco Chronicle

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Figures; COS - Fiji; Politics; Congress

PCOL34828
87


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: