Joe Sestak doesn’t really want to talk about polls. And he doesn’t necessarily want to talk about his military record either.
Yesterday we asked him about both.
Sestak, the Democratic congressman who is challenging longtime incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter for the Democratic nomination, paid a visit to the newspaper to sit down with the editorial board.
Since I zinged him during his last visit about his lowly rating in the polls, I started yesterday by asking what he thought was behind his resurgence. A Rasmussen poll out yesterday put him in the lead, 47-42 percent, with 8 percent undecided.
He didn’t sound all that thrilled about it, saying he believed all along that it was going to be a very close race that goes right down to Primary Day next week. Looks like he’s on the money on that one.
He also didn’t much want to talk about the flap surrounding his exit from the Navy, a point brought up by Specter in his first TV ad, alluding to a published report that Sestak was relieved of duty for creating a “poor command climate.”
It was suggested that Sestak could defuse the attack by simply releasing his military records. He doesn’t want to hear it. He says that would be giving in to what Specter wants, and he insists that his 30-year military record, in which he achieved the status of three-star admiral but retired as a two-star, stands on its own.
He insists he stepped on a lot of toes in recommending that the Navy be downsized, in particular when it comes to the number of ships in the fleet. He believes he got caught in the crossfire when a new boss came on board.
But when asked flat-out if the report of the “poor command climate” is wrong, he quickly responds, “Yes.”
What Sestak really wants to talk about is small business, and jobs.
My guess is he won’t get much opportunity to do that before next week’s Primary Day.
He’s now responded with a negative ad of his own, harpooning Specter’s party switch with a clip of the senator explaining why he made the move.
“My change in party will enable me to be re-elected.” It’s a devastating spot.
The gloves are now off. The vote is a week from today. Get used to seeing “Snarlin’ Arlen” and the “Angry Admiral” on your TV. They’ll be everywhere in the next seven days.
This one has turned into a barn-burner. The polls tell you that. So do the candidates’ TV spots. Don the flak jackets.
Yesterday we asked him about both.
Sestak, the Democratic congressman who is challenging longtime incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter for the Democratic nomination, paid a visit to the newspaper to sit down with the editorial board.
Since I zinged him during his last visit about his lowly rating in the polls, I started yesterday by asking what he thought was behind his resurgence. A Rasmussen poll out yesterday put him in the lead, 47-42 percent, with 8 percent undecided.
He didn’t sound all that thrilled about it, saying he believed all along that it was going to be a very close race that goes right down to Primary Day next week. Looks like he’s on the money on that one.
He also didn’t much want to talk about the flap surrounding his exit from the Navy, a point brought up by Specter in his first TV ad, alluding to a published report that Sestak was relieved of duty for creating a “poor command climate.”
It was suggested that Sestak could defuse the attack by simply releasing his military records. He doesn’t want to hear it. He says that would be giving in to what Specter wants, and he insists that his 30-year military record, in which he achieved the status of three-star admiral but retired as a two-star, stands on its own.
He insists he stepped on a lot of toes in recommending that the Navy be downsized, in particular when it comes to the number of ships in the fleet. He believes he got caught in the crossfire when a new boss came on board.
But when asked flat-out if the report of the “poor command climate” is wrong, he quickly responds, “Yes.”
What Sestak really wants to talk about is small business, and jobs.
My guess is he won’t get much opportunity to do that before next week’s Primary Day.
He’s now responded with a negative ad of his own, harpooning Specter’s party switch with a clip of the senator explaining why he made the move.
“My change in party will enable me to be re-elected.” It’s a devastating spot.
The gloves are now off. The vote is a week from today. Get used to seeing “Snarlin’ Arlen” and the “Angry Admiral” on your TV. They’ll be everywhere in the next seven days.
This one has turned into a barn-burner. The polls tell you that. So do the candidates’ TV spots. Don the flak jackets.
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