[Updated at 6:05 p.m. ET] An Illinois congressman has stuck to his guns – including during a testy interview with CNN’s Ashleigh Banfield this week – in a flap over his assertions that his double-amputee election opponent talks too much about her military service and war injuries.
Rep. Joe Walsh, R-Illinois, has said that the story has been blown out of proportion, arguing that it has been manufactured by liberal opponents who recorded his comments at a campaign event Sunday and then posted them on the Internet, with liberal website ThinkProgress.org starting the coverage.
But he’s defended his stance, arguing that Democrat Tammy Duckworth – a Black Hawk helicopter pilot who lost both legs when her crew was shot down in Iraq in 2004 – rarely makes campaign appearances in her bid to defeat him in Illinois’ 8th Congressional District. When she does, he said, she talks mostly about her background fighting overseas.
We’d like to hear what you think about the issue. First, here’s how it played out this week.
In a Sunday campaign event in a Chicago suburb, Walsh was recalling the 2008 presidential campaign of Republican Sen. John McCain, saying McCain was modest about his background as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. Walsh said McCain was reluctant to make that story a focus of his campaign, despite pressure from advisers to do otherwise.
“That's what's so noble about our heroes. Now I'm running against a woman who, my God, that's all she talks about," Walsh said. "Our true heroes, it's the last thing in the world they talk about. That's why we're so indebted and in awe of what they've done."
The comments spread online, and several groups, including VoteVets.org and Emily’s List, condemned Walsh’s remarks.
Walsh, elected in 2010 with support from the tea party, told CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blizter” on Wednesday that he believes Duckworth is a hero, but she gives voters a narrow window into her positions on political issues.
“She is a hero, and that demands our respect, but it doesn’t demand our vote. All she does, guys, is talk about her service,” Walsh said.
On Thursday, Walsh got into a heated back-and-forth with Banfield during an interview on CNN. After Banfield attempted to contradict Walsh’s allegation that Duckworth doesn’t talk about issues – she read a list of moments when Duckworth commented on things other than military service – Walsh responded:
“She spends a lot of time talking about her war service. I’ve asked her to debate me monthly. She won’t. I’ve asked her to get directly in front of voters with me. She won’t. She will not get in front of voters and take questions directly from voters. Because she’s a war hero, Ashleigh, that demands our respect. But that doesn’t demand our vote.”
While Walsh and Duckworth might not have debated frequently, they did debate on May 11. According to a Chicago Sun-Times account, Duckworth criticized the GOP’s federal budget proposal, accused Walsh of wanting to end Medicare and backed President Obama’s support of gay marriage, but she declined to answer a question about whether she would have supported the bank bailout of a few years ago.
Duckworth’s stances on issues, according to her campaign website
Duckworth hasn't hidden her war service or injuries. She highlights them on her campaign website. After last week's U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the health care reform act, she referenced her injuries when discussing the act, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Walsh’s criticism of Duckworth isn’t new. Politico, on March 28, reported that he said this during a 30-minute interview: “I have so much respect for what she did in the fact that she sacrificed her body for this country. Ehhh. Now let’s move on.”
“What else has she done?” Walsh said, according to the March 28 Politico article. “Female, wounded veteran … ehhh. She is nothing more than a handpicked Washington bureaucrat. David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel just picked her up and dropped her into this district.”
He later backtracked on the “dropped her into this district” comment in an interview with Chicago Magazine.
Hitting back on Friday, Duckworth told CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" that she discusses the issues "a majority of the time" and argued that Walsh was trying to "distract" voters away from his record in Congress.
"It's very irresponsible for Mr. Walsh, as a sitting congressman, to try to muzzle war veterans and keep them from talking about their service," Duckworth said.
Duckworth said during a Tuesday interview with MSNBC that Walsh had disrespected veterans and called him an "extremist loudmouth for the tea party." On Wednesday, she told CNN affiliate WLS that Walsh’s comments were “not even worth mentioning.”
This election year marks Duckworth's second run for Congress. The Iraq War veteran made an unsuccessful House bid in 2006, before being tapped by President Barack Obama in 2009 to become an assistant secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs. She is a lieutenant colonel in the Illinois Army National Guard.
The two candidates are fighting for a seat representing the new 8th Congressional District outside Chicago and created by the state's recent redistricting process.
– CNN's Ashley Killough contributed to this report.
What do you think of Walsh's stance? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
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After viewing the video I find it hard to believe what Walsh said was as bad as the outrage shown by this story. Especially since it was coming from the very people that raised the bar of disrespect towards the military to suck a high level it continues today. These are the same people, NBC, CBS, ABC,CNN The New York Times and my local news media and news papers that chased me out of three college campuses, called me baby killer, beat me up on occasion, abused me, wouldn't hire me, and nearly ran me out of my home town just because I was drafted into the Vietnam War. And it continues today. In the past week I've been told Thanks for loosing the war, baby killer, I should be dead for murdering all those people during the My Lai Massacre, All Vietnam Veterans should be dead by now and on and on.
It's embarrassing to see honorable veterans propping up the very networks that grandfathered the hate for veterans.
As someone old enough to know. You sir are almost definitely a liar. I doubt you can prove in any reasonable way that you were beaten up, driven out of town or denied employment because of your Vietnam Veteran status.
If so, you are doubly stupid because of all the veteran programs geared towards Vietnam Vets and the many laws against discrimination of Veterans.. I have known many, very closely; and not a one was a whiny punk. They were all richly wonderful human beings who tried to make a contribution to society.
What have you done?
I didn't ask to be drafted anymore than I asked for two Purple Hearts, 2 Bronze stars and a third with a cluster among others. If Tammy want's to talk about her service that's fine, but I would question her motives since she's running for Walsh's seat. Even though he's a dirt bag for his comments, they didn't come close to what's been directed to me and my fellow brothers then and still today . I chose a different route. Only during the past eighteen months did my three grown sons and wife learn I was in Vietnam.
Face it. Walsh is an idiot and anybody who listens to him is also an idiot. On second thought calling Walsh an idiot is an insult to all idiots.
If this Dirt Bag said Ashleigh one more time Ashleigh ... Ashleigh..... Ashleigh..... I was going to puke. He got that from The Donald Trump who kept on saying to Wolf Blitzer Excuse me.... Excuse me..... Excuse me. If this is the best these guys have time for him and the Trumptser to go away.....
I wrote to Banfield with my comments. I'm not surprised she doesn't have the courage to comment back. After all the msm coverage is responsible for many Vietnam Veterans suicides after they returned home.
If you wrote a poisoned email, she probably won't...or maybe she is just a bit busy...maybe she thought someone with a u/n of Malice420dotcom was not going to be very nice, or maybe she is busy...I doubt she's checking email when she's doing her job...hey, let us know if she does write you back!
Do you have a clue what you're talking about?! Been there, done that. Doubt that you have.
Can we just split Chicago off as the 51st state? The rest of us in Illinois don't want any of them representing us, regardless of their service record.
If you don't live in their district, you don't have to worry...
Only a politician...and one from a party who practically wets its pants in touting its 'patriotic' values and love for the military...who has not had the honor of serving his country in uniform (like the vast majority of this country) will say something so completely disrespectful and presumptuous as that fool. As far as I'm concerned, someone who gave TWO legs in combat (or was held in for years in captivity) has every right and obligation to remind the public of those sacrifices that the 300+ million citizens of this country will never step forward to risk.
Rep. Walsh, you are officially a lowly, contemptible civilian nerve-having orifice irrigation receptacle. Even Jane Fonda has more honor than you.
Sorry to disappoint, o ignorant Democrat, but less than 7% of this country has ever served. That's every living Veteran. And Bush was never AWOL. Mike Wallace almost got fired for posting that lie. Maybe if you Democrats were more honest I wouldn't have to keep correcting your mistakes. Check your facts, for Gods sake! If you can't make your point truthfully maybe you don't have a point! (Now THERES a thought!)
Amen
Joe Walsh is the moral equivalent to a used condom.
Joe Walsh is an embarassment to IL–I live here, I should know. He doesn't pay his child support, is disrespectful to women, and has no regard/respect for our military. He should be ashamed.
Romney, as a Mormon Church official, taught that the old Jewish Temple would be rebuilt in N. America, and that Jesus would rule as king of the world from there. And people still think he is wise!
Nope. More anti-Republican propaganda. Scares you, huh? Maybe if you had a candidate who had some skill it wouldn't make you attack religion or play the race card so much.
Mums the word on president Obama:s religious beliefs, unless you too believe his pastor.
I've been around for awhile.., well, 65 years to be exact. I have served in our military and I have never seen a bozo like Rep. Joe Walsh in my whole life. When he says something derogatory about a fellow military person, that has lost limbs' during service for our country, it makes me sick to my stomach. From what I understand, as a husband and father and taking care of his responsibility.., Rep. Joe Walsh is a total failure. I ask.., please don't vote for this clown, because, that is exactly what he is.., a total clown and embarrassment to you and I, and should not be in our congress representing us. Yes.., I watched the video and read two or three stories about Rep. Joe Walsh, and have come up with one conclusion.., he is one certified nut and needs professional psychiatric help. For our country.., please don't vote for him.., he is a 'disgrace' to our great country and our military personnel, fighting for our freedom and freedom for people overseas that can't fight for themselves. He really is, a total 'disgrace' and I ask myself.., how did he ever get into office in the first place ? Probably never fought one day in his life for our country.., truly pathetic.. Vote with your heart, you will never forget it and be proud of our service personnel, that have lost limbs', and life for our freedom and freedom for others around the world. How did he ever get into congress, it is truly sad for all. Mike in Montana
I hope he isn't reelected. Duckworth does talk about issues and she has the right to talk about her military service.
And the whole "Ashleigh, Ashleigh....." made me want to pull my hair out.
Walsh is a low life. If he thinks his opponent doesn't speak about the issues enough, he can say that. The voters will decide if they know enough about her stance on the issues. He doesn't need to attack her for talking about her military career. He's doing this on purpose. He's showing the true character of himself and those who support him.
As a veteran and the father of a veteran of Afghanistan, I frankly despise Joe Walsh for his comments. The only adequate response is, "Joe Walsh..ehhh." To LouAZ, George H. W. Bush was a true WW II hero. I may disagree with his policies, but I will always respect his actions during the war.
To the voters of Chicago: you always get the government you deserve.