[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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Ashley should get a raise for exposing Walsh as the disturbed person he really is. Good grief - who elected that sorry excuse for a human being to Congress. It was probably one of those where one is the lesser of two evils. What a seriously flawed nation this is!!
Seriously? This country has gone to hell. Dismissing a military person who gave their legs to fight our war - and many dismiss her because of her political affiliation. Things no longer make sense in this country. From the looks of these comments, it appears that conservatives are poisonous and vile.
Any race to win a seat is about the issues that will govern and affect the people of that providence. Sure some qualifications are important but to only talk about your military service and nothing else is a automatic loss.
After all you are a politician now NOT a military soldier. So speak like one and act like one.
This is the same guy who was over $100,000.00 behind in child support, and was named Family Man of the Year, or something like that, by some conservative group. He needs to be voted out!
Has Joe Walsh ever gotten caught up on his back child support? Or is he still a dead beat day
I am a vet.If Walsh is a vet he should let us knowI. If not,he should be heroic enough to let this lady have her say
Goodlord. I'm a vet too but you don't hear me tooting my own horn every chance I get. Can't stand those types. I know a guy like that and he is sooo annoying!
We all (most of us) appreciate your sacrifice. And we certainly do appreciate Ms. Duckworth's sacrifice. But, does that automatically qualify her to be a political leader? In my youth I was on a volunteer fire/rescue team at an explosives plant. I was even injured once. Did this qualify me to become general manager of the company? Being a war veteran does not automatically qualify one to be a political leader, nor does questioning her ability in that regard automatically make someone unappreciative of her sacrifice.
I'm a vet, too! That alone doesn't qualify me for public office. Look at the big picture.
Amen!
And again...Amen!
This guy is an embarrassment not only to Congress, but to the entire human race.
Just exactly how does a deadbeat dad get elected to Congress? I guess the tea party could care less about child support, as long as you're not black or gay.
Illinois Congressional Election ? Vote early and often !
Kerry did not overplay his military service? Pllleeeeeeeease!! Did you know he fought in Vietnam?? Did you know he was willing to "REPORT FOR DUTY" when he accepted his nomination?
I agree with other posters, Ashley engaged in a shouting/let_me_interrupt_you contest. I did not realize she was this partison! Too bad, I liked some of her reporting.
I have some did you knows. Did you know that George Bush was cashiered out of flying because he refused to take his physical for reafirming his readiness. Did you know that George Bush went AWOL for two years when he was supposed to go to Viet Nam. Of course his Dad got him out of the jam. Did you know instead of protecting this country his excuse was that he was helping a republican representative run for re-election. And of all things did you know that JOHN KERRY WAS A HERO ALSO. I mean ask the guy whose life he save. Can YOU say than know you tea bags and republicans are so jealous of the war heroes in the Democratic party, while the republicans have mostly all ran and hid that you don't know what to do.
The guy you fawn over all the time, Rush tush got deferred because he had a boil on his butt. Cheney would go because he had better things to do. And I could run down the list of every single one of the republican cowards who ducked out of serving their country but are constantly wrapping their self in that flag and playing at being patrotic did you know that.
Ashley is Republican, and she wasn't the one doing the shouting and interrupting. Walsh was trying to avoid answering her questions. It is a well worn attic. If you can win the argument you shout down the questioner.
Poor Walsh, ran into an opponent that he can't intimidate with his ranting and raving and doesn't have a clue as to how to handle it. You can bet if he had ever done anything as honorable as serve in the miltary he'd never let anyone forget it for a moment. This guy is a disgrace and sure doesn't promote a good opinion of those who elected him.
Why would anybody agree to debate this bully.
They were both bullying each other and no valid thoughts came out of the interview was a waste of life to listen to it.
I'm a war vet...I don't see any problem with his comments about his opponent. It's politics, stick to the issues sweetheart. No one is discrediting your service or the sacrifice of your limbs, but NOT EVERYONE IS A DOUBLE AMPUTEE. Are you going to hold that against the 300 million other Americans who have NEVER worn a uniform?! Keep your military service out of it and quit trying to cash in on your time in uniform. That's a disgrace.
"G.W. Bush was a jet fighter pilot in the Navy reserve during Vietnam"
FALSE.
He was in the champagne unit of the TANG, he never finished his hitch, and bascially went AWOL. He only got in due to his fathers political influence, his flight score was the lowest you could have in the AF and still fly. He also pointedly REFUSED service in VN.
Kerry and Gore BOTH volunteered. See the difference?
As a 64 year old, I remember the Vietnam Days vividly and it was impossible to bet in the Guard without having strings pulled. Of course, Bushy boy was able to avoid actual combat, just like the poor little rich boy, Dan Quayle. Mittens Romney has never served (had to spread the Bible in France during Nam) and neither his father nor any of his five spoiled sons ever served. Republican chickenhawks talk big, but just don't serve. Rush Limbaugh had an anal cyst (he actually is an anal cyst) and Dick Cheney took four deferments. Yet they always wrap themselves in the flag.
Jude, you're one hell of a cool broad! Walsh is a cowardly deadbeat dad who has nothing to offer but perpetual anger and he plays to the lowest instincts of his Tea Party crowd. He should be ashamed of attacking a woman who gave her legs for her country but he doesn't have the class or character to even experience shame. His 15 minutes are up.
you people are even sadder...trully, is this the only strength of her candidacy you can recall: she gave her legs...
As soon as cowardly George discovered that the texas Guard might go into combat he had daddy transfer him to a non comat unit in Florida. A bigger coward and poser never existed. i guess it is what you should expect from the grandson of Hiller's accountant.
Yes, G.W. Bush went to the dentist, and avoided real service with all his might. But Kerry and Gore are not the right guys to hold up in comparison. Gore was a Stars and Stripes correspondent, and Kerry bailed as soon as he got his million-dollar wound. Those are not the acts of heroes. McCain performed heroically. Duckworth seems to have done so as well. End of discussion. Move on.
Actually, McCain should have washed out of the Navy for conduct unbecoming, and for crashing 3 (or was it 4) planes during flight school. It was only his family connections that kept him (wrongly) in the service. I don't belittle his being captured after he crashed yet another plane, and tortured, but Kerry doesn't deserved the 'million dollar wound' quip. He, like Duckworth, and McCain did more than this Piece of Work Joe Walsh will ever do for his country.
But mccain to this day supports the hiding of pow/mia records to hide the fact that he sold his buddies out so he could be saved
Bob,check out McCains record,he held the door at military school and also got in because of his admiral father.McCains war records are also sealed on instructions from his late admiral father,never to be opened.McCain crashed five jets before going overseas,its recorded fact and people think he's a hero,boy republicans are delushional aren't they!!McCain is also not an American citizen as originally thought because he was born in a small town hospital outside of Panama,not as originally stated on the military base his parents resided on during his birth..Much like Romneys father George who couldn't run for president either being born to polygamist parents in Mexico as mormons...True hurts doesn't it republicans and I'm not a birther person either!!Just a smart Democrate!!
Research more, talk less. Either you have trouble with the facts or your nose is growing! Bush was a reserve pilot. Clinton was a draft dodger, Kerry made up stories, Gore & Kerry Lie like a rug, and Obama was doing drugs and lying to get free college. There are no dumb pilots that are still alive. I'd pick Bush over any of them to be my wingman ANY DAY!
Dc,boy have your head checked,Bush the idiot that ran this country in the ground,an AWOL soldier as well ,any more facts republican.Kerry was a decorated soldier on a gun boat running the Mekong Delta route during the Vietnam war.McCain,other than being the Saigon Songbird in Vietnam ,having his military records permanently sealed by his father the admiral of the navy and also the architect of the famous KEATING FIVE with his wife Cindy,that cost the American people 3.5 billion in the 80's is your hero isn't it DC.Well its always republicans catastrophes Democrates are always elected president to clean up after you,Roosevelt after Hoovers Great Depression,Clinton after Bush41 and last but not least your elustreous idiot Bush 43 being cleaned up by Pres.Obama,never the other way around is it,hurts DC doesn't it!!You do your research and remember DC ,it must be hard carrying the stigma of being republican,but if your that dumb,ya gotta be tough!!
He flew a recliner at the air force base.
No one who has never served his country in a war zone has the right to criticize this brave woman. Of course her wartime experience is the central part of her life. This is so for all of us who served in combat. Lay your life on the line for your country and then you can criticize all youwant; otherwise shut up.
What about those of us that served in times of peace ? Are we less of a veteran ? I applaud and thank all of my brothers & sisters that have come into harms way, but being a combat vet is not the only way to serve our Military and we have a right to speak also.
Thank you for your service. Been there, done that. Bottom line, it still can't be her only qualification for public office.
amen.