Kanjorski sends wrong messages
PERHAPS THE HEAT has gotten to U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, whose verbal gaffes so far this summer made the 73-year-old congressman seem inelegant at best or, at worst, insensitive and unable to grasp many voters’ mounting frustrations.
His words weren’t twisted; they were poorly chosen.
Either way, the 13-term Democratic incumbent isn’t doing himself any favors during the buildup to November’s election.
First, while exhorting House and Senate colleagues to take specific action on the financial reform bill, Kanjorski awkwardly strung together a sentence that insinuated “average, good American people” and “minorities” are separate categories. Republicans pounced on the sound bite, insisting an apology was due. A half dozen congressional Democrats quickly rallied to his defense, and five of them signed a letter that decried “political opportunists who have twisted his words.”
His words weren’t twisted; they were poorly chosen.
More recently, the Nanticoke native and lawyer defended his decision to curtail appearances at traditional town hall meetings, where he met face to face with constituents, in favor of teleconferences.
Kanjorski explained to interviewers on WILK Radio: “We’re going to do everything we can to get opinions from people, to meet with people, but I’m not going to set myself up for, you know, nuts to hit me with a camera and ask stupid questions.”
Putting aside his use of the word “nut,” which today’s mental health advocates generally frown upon, consider what Kanjorski did not say. He didn’t immediately say that holding tele-town meetings would save time that he can devote to other important national matters, while also allowing him to connect with wider audiences. He didn’t say the technology cuts down on wasteful commuting and spewing of carbon emissions.
Instead, the congressman essentially said his big concern is that he doesn’t want detractors to get in his face. (Free expression? Fine. But keep your distance, pal.)
A campaign spokesman later addressed Kanjorski’s on-air comment, saying: “With the reference to ‘nuts,’ he meant a small number of extreme political opponents who come to disrupt town meetings solely for the purpose of scoring political points they can register on YouTube or the Internet to inflict damage and embarrass the congressman and not to the people who come to those meetings to discuss issues and gather information. He meant nothing disparaging by his comments.”
Admittedly, certain people might record a lawmaker’s words, then use them out of context or totally distort them for ill-conceived reasons. So be it; for today’s legislators in the United States, that risk comes with the territory.
The larger danger, however, would be for an elected official to shut out dissenters and govern like some distant Wizard of Oz, tucked behind a curtain and issuing carefully scripted decrees to the masses.
Kanjorski’s latest re-election campaign will benefit if he stays connected with his constituents and on target with his intended meanings. If not, he simply appears out of touch.
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