LITTLE ROCK — U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln’s campaign on Monday called “phony” her opponent’s asking her to join him at a town hall meeting.
This followed a news release from the Political Animals Club promoting a club appearance by Lincoln, a Democrat seeking re-election.
The release noted that Lincoln’s Republican challenger, U.S. Rep. John Boozman, declined its invitation for a club appearance.
Lincoln spokesman Katie Laning Niebaum called it “another example of Boozman backtracking on his phony town hall pledge.”
Lincoln is to speak at the Political Animals Club at the governor’s mansion Oct. 12 at 11:30 a.m.
Club President Steve Ronnel of Little Rock wrote in the news release that the club had provided Boozman “an equal opportunity to address a Political Animals Club meeting this fall at either a separate lunch event or in a joint ‘town hall’ appearance with Senator Lincoln. Unfortunately, Congressman Boozman has declined our invitations.”
Tickets for the Lincoln event at the Political Animals Club are $18 and includes lunch.
B oozman spokesman Patrick Creamer said the congressman’s schedule was packed on the dates offered by the club.
“It is important to note that this request cited by the Lincoln campaign is for a speaking engagement that costs money for people to attend,” Creamer said. “Is that what qualifies as a wide open to the public town hall on their end? Has it been so long since Senator Lincoln has held a public town hall that she has forgotten what they are?”
During a U.S. Senate race debate Sept. 10, Boozman noted that Lincoln had complained that there should be more joint appearances between the candidates. He then asked her if she would agree to a town hall meeting with no notes where each candidate would take an unlimited number of questions from the audience.
Lincoln didn’t give a definitive answer at that debate but later offered to do town hall meetings with Boozman in each of the state’s four congressional districts. Boozman’s campaign later said that Boozman didn’t want to debate Lincoln and that Lincoln had to agree to one town hall meeting before he would agree to four. Lincoln’s campaign responded that she had clearly accepted his invitation.
For the Lincoln event at the Political Animals Club, space is limited and reservations are required. More information about reservations is available by e-mailing Steve Ronnel at SteveR@metalrecyclingcorp.com or by calling Carrie Carter at (501) 374-9017.
Arkansas, Pages 11 on 09/28/2010