This is getting to be old hat for Sen. Tom Cotton. This time he was joined on stage by U.S. Rep. French Hill. The pair had to listen to the crowd boo and jeer--and sometimes cheer--as they talked about the president's taxes, Obamacare, Syrian attacks and Russian hacking. But the two gentlemen seem to think it's part of their job to stand up to the criticism their opponents serve up at these town hall meetings. Call it courage.
It's one thing to talk to a political club of like-minded people, all of whom want to get to the mic to tell you what a great person you are. It's quite another to listen to a crowd boo as you try your best to answer questions about God and man and law. And any answer to any complicated question--that is, any response that lasts more than 15 seconds--is bound to be shouted down by one of the partisan groups in the audience.
Compare their approach, and the approach of the Arkansawyers who heard them, to what happened the same Monday in northern California.
According to news accounts, a congressman from the beautiful 1st District of California (in the northern part of the state, inland, bordering Nevada) was booed off the stage during a similar town hall meeting. He just walked off. He later returned, but even his supporters who came to hear him talk couldn't hear over the crowd. It turned out to be a mess.
We're better than that in Arkansas. Our people and our representatives. As we proved again the other day.
Editorial on 04/19/2017