The Fighting 29th

All about New York's 29th Congressional District

The raw footage of Randy Kuhl's interview with Rochester's WHAM-13 has been posted (and embedded below).

Highlights:

• "Taking every step to become a candidate in the next election" (0:45).
• He's never had any pressure from his party to vote for a bill (5:00).
• The Iguazu Falls trip was to study drug interdiction (7:15) and it built a relationship with Brazilian legislators (8:00).
• S-CHIP extension that he supported (and was the subject of the mailer) is "actually an expansion" (10:40)
• Mailings aren't confusing, they tell people that he "supported S-CHIP for poor children first" (12:10)
• Why didn't Kuhl speak out against earmarks in 2005 when he said that "earmarks are an important tool" (12:50).  Answer:  He has, "internally in the system".  Also, we should be taking federal money however it comes (14:45).
• Iraq. (17:00)  The point of the surge was a political solution.  Is it working?  Answer:  Surge has stabilized the country, need security for a government.  Governmental reconciliation is not going as fast as Kuhl would like, but "firmly convinced we are on the right course". 
• How long can Iraq fail without us getting out? (19:15). "All I know is what I'm fed." If we hadn't seen success in the last surge, we wouldn't be in a position to continue our support.  Our next timeline is March.  "General Petreus, you're the leader, tell us what's going on."  
• What about McCain's 100 years comment (21:00)?  "In many cases countries don't want us to leave...that may very well be what happens and what Sen. McCain was talking about."

In the accompanying blog entry, Reporter Evan Dawson talks about the importance of government transparency.  Amen, brother.