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The Longest War?
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The Spectacle Blog
Democrats have represented the 7th District of North Carolina since the 19th Century. Since 1996, Democrat Mike McIntyre has held onto this Cook R+5 District that stretches from the edges of Fort Bragg to the Atlantic Ocean. The district is relatively conservative, but also has a black population of around 23 percent and has around 50,000 non-federally recognized Lumbee Indians that tend to vote democratic. Despite the Democratic hold, John McCain carried the District by 5 points in the Presidential election in a year when North Carolina went to Obama. Republicans are banking on voter’s being turned off by the Obama-Pelosi agenda this fall.
McIntyre is a Blue Dog, who voted against the healthcare bill and cap-and-trade, but voted for the stimulus bill in 2009.
On May 4th, Will Breazeale and Ilario Pantano will go up against one another in the Republican Primary. AirTran Airways pilot Breazeale received nearly 100,000 votes in the 2008 general election against McIntyre, but was beaten solidly. Breazeale argues that his name recognition from running last time provides him with a head start in this year’s run. “In the South, it’s all about name recognition. They don’t care if you’re the candidate with the best ideas on Earth. If they don’t know you, they’re not voting for you. People know me all over this district because I’ve been non-stop campaigning for the past two and a half years,” Breazeale argued.
Pantano contends that he is the better candidate in part because of his fundraising abilities. “We raised more money in sixty days than the Breazeale campaign has raised in the last three years,” Pantano told TAS. Pantano was in DC this week to attend a fundraiser with NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions at the home of Mary Matalin. He is also enrolled in the NRCC’s “Young Guns” program for aspiring Congressmen. The Federal Elections Commission does not yet have first quarter fundraising statistics.
Pantano, originally a native of Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, considers himself a “born again Southerner.” When speaking of the town he grew up in, Pantano said “now it’s fancy and filled with soy lattes, but I grew up in what could be called the mean streets.” Pantano had previously worked at Goldman Sachs as an energy trader prior to re-enlisting in the Marines after 9/11. Pantano is now researching a book while attending graduate school, and serving as an inactive Sheriff’s Deputy. While Pantano is likely to have more resources leading up to the May 4th primary, he will need to introduce himself to voters in the district and convince them that he is fit to represent them. Pantano moved to the district in 2006, and still speaks with a bit of a New York accent. “I am a born-again Southern Baptist. I’m raising my children in the South so that they’re God-fearing. I will always choose to live there,” Pantano told TAS.
Both candidates are Iraq War veterans. Breazeale, a Bronze Star Medal recipient, told TAS he had recently been selected Lt. Colonel. Pantano served as 2nd. Lt., but not without controversy — Pantano was tried and acquitted on murder charges for shooting two unarmed Iraqis on April 15, 2004, where he briefly left a sign on a car above their corpses that read: “No better friend, no worse enemy.” When asked if there was anything he regretted doing that day, Pantano said, “I don’t regret bringing home 40 marines … The fact is that you’ve got to do what is required.” When questioned specifically about the sign, he conceded “that wasn’t my best judgment.” In 2006, Pantano wrote an autobiography and gained some fame after his acquittal, but Breazeale points out, “I have an unblemished record, and I’ve achieved something. I’ve never been brought up on charges for anything.”
On the issues, both candidates support repealing the healthcare bill, lower taxes, and supporting the Afghanistan surge. Both candidates attacked McIntyre for voting for Nancy Pelosi to be Speaker of the House.
Breazeale is also heavily emphasizing the Fair Tax and the issue of term limits. While supporting the Fair Tax, Breazeale is also pledging to retire from Congress after six years of service. In addition to making the promise, he is pledging a $250,000 donation to Cape Fear Volunteer Center-Kids Voting if he runs for a 4th term. The idea, Breazeale explained, was that non-professional politicians would have more courage to act in longer-term interests because they would not be accustomed to political pandering or lobbyists. Breazeale’s site reads, “my first order of duty will be to take a bill to the floor mandating that a member of each governing body (House and Senate) serve no more than three full terms.” When asked by TAS why he would allow a Senator 18 years but a House member only 6 years, Breazeale told TAS his site was incorrect and that his wish was that members of both chambers serve only six years.
Pantano agrees in principle with Breazeale on the Fair Tax and the term limits issue — he has pledged to serve no more than 12 years. “When I first heard of his [Breazeale’s] pledge, I thought it was a gimmick.” But after hearing more about the pledge, Pantano said he realized, “it’s the one promise that a politician can keep,” — meaning that he would not need anyone else’s support in the chamber to keep his word. Pantano did, however, criticize Breazeale for making the Fair Tax and term limits his top priorities, “In the scheme of issues this country faces, those are boutique issues that he has laid his entire campaign strategy around… I’ve tried to be a little bit more expansive,” Pantano contended.
Both candidates are fighting hard for the nomination, and at times it has gotten testy between the two. When TAS asked Breazeale if he would support Pantano against McIntyre, Breazeale said he was not sure. When pressed if he would consider supporting Democrat McIntyre instead, he responded, “I would consider it. There are some very disturbing things about Pantano’s record.” Giving a different response, Pantano said he would support Breazeale if he were defeated in the primary. “My vanity is not as important as Nancy Pelosi being out of a job,” said Pantano — alluding to the possibility that a Republican winning this district could be a deciding vote for what party controls the Congress.
Despite the contested primary, Breazeale may have summed up the consequences of the fight. “It’s made both candidates a lot better. We’re doing 9 debates in 9 out of 10 counties. It makes the winner of our primary even more powerful.” He said the primaries have helped in getting the message out to voters, but joked about the bickering, “they’ll probably have to fly in Dr. Phil to get our campaigns together.” With a 14-year-incumbent in office who voted against Obamacare, the Republicans probably will need such counseling to be effective if they are going to win this Democrat-leaning conservative district.
View all comments (30) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Brian O'Connell
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ncatty| 4.15.10 @ 5:27PM
I know Mike McIntyre and he is a decent guy. However, a vote for a blue dog is a vote for Pelosi. Its that simple.
Rick Pelton| 4.16.10 @ 9:25AM
Wow. I'm really bothered to hear that Breazeale would consider flip-flopping on everything he has said about McIntyre to stand with him against another Republican. That is troubling.
I voted for Breazeale in '08, even though I knew he was a former Democrat, because he took a hardline right wing tack, which I thought we needed to balance the progressive Democrat agenda.
But now I'm totally freaked about Breazeale's willingness to flip back to the Dem side! That makes me question every attack he's made on McIntyre, and totally undermines his conservative convictions, at least in my mind.
I'll really have to think about this...when I'm past the shock.
Wendy Van Tilburg| 4.16.10 @ 10:24AM
Not surprised at all. Breazeale does not have a CIB but gets listed on combat vets group, is not a real Republican, and thinks that having to be sued for child support and spending campaign funds on clothes some how makes him morally superior to Pantano.
Let's face it - he can't wait to get to congress, flip over like Specter and kiss Pelosi's butt again, just like he does in his job as a greeter desk jockey for some general.
Oh, and he thinks the voters of North Carolina are stupid? They only vote for name they've seen before? They don't care about the issues?
My money goes to Pantano. I'll take a hero over a professional campaigner any day.
He's Republican in name only.
Tim Wilkes| 4.17.10 @ 11:01AM
Wendy,
Only Infantry and Combat medics can receive those awards. If you spend 6 months in a combat theatre then you get the vet hash. All soldiers have the likelyhood of seeing combat vets and as such are given the combat vet moniker. The rest of it I know you are better than that and we should judge by the fruits of what a candidate says and does and then determine who is the most genuine.
Jack Stanton| 4.18.10 @ 11:06AM
Will was attached to an Air Defense unit and then with a Unit in charge of Drill Instructors, neither of which are Infantry Units, therefore no CIB. His Drill Instructor unit trained and led Iraqi troops in combat operations in Iraq.
So like Tim said a combat hash is all he would recieve along with his theatre ribbons, meritorios service and Bronze star.
C. Taylor| 4.16.10 @ 2:31PM
While I have never met Will Breazeale, I did vote for him in the last election because my thinking was ANY republican is better than a democrat. This election, I am far more informed, involved and active. I took some time to research both Will and Ilario before I made a final decision on who I would support. Here is what I found:
1. Breazeale's campaign will remove ANY opposing questions, comments or thoughts from his Facebook page and apparently think it will help them. This is, in my opinion, nothing more than politics as usual and concerns me on how he and his staff would treat constituents if elected.
2. When given the opportunity to discuss issues with his opponents, Breazeale prefers to attack them in any way possible while continuing to hide his OWN faults.
3. Having watched several debate videos and campaign videos from Breazeale, all I see and hear is a politician who is already playing the "game" when he isn't even in DC yet. Having watched videos of Ilario Pantano, spoken to him both on the phone (MANY times) and in person at a recent "meet and greet", what I see and hear is a real passion of our country, passion for the people he would be representing and passion for our constitution! These are very noticable contrasts between the two and anyone I have talked to about this has agreed.
It comes down to this - I am worried that, based on what he has said himself and what I have seen in action and words during the campaign, Will Breazeale would be another politician and not a true representative of WE THE PEOPLE if elected. Ilario Pantano will with ever ounce of his being be a true representative of WE THE PEOPLE and will represent us with passion and faith. To me the choice is very clear.
C. Taylor
St Pauls, NC.
Ben | 4.16.10 @ 3:14PM
Wendy you're a real class act. Pantano is lucky to have such a fervent campaign worker with so much decorum. I hear the Michael Lee campaign is hiring - they're looking for a real dirty mud-slinger. I let them know that I got just the gal for the job.
Wendy| 4.27.10 @ 2:46PM
ROTFLMAO!!! I work for no man!
But, thank you anyway!
8-)
Wendy| 4.27.10 @ 2:52PM
PS - I know jealousy when I hear it. Don't worry, one day, if you practice really, really hard, you Breazeale workers might know how to fight without ad hominem attacks, and get down to the nitty gritty without sounding like cry babies!
8-)
Kevin| 4.16.10 @ 10:12PM
I just noticed something -- Breazeale would consider voting for McIntyre. "When TAS asked Breazeale if he would support Pantano against McIntyre, Breazeale said he was not sure. When pressed if he would consider supporting Democrat McIntyre instead, he responded, "I would consider it..."
But back in Feb, the Breazeale campaign but out the following press release utterly slamming the very same guy Breazeale says he would consider voting for. Hmmm.
http://www.awilltowin.net/pres.....htm#020910
McIntyre Publicly Embraces Pelosi
Feb. 9, 2010 - 7:46am
For years, North Carolina’s District 7 Congressman, Democrat Mike McIntyre has attempted to publicly distance himself from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. This despite voting twice for the San Francisco liberal to ascend to her position of third in line for the White House. However, over the past several months, the Democrat appears to not only be embracing their relationship, he’s touting it in big bold letters. In a recent letter to constituents in regards to healthcare reform, McIntyre lists himself as “MAJORITY LEADER’S ADVISORY COUNCIL - SENIOR WHIP.”
The claim appears to suggest a close bond with McIntyre and Steny Hoyer, the Democrat’s Leader in the House and number two to Pelosi. This has left many citizens concerned and seeking answers. McIntyre regularly touts his “Blue Dog” credentials, a moderate Democrat that is willing to break with his party’s ranks. But the description seems to indicate he is not only in lock-step with the leadership, he is part of the team calling the shots.
“People have been calling our campaign in recent days saying, ‘What does this all mean?’” said Will Breazeale, McIntyre’s Republican opponent. “I’ve been telling them it’s simple: For 14 months we all thought the country was being run by crazy Socialists. It turns out Hoyer and Pelosi were just getting bad advice from Mike McIntyre.”
McIntyre’s public embrace of the Obama-Pelosi Agenda is odd, but it is not where the story ends. Research has provided no evidence as to what the position of Senior Whip actually does. Making it strange for a politician to publicly reverse course over a position in which few know its power.
“Given that Congressman McIntyre represents counties that have some of the highest unemployment in the country, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit that he is a senior advisor to the trillions of dollars of debt and four million lost jobs of the past 14 months,” observed Breazeale, a three-time Iraq War veteran. “The other option is he’s just a guy that likes to make up titles on paper to try to impress people. Either way, I guess he’s got some explaining to do.”
Breazeale is publicly calling on the Democrat to provide clarification. “I want to know what this post is and what his responsibilities are on it. 2010 is the year of the citizen. I am the Citizen’s Representative. And for the first time in his legislative career, Mike McIntyre will be honest with the citizens.”
Steve| 4.16.10 @ 10:48PM
I have decided to vote for Breazeale. I appreciate his straight forward answers even if it isnt always the most politically expedient thing to say or do. That is what is really needed from leaders. Honesty. Not just saying what people want to hear. If he has serious doubts about his opponent I like his willingness to say so.
kala | 4.17.10 @ 2:26AM
Enjoy Niceville! I’ve been there a couple of times for work. They have a great public library.
Kevin| 4.17.10 @ 2:43PM
I'm not sure how condemning someone for "embracing Pelosi", but then giving conditional support is an example of "straight forward answers".
It is, however, a prime example of hypocrisy.
John Crier| 4.17.10 @ 10:34PM
It appears the Breazeale campaign is more liberal than we thought. According to the FEC filings, the WB budget resembles that of the Federal Government: no cash on hand, deep in debt and plagued by out of control spending. Who in their right mind would donate to this campaign.
Furthermore, Will says he might not support Pantano in a race against McIntyre. Maybe he is having trouble hiding his past association with the Dems. Not support a candidate who is a fellow Veteran, fellow fair tax candidate, fellow term limit signee and fellow Tea Party fan?! I suppose he failed to learn that strong sense military honor and solidarity while he sat behind his "combat" desk. Yes Will, please, if you lose, take your toys and run home.
Joe| 4.18.10 @ 10:45AM
I heard Breazeale on Ben McCoy's show yesterday. McCoy asked him about that and he gave a perfectly viable explanation. He stated that Pantano is refusing to release any documentation related to how he is earning a living or anything related to his murder charges in Iraq. As soon as Pantano releases those documentations and everything is on the level he has zero problem endorsing him.
The more I thought about it the more I found myself agreeing. In an era where Congress does nothing but favors for their pals while leaving us little guys behind dont we have a right to know how our candidates earn a living and who they owe their paycheck too? I talked to several of my neighbors who are registered Republicans and they felt more inclined to vote for Breazeale because they believe if someone won't release simple documents then there might be a reason they dont want people to see it. And that equals an October surprise that would put McIntyre right back in office.
Wendy| 4.27.10 @ 2:48PM
You so funny! You talk to neighbors! You make me laugh! Ho HO HO! You Breazeale campaign worker, aren't you?
Karen Parker| 4.18.10 @ 12:18PM
Joe, I don't understand. Pantano's military case, including the summary of his Article 32, has been hashed and rehashed in the public view for years. I know that summary was hosted online for a couple of years on several military blogs. Pantano has put it behind him, and so has everyone else - even the liberal media - because there was nothing there to hang him with. If Breazeale is trying to score political point by muck-raking that issue, it's backfiring badly.
Also, I haven't heard Pantano REFUSE to do anything. In fact, he's doing a very good job of ignoring Breazeale's pretty posturing.
I talked to one of his staff, and they said he's very focused on the issues, and trying to get his message out. He has dealt with his Article 32 exhaustively in the media and it's a battle he's already won long ago. A quick Google search will bring up thousands of pages of coverage - of all persuasions - and should answer anyone's question about his background. Not to mention his book. The people will make up their own mind, and we don't need Breazeale's politically-motivated spin to help us out. Breazeale is only succeeding in making himself look really bad.
One last thing, my husband is a Marine and is furious with Breazeale's antics. And in a military community as expansive as it is in NC, the rumblings are spreading far and wide - even overseas. In attempting to tarnish Pantano, and by extension the Marine Corps justice system, Will Breazeale is tarnishing himself. He could've been a bigger man, an honorable man, and supported a fellow veteran, but he chose to attack and smear instead. We military families are all noticing now.
Joe| 4.18.10 @ 3:00PM
I have looked for the Article 32 it in the past online but cannot find complete transcripts so it is not as readily available as you claim. If you have a copy of it you should send it to Pantano to post because it is being discussed by people like my friends who have no personal beef against the man. They didn't hear about it from Breazeale. So your arguement that Breazeale is the one spreading rumors about it is false. For me the refusing to show what he does to earn money is much more troubling because I feel like our politicians are being bought and sold.
Karen| 4.19.10 @ 11:38AM
You are obviously not aware that the complete transcript of the Article 32 is well over 1500 pages. Request it from the Marine Corps and you and your "concerned friends" can pay the money to scan it in, host a website, and post "the complete transcript" yourselves. Make sure to let the Marines know that you do not trust their decision and would prefer to make your own judgment from the clear vantage point of distance, ignorance, political spectacle, and years after the fact. They will appreciate your relentless commitment to undermining them, I'm sure.
Also, FYI, I wouldn't quote Breazeale stating that Pantano has "refused" to release his military records. I just watched a video of Pantano at a candidate's forum and it's very clear that his entire military record is available for examination. Joe, please attend one of those events so that you can scrutinize his entire personnel jacket. It's yours for the taking.
wendy| 4.27.10 @ 2:49PM
or go to the library joe. check out his book. it is copied there from the transcripts.
Wendy| 4.27.10 @ 2:54PM
Let's face it, women - JOE is a PLANT from the beazeale camp. He can't really be that incapable of finding a record under the FOIA, or all the condensed versions in the MSM papers at the time.
Karen Parker| 4.18.10 @ 3:32PM
Joe, what I said is that Breazeale is beating a dead horse for political gain. Why don't you just file a FOIA for the whole 1500 page kit 'n caboodle and be done with it? Then you can second-guess the Marine Corps' decision all you want with evidence in hand.
Pantano isn't hiding anything - he's discussed it ad nauseum. As he's said multiple times "all his skeletons are in the living room, and the bones have been picked over." Pantano been through intense and hostile scrutiny for years, and he survived with his honor intact. That says a lot, and it's mystifying to me why Breazeale has to smear that in order to better himself.
Also, I do hope you are being as thorough in vetting Breazeale's grandiose claims of "combat", if you are a fair-minded man.
Kevin| 4.18.10 @ 6:22PM
Interesting new blog in regards to Mr. Breazeale: Will Breazeale - In His Own Words" (http://willbreazeale-inhisownwords.blogspot.com/)
Combat Vet| 4.19.10 @ 3:47PM
1. Pantano's entire military record is available for review at any time.
2. Breazeale has said he's made his record publicly available too. Has anyone actually seen it?
FT Man| 4.20.10 @ 7:35AM
WB has a tainted past and attackes IP? Will, that anger management course is still available. Roughing up your ex-girlfriend. Yes, that falls under anger management. You're a big man, beating up woman.