CAPE MAY — Dave Kurkowski, Democratic challenger to seven-term incumbent Frank LoBiondo, reacted in a release to the first presidential debate, Friday, Sept. 26 between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain.
“This was a strong showing by Sen. Obama,” Kurkowski said, “and he touched on topics that are very relevant to the Congressional race here in South Jersey.”
“As Obama stated early on, the question we must ask of ourselves is how did we get into this situation in the first place—both economically and internationally,” Kurkowski said. “This is about accountability, and it is a question McCain dodged all evening long, just as my opponent is doing.”
“Sen. Obama asked his opponent to take responsibility for rubber stamping the policies of the Bush administration for eight years, and he refused to do so,” Kurkowski said. “
McCain did not refute Obama’s assertions about his role in getting us into Iraq and plunging us into this economic mess, just as my opponent has not and cannot refute my assertions about his record. McCain and LoBiondo can try to change the topic or hide behind empty rhetoric, but the voters aren’t going to buy it. The times demand better. I know for a fact that voters are demanding better.”
“Ironically, it was LoBiondo’s Republican colleague McCain who hammered home on the point of holding politicians to account for spending under the system of earmarks, which LoBiondo has exploited for millions in pork barrel spending. McCain pointed specifically to the example of the wasteful spending by contractors on U.S. Navy’s Littoral class of combat ships.
“I was ready for McCain to start talking about Deepwater—the Coast Guard program which similarly saw mountains of taxpayer dollars squandered on ships and other projects that were botched on the watch of my opponent when he was chairing the Congressional committee responsible for oversight.”
Kurkowski will be announcing a press event on LoBiondo’s role in the Deepwater scandal in the coming days.
