N. Virginia Candidates Clash at Asian American Candidates Forum

Candidates from Virginia’s congressional districts were throwing some hard punches at a candidates forum on Sept. 17.
N. Virginia Candidates Clash at Asian American Candidates Forum
FACE OFF: Colonel Jeffrey Barnett (left) and Barbara Comstock (right) face off in a debate at the Asian American Candidates Forum (AACF) in N. Virginia on Sept. 17. The event was hosted by Dong Xiang, executive director of NTDTV-DC. (KQN Image)
9/17/2010
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/NVirginiaCandidates_cropped.jpg" alt="FACE OFF: Colonel Jeffrey Barnett (left) and Barbara Comstock (right) face off in a debate at the Asian American Candidates Forum (AACF) in N. Virginia on Sept. 17. The event was hosted by Dong Xiang, executive director of NTDTV-DC. (KQN Image)" title="FACE OFF: Colonel Jeffrey Barnett (left) and Barbara Comstock (right) face off in a debate at the Asian American Candidates Forum (AACF) in N. Virginia on Sept. 17. The event was hosted by Dong Xiang, executive director of NTDTV-DC. (KQN Image)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1814582"/></a>
FACE OFF: Colonel Jeffrey Barnett (left) and Barbara Comstock (right) face off in a debate at the Asian American Candidates Forum (AACF) in N. Virginia on Sept. 17. The event was hosted by Dong Xiang, executive director of NTDTV-DC. (KQN Image)

ANNANDALE, Va.—Candidates from Virginia’s 8th, 10th, and 11th congressional districts were throwing some hard punches at a candidates forum on Sept. 17.

Defending their records before a largely Asian American audience were Congressman Jim Moran (D), Congressman Gerry Connolly (D), and Barbara Comstock, who spoke on behalf of Congressman Frank Wolf (R).

Forums provide an opportunity for the challengers to get a jab or two at their better-known incumbent opponents. Candidates Patrick Murray (R) faced off against Congressman Moran; Jeff Barnett (D) battled Congressman’s Wolf’s surrogate Barbara Comstock; and Keith Fimian (R) squared off against Congressman Connolly.

If you missed these lively debates, you will get another chance to see it in its entirety during Oct. 13-15. On those days, New Tang Dynasty Television DC will broadcast the recorded Asian American Candidates Forum (AACF) (with Chinese subtitles) on WDCW Channel 50.3 and Verizon FiOS Channel 482. The programs begin each of the nights at 8 PM.

A diverse coalition consisting of 14 Asian Pacific American civic organizations, businesses and community advocates organized the AACF, providing the Asian American community in Northern Virginia the opportunity to see their candidates up close and question them on the issues affecting their lives.

These debates did not disappoint. It was a fast-paced affair, with candidates limited to two minute opening remarks and just one minute answers to rapid questions put before them by moderator Dong Xiang, executive director of NTDTV-DC.

Today, a candidate, especially in Northern Virginia or in Montgomery county Maryland, cannot afford to ignore the large Asian American community. Asian Americans generally vote in high numbers and could play a pivotal role in influencing the November midterm elections.

In Fairfax county in Northern Virginia, 15 percent of businesses are owned by Asian Americans (Census, 2009), who make up 16 percent of the county population (Census, 2002). In Montgomery County, Asian Americans make up 14 percent of the population (Census, 2009) and own 11 percent of businesses (Census, 2002).

This forum looms in importance too because the percentage of undecided Asian American voters is much higher than the national average. Asian Americans constitute a growing constituency and forums like these provide an outlet for their particular concerns. The organizers especially emphasized good education and opportunities for small business.

NTDTV-DC delivers news, information and entertainment to local Chinese community, nearly all programming is in Mandarin. This forum conducted in English increases its programming to non-Chinese-speaking viewers. Currently, NTD has two global programs, Asia Brief and World News, Monday through Friday, each of which is one-half hour that is in English. Additionally, there is some programming in English on the NTDTV website.

NTD-DC, an independent affiliate of NTD TV, serves the Washington, D.C. metro region.

8th District: Rep. Moran (D) vs. Murray (R)

The great thing about a debate is seeing the candidates’ human side and their human qualities, and how well they can think and speak on their feet. On their respective positions on solving the health care crisis, nine-term Representative Moran speaks very direct while his challenger Murray, who is a 24-year army veteran, uses rather colorful language. Here is one excerpt.

Jim Moran: “We passed health care reform. And it was the most transformational legislation that’s been enacted in a long time. We were motivated by the fact that this country pays twice as much as any other country for health care. We don’t live as long, we’re not as healthy, and that’s because the insurance companies determine who gets care, when they get it and what type of care that they get. And so, we need to move in, the government, to play some role…”

Patrick Murray: “Health care was transformational, that bill. And you know they promised three big things. Well, we’re going to cover everybody, you know that’s not going to happen, we’re going to bend the cost-curve down, but it actually got bent up, and if you like your health care provider you get to keep it, and we now know that that’s not the case. Ladies and gentlemen, we did need health care reform, and frankly both parties missed the vote on this… And we had a health care bill that was cornhusk with kickbacks, Louisiana purchases, earmarks and everything else. The fact of the matter is, that what we need to do is pick through this bill that’s there, this law now, there are good things, we shouldn’t be denying people coverage based on pre-existing conditions, we shouldn’t be dropping people if they get sick when they have existing... when they have a illness. They’re also many, many good things that we need to be doing that we’re not doing with this bill.”

The two adversaries clashed on immigration, “Cap and Trade” bill, fossil fuels, and supporting small business.

 

11th District: Rep. Connolly (D) vs. Fimian (R)

The debate between first-term Congressman Gerry Connolly and businessman Keith Fimian was the most heated of the three. Connolly came into office in 2008, during the Democratic sweep, and so he is probably the more vulnerable of the incumbents participating in these three debates.

At the outset, Connolly tried to draw a contrast with his opponent by observing he had a long record of working with the Asian American community in Northern Virginia for 16 years and therefore, deserved their support.

Gerry Connolly: “I made sure the South-Vietnamese flag was at every high school in Fairbanks County, by an amendment of mine. I saved the Korean dry cleaners association with a zoning amendment to make sure 300 family run Korean businesses weren’t lost. I have worked with the Asian-American community, I’ve been at every Tet event, I have worshiped at Buddhist temples, and Sikh temples and Hindi temples and Christian churches. I have been to hundreds of events. In congress, I chaired the Taiwan caucus. I’m on the US-China trade coalition. I’m on the South Korean US free trade agreement coalition, which I’ve supported”

[xtypo_dropcap]F[/xtypo_dropcap]imian didn’t directly rebut the ties that Connolly has had with the Asian community, but said that Connolly was “a typical career politician.” His closing remarks in a colorful way explain what he was doing in lieu of community work.

Keith Fimian: “When I started my company, I woke up at 3:45 a.m. Many of you have started your own companies, and know how hard it is to create jobs. I woke up at 3:45 a.m. for years, so I could work out, relieve the stress, so I could be at the office by 5:00 a.m. … But I have not been involved in the community as Mr. Connolly has for that reason, but I created hundreds of jobs. I know how to create jobs. It’s what I do, it’s what I’m good at. Mr. Connolly has never created a job in his life….He cannot fix what’s broken with our economy.”

 

10th District: Rep. Wolf (R) vs. Jeff Barnett (D)

This contest pitches 14-term Congressman Frank Wolf against a career military officer, Colonel Jeffrey Barnett (Ret), who served 26 years in the Air Force. However, Wolf had a family engagement, said Barbara Comstock, who stood in for her former boss. In the 1990s, Comstock was a senior aide to Wolf. Currently, Comstock is serving in the Virginia House of Delegates.

Probably because Wolf was absent, there weren’t the sharp contrasts as in the other two debates. One major difference between the two candidates, however, was on Virginia offshore drilling, with Wolf in favor and Barnett on record opposing it.

On being asked about how the U.S. should respond to religious persecution by foreign governments and promote religious freedom abroad, Barnett emphasized his UN peacekeeping experience.

Jeff Barnett: “We must work with local officials. Yes, you must be the ‘bright shining light on the hill’ [i.e., referring to President Reagan’s city on the hill speech] –yes, you must set the standard. But it is the local officials that will effect local change.”

Barbara Comstock: “Congressman Wolf has been such a strong advocate for human rights. And he has done that on a bipartisan basis. And worked with leaders like…in Congress, like [Rep.] Chris Smith. He’s always in touch with the State Department of this administration, as well as of every administration. And I should point out, he has been critical of his own administrations when he didn’t think that they were pursuing human rights.”