NY 20: Chris Gibson (Col, USA Ret), Listen Mr. Punk Ass Congressman...The Only Thing I've Ever Shipped Overseas Is Me And My Paratroopers

For a guy who is supposed to be cruising to re-election Scott Murphy got awfully nasty last night at the end of his debate with GOP challenger and retired Army Colonel, Chris Gibson.

Murphy has been attacking Gibson for supposedly supporting a bill that gives tax breaks to companies which ship jobs overseas. Last night Gibson had enough of that.

"We need to make it a little harder to move jobs overseas," Murphy said, echoing a point he has made in advertisements.

Gibson bristled at the charge. The retired Army colonel from Kinderhook moved from an attentive posture to an excited hunch, saying "now is not the time to raise taxes." He has previously said he takes this charge personally, and to cheers from the crowd, proclaimed, "the only thing that I've shipped overseas in the last few years has been myself and my paratroopers to fight for this country."

Bang.

The 'vet card' can be a little tricky to play. Yes, vets deserve respect and success in the military certainly gives you some broad stroke information about a candidate but it's not a 'get out of jail free card' (see Joe Sestak, Rear Admiral, USN, Ret). Once you enter the political arena, you are fair game, like anyone else. Still, what Murphy has been accusing Gibson of is more or less disloyalty to American and American workers. Gibson pointing out that he's spent most of his life defending those very people seems pretty damn fair to me.

You can see video of the exchange here (about the 1:30 mark).

There's no recent independent polling on this race but I think the desperate attacks by Murphy and the fact that the DCCC is still spending money on the race means it's at least a toss up.

You can read more about Gibson here.

I have set up a Gibson NY-20 Be The Wave event for Saturday, October 30th. Sign up!

posted by DrewM. at 04:26 PM

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