Opinion
Evidently, Patty Murray Doesn't Feel Your Pain
The PI scored the first big interview with U.S. Sen. Patty Murray going into the general election.
We linked the PI's Murray Q&A in yesterday's On Other Blogs, but it's worth an additional comment. Namely: Sen. Murray is tone-deaf.
Check out how she answers the PI's first question. (We've italicized the oblivious parts.)
"I don't know that it's different." "People in general are concerned about jobs and the economy."
Wow.
We are in the middle of a historic recession and Murray doesn't know that things are different. And, for that matter, that things are pretty specific? It's been 32 months of down numbers, the longest since the Great Depression. In 2004, the unemployment rate was 5.5 percent; this year, it's 9.5 percent, not counting the 2.6 million people who've stopped looking for work. (That brings the total unemployment rate to about 16.5 percent). The unemployment rate in Washington State is only slightly lower—8.7 percent.
Even if Murray is actually hearing similar themes on the campaign trail as she did in 2004, which seems dubious, she should at least display some empathy for her jobless constituents.
She should have talked about how 2010 is definitely different than 2004 (thanks Bush era) and that her vote in D.C.—regulating Wall Street, making sure everyone has health care, securing investments in infrastructure and law enforcement—are the way to repair the economy, not Dino Rossi's lockstep GOP agenda, which crashed the economy in the first place.
Bill Clinton could "feel your pain." Murray is seemingly oblivious to it.
We linked the PI's Murray Q&A in yesterday's On Other Blogs, but it's worth an additional comment. Namely: Sen. Murray is tone-deaf.
Check out how she answers the PI's first question. (We've italicized the oblivious parts.)
You're running for Senate for the fourth time. Going around the state, what are you hearing from voters now that's different from your previous campaigns?
I don't know that it's different. I think that, certainly people in general are concerned about jobs and the economy and what we're doing. Strongly supportive of Wall Street reform. They feel like there's at least some protections in the future, but wanting to know what we're going to be able to do to help continue to make sure that their jobs are secure.
"I don't know that it's different." "People in general are concerned about jobs and the economy."
Wow.
We are in the middle of a historic recession and Murray doesn't know that things are different. And, for that matter, that things are pretty specific? It's been 32 months of down numbers, the longest since the Great Depression. In 2004, the unemployment rate was 5.5 percent; this year, it's 9.5 percent, not counting the 2.6 million people who've stopped looking for work. (That brings the total unemployment rate to about 16.5 percent). The unemployment rate in Washington State is only slightly lower—8.7 percent.
Even if Murray is actually hearing similar themes on the campaign trail as she did in 2004, which seems dubious, she should at least display some empathy for her jobless constituents.
She should have talked about how 2010 is definitely different than 2004 (thanks Bush era) and that her vote in D.C.—regulating Wall Street, making sure everyone has health care, securing investments in infrastructure and law enforcement—are the way to repair the economy, not Dino Rossi's lockstep GOP agenda, which crashed the economy in the first place.
Bill Clinton could "feel your pain." Murray is seemingly oblivious to it.
