4:13 Unlike earlier Town Hall Forums, this one is slow in getting started. People came in right at 4 p.m., and they're still signing in. The talk among the thirty some people is of an earlier meeting with Norm Coleman. Walz is thanking the crowd for coming and discussing the inportance of the Town Hall meeting tradition.
4:20 Walz is going through his explanation of the role of Congress in war. He's elaborating on the basic spiel, obviously responding to the questions he fielded from earlier forums. When talking about Congressional oversight, for instance, he mentions Blackwater.
He also mentions that it's unusual for citizens to have the opportunity to be able to talk to a senator and their congressman in their home town on the same day
4:31 Walz is still discussing the background material. A reporter for KAAL Channel 6 just arrived.
4:38 Walz opens the floor for discussion. The first question is about when will the Democrats use the power of the purse to end the war. Walz fears that the President will continue the war by shifting funds into the war. National Guard soldiers will get less training and still be sent to Iraq. Secondly, Walz fears a bad re-deployment that would leave equipment and arms in Iraq while putting soldiers at risk. Walz says that another course would be to revoke authorization.
4:45 A woman talks about her anger with Bush for lying to the country about the danger Iraq posed before the war. She wants to impeach Bush. She's ticked with Pelosi for taking impeachment off the table. People clap. Walz explains that the process of impeachment would shut down everything else. She replies that that never stopped the Republicans from going after Clinton.
A man asks about deficit spending being used to pay for the war. Walz confirms this. A woman says she's frustrated that she and others worked hard to get Democrats elected but nothing has changed in Iraq. Walz explains how the Democrats don't have a bullet proof majority. He talks about the things that make him oppose the war. He mentions how Michele Bachmann hasn't changed her vote at all. She repeats her frustration and is upset that Democrats are a laughing stock. Walz details Republican obstructionist tactics and the fact that the Republicans work hard to create the perception of Democratic do-nothingness.
Walz talks about the Article One movement and attempts to get more information from the White House. Walz notes that the grassroots elected him and he understands the frustration. The woman asks how she can get leadership to listen to the American people.
5:05 A veteran who was an NCO while serving speaks positively about the war. He asks Walz if aa redeployment is a good idea. Walz explains the process. The veteran states that every soldier he knows says that the War is a success. Walz notes how our troops will do a great job wherever they are, but soliders on the ground don't have that larger vision of the geopolitical situation. Walz talks about soft partition.
The next man says he is a conservative, but a Tim Penny conservative, and that he likes what Walz is saying. The man fears wars being won on the battlefield but lost in DC. He ask about Iran and Turkey, alluding to the Armenian Genocide resolution.
Walz says he's "the one to blame" for the Armenian Genocide resolution. Walz says that historians agree about the Armenian Genocide resolution. He notes how Congress dropped it, but Turkey still entered Iraq.
Another man worries about micromanagement of the war by Congress. Walz says that Congress has to give better oversight before going into wars. He discusses the sorry state of the military and how there might not be a peace bonus because the military is in bad shape.
A man laments that the veterans legislation hasn't been passed, and veterans being dismised for supposedly "preexisting conditions." Walz talks about how the Army shifted functions to the Guard given the end of the Cold War. Walz talks about the delay of the VA funding bill by Democratic leadership. Walz doesn't agree with the strategy. People in DC have called him naive. He talks abotu the injustice of rejecting veterans claims for mental illness.
5:34 A man asks why Walz didn't join the Blue Dog Coalition. He says he wanted.to be more flexible, though he agrees with the fiscal conservatism of the Blue Dogs.. He joined issue caucuses and works across issues. The man then asks if he'll work with the DLC. Walz hesitates, and says while he may talk to them, he doesn't like the restriction ideological caucuses would place on him.
[Update 10/28]: the young man who asked the question came into the forum late, scrawled a few notes, then asked his off-topic questions about the Blue Dog Coaliton and the DLC. As soon as Walz finished answering, he whipped out what looked like a Blackberry (we were seated directly behind him) and started interacting with it. In an open forum in which people were talking about a focused topic--and staying on topic without much moderation--the questions were a bit jarring. After the forum finished, a couple of people in the audience wondered "What was that all about?" We wonder too; surely he was simply Blackberrying a dear friend over where to savor pizza and beer in Albert Lea [end update].
A woman thanks him for being accessible--she was at the Coleman meeting and she says that she could speak up there. Others in the room murmur agreement. Walz says he wishes that the forums could be held together.
A man asks about war with Iran. He says the country is so large that we'd have to nukes them. He's not happy about that. Walz mentions how the DOD asked for bunker busters in the Senate. This waved red flags. Walz repreats his dislike of the Iranian president and says that American foriegn policy has enabled him. Walz says there are legitimate concerns about Iran, but America needs to become more humble to work with the international community to deal with the country.
5:36 There's a lively exchange about Bush being lawless and possibly going to war with Iran regardless of whether the action is justified. Walz says that Congress is trying to set up limits. Walz relates the story of wanting to tackle some one but being reminding that the alternative to Congress could be civil war.
A woman who had been at the Coleman meeting contrasts Walz's open style with being unable to ask Coleman question. She felt that she had been back in a classroom with the Walz Town Hall meeting. He hopes people keep coming out and talking. A man asks about Constitutional crisises. Walz recommends reading "April 1965." Walz says that he may be having more meetings that any other COngressman; he metions that he has been told by his own party that having the meetings may not be wise politics but he' going to keep having them.
It's over. The audience is still frustrated by the War, but they're happy with Walz, to judge from the side conversations. This meeting was fascinating that there were was a measureable conservative presnece that didn't support immediate ending the War. Equally fascinating was the civility in the room between the two camps. Reflections on the event later this evening.
