I spoke on the phone this afternoon with Ed Patru, the spokesman for Connecticut Republican Senate candidate Linda McMahon, and asked whether McMahon had any comment on Michael Steele’s remarks criticizing the war in Afghanistan.
“We have one commander-in-chief in this country, and the president made the decision to increase the troop levels in Afghanistan,” said Patru. “And Linda’s position from the beginning has been that once the decision has been made, it is important that we commit ourselves to success there, that the troops have what they need to be successful, and that the political will remain consistent throughout this engagement.”
Does McMahon agree or disagree with Steele’s statement that Afghanistan is a war of America’s choosing that was not being prosecuted before, I asked? “The history on the war in Afghanistan is a matter of public record. Is that what you’re asking me?” Patru responded.
Yes, I was asking about that, I responded. To which Patru answered: “It certainly began under the Bush administration. It is now the longest running war in American history.”
Does McMahon have any comment on the new round of calls for Steele’s resignation? Patru gave neither a yes nor a no, but indicated that McMahon is not paying attention to such things: “Linda’s not a politician. She’s not part of the political establishment. She’s an outsider running for the first time for public office. She’s focused very much right now on assuring that to the extent possible she gets out and meets as many voters as possible. That is her first and last focus at this point. She is a lot less focused on the intra-party machinations that are going on in Washington.”
