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May 30, 2007

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - Kuhl war votes irk attendees at forum

BRIGHTON — U.S. Rep. Randy Kuhl was peppered with questions: Why do you continue to support the war in Iraq? Where do you stand on immigration reform? What's your opinion on the No Child Left Behind Act?

But the Republican from Hammondsport, Steuben County, said Tuesday's community meeting at Brighton Town Hall was not about holding an hour-long question-and-answer session.

Kuhl was there to listen.

"I didn't come here to give a speech. I didn't come here to debate anybody," he said in short opening remarks to a crowd of about 50 people. "I didn't come here to defend anybody, and I didn't come here to criticize anybody."

But in a town with among the largest Democratic enrollment in his sprawling 29th District, Kuhl's ground rules were met with anger by some attendees, many of whom were against the war. They argued that the second-term congressman should offer better explanations for his votes, and some weren't afraid to let him know it.

"You dance around everybody's questions," said activist and Vietnam War veteran Gene Simes, 62, of Gananda, Wayne County. "If I was a congressman, you know what I would say? I would say, 'You know what I'm going to do about this war? I'm going to tell President Bush that we wanted it ended.'"

Earlier this year, Kuhl voted in favor of Bush's plan to increase the troop level in Iraq and has been opposed to establishing a withdrawal date. After the public meeting, Kuhl said he remains "skeptical" of the troop buildup, but won't pass judgment until Gen. David Petraeus, the top American commander in Iraq, gives a progress report to Congress in September.

"I'm awaiting that as much as anybody because I'm not about continuing a war that is fruitless," he said.

Democrats vow to target Kuhl next year as they look to retain control of Congress. While Democrats won congressional control last year, Kuhl survived and narrowly won re-election over Democrat Eric Massa. Yet Kuhl has lost Monroe County in each of his two elections.

Massa, of Corning, has already committed to running against Kuhl again, and David Nachbar, an executive at Bausch & Lomb Inc., also plans to seek the Democratic nomination. Two national anti-war groups have already run ads against Kuhl this year for his position on Iraq.

Kuhl's district runs from Monroe and Ontario counties through the Southern Tier.

While his positions may be unpopular in some parts of the district, Kuhl said he will uphold his yearly pledge to have hour-long community meetings in each town in the eight-county district. The district has 145 towns; he has already visited 84 this year, seven Tuesday.

He said it's important to hear from constituents on issues big and small. One couple stood behind Kuhl through most of the session holding a sign that read, "Bush lied; they died" with a photo of flag-draped coffins.

"This is for their input," he said. "The point here is to try to come to a community and say we're not here to debate national politics. The election was seven months ago (and) the next election, I haven't even declared whether I'm going to run or not."