A Very Candid Scott Wallace (UPDATE – Response from Griffin)
Coming off his announcement Tuesday, Scott Wallace is making the rounds speaking to the Central Arkansas Young Republicans Wednesday over lunch at Loca Luna. However unlike his announcement speech, he was very candid on his views from his departure from KARN to what he believes are the biggest weaknesses of his opponents both in the primary and the general election.
Wallace began by emphasizing, as he did in his announcement speech, that he feels he is the most qualified candidate to beat Rep. Vic Snyder but went into greater detail as to why. “I don’t have any Washington baggage,” said Wallace in reference to his primary opponent Tim Griffin’s time spent working as an adviser to President George W. Bush and his brief but controversial tenure as U.S. Attorney of the Eastern District of Arkansas. (Wallace clarified later to me that he was not only referring to Griffin but to Snyder and anyone else who is a Washington insider.)
He also pointed out that while Griffin is an attorney, he is a small business owner and knows what it is like to have to make payroll. “We already have too many attorneys in Washington,” said Wallace citing this as one of the reasons that legislation coming out of Congress is hundreds of pages long and too complex to understand.
Wallace also discussed his involvement in the central Arkansas community serving on the Arkansas Tobacco Control Board and the Arkansas Motor Vehicle Commission as well as a reserve Pulaski County Deputy Sheriff. He said he felt this involvement will translate into support from “within Arkansas not Washington D.C.” and said he expects former Arkansas Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt will soon be endorsing his campaign
However Wallace did not limit his comments only to the professional differences with Griffin, he also got personal. Referring first to Rep. Snyder, Wallace said that Snyder is “most vulnerable because of his personal life and family situation.” Referring to the fact that Rep. Snyder’s wife recently had triplets, Wallace said, “Vic needs to be at home and needs to be a dad.” He went on to say that “Griffin is even more in this boat than Vic.” Wallace said that he told Griffin in a phone conversation a couple week ago, “The worst thing you can do is be elected and be a part time dad.” He said that Griffin told him his wife was completely supportive of his candidacy but Wallace said that would change once Griffin was in Washington and not available to help with the children. Wallace held that his situation with grown children better enables him to meet the travel demands of a Congressman since Griffin has a young daughter and his wife is expecting. (Wallace also later added to me that he was not trying to “attacking Vic and Tim over being a father” in his comments and said, “I think it is an honor to be a father and every father’s first responsibility to be there in the early years of a child’s life.”)
Wallace did have some kind words about his other primary opponent David Meeks but discounted his chances. “David Meeks is a very nice guy but will have a difficult time funding a serious campaign.” He said that he meet Meeks several times and is glad he is running. He praised Meeks ability to organize grassroots volunteers and said this will be an important role in the campaign but if he cannot raise enough money, he is not going to be able to compete.
Wallace also addressed his abrupt departure from KARN Newsradio where he hosted a morning talk radio show. Going into great detail, Wallace said that the executives at Citadel Broadcasting in Las Vegas decided to fire him after a lawsuit was threatened for remarks he made on the air. “If I get firing for that (speaking the truth) I am all about that,” said Wallace. “Stand up for the truth. Do what is right.”
Wallace also commented that he believes the Republican Party has “lost their way” and strayed from their conservative principles. “I am a conservative first and a Republican second,” said Wallace. “There are certain core values that I will never compromise on.” He went on say that decided to run as he felt Vic Snyder was not representing Arkansas values that he decided it was time to no longer stand on the sidelines.
Most central Arkansas Republicans I have spoken with are pleased to see several strong opponents compete for the chance to take on Vic Snyder next November but if Wallace’s comments today are any indication, we are in for a long primary.
UPDATE – I spoke to Tim Griffin this morning and he declined to comment on the remarks Wallace made regarding his family situation but instead focused on the race against Rep. Snyder.
“We need a representative who shares the values of Arkansans and can counter the agenda of President Obama and Nancy Pelosi,” said Griffin. “I will continue to make the case to Arkansans that President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Snyder are going too far, too fast and their misguided policies are bankrupting this country.”
Tags: 2010 Candidates
October 29th, 2009 at 7:27 am
So, the first thing Scott Wallace does after he announces he’s running for Congress start slinging mud, and telling people how to be parents? Seems a bit like a Kim Hendren moment.
October 29th, 2009 at 8:14 am
where was the mud. Speaking clearly, is a good thing. I hope all the statements are clear. Personally, I am not looking for the perfect/never made a mistake/insider. I want someone who is honest with the people even if we don’t like it, but the person must continue to promote and vote the way the people they are representing want. Not discounting what the people think, Like Snyder does , and Blanche does and Pryor does.
When you call out a person missrepresenting themselves, Say ex I am a DR. when I don’t have enough hours in college to even be a Jr., I think the people should know that you aren’t a DR. No matter how much I want to be a Dr. I simply am not a DR. and the thought of running for an office under the pretext that I am, and people voting for me because some of them think I am a DR. is wrong.
Would you call this person out?
Just my thought. I would consider voting for a person who stands up for the truth, even if others are too scared to stand up and speak up.
October 29th, 2009 at 8:25 am
->I really hope that Scott Wallace does not gain any traction. As you can gather from his statements, Scott Wallace is a person who routinely goes on and on about things he has no business talking about. If you want to understand Scott Wallace, just watch a couple episodes of the Office and take in Michael Scott. If you remove all of Michael’s redeeming qualities, you are left with Scott Wallace. If that is the type of person you want representing you, than go ahead a vote for him.
->With full disclosure, I am not a fan of Scott Wallace on not just a political level but a personal level. edited
->Plain and simple, I think he is a poor representative for Arkansas and its citizens. It would be a disservice to our state to allow such a person to make it to DC. I make this statement fully realizing the people the state has already sent to represent us, and I stand by it. Scott Wallace is bad for Arkansas.
October 29th, 2009 at 8:27 am
I don’t think he would have a problem if he had limited his comments to the professional differences with the other three. Instead, he attacked a father of triplets and another father with a pregnant wife.
Is Wallace opposing working Dads or does he have some higher calling to run for office?
Given his concerns about children and dads, I wonder if he had “the talk” with David Meeks to make sure he and his wife wouldn’t “accidently” have a child during the campaign or if he got elected.
October 29th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Kay,
What?
October 29th, 2009 at 9:13 am
I am speaking about Little Rock Public Schools Teddy
sorry for the confusion
October 29th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Kay-
You ask where the mud is, and it’s quite clear it’s in Scott Wallace talking about people’s families. Instead of talking about how he can differ from his opponents he immediately runs to “Washington Insiders” and then goes on to tell both Snyder and Griffin to be fathers. I find it completely disgusting.
October 29th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Voice of Reason, you are disgusted by nothing. You are a tool, a mouthpiece. You just spit out Griffin’s spin no matter what it is.
October 29th, 2009 at 11:43 am
I guess your reasoning skills and mine are different. No Problem.
I get a vote and so do you. I think the man was saying he has the time to be in Washington without moving there and without leaving behind small children. I think that once a Senator or Representative moves his family to DC he becomes out of touch with the people he is suppose to be representing. If you have tried to speak to Vic Snyder about any issues in our State, you would understand the man has been drinking the koolaid in Washington DC and he does not a grasp of what we want, and frankly, he said he really didn’t think we(the voters of Arkansas) were smart enough to understand the depth of the Federal Government and how it works, and why He did not vote the way the people wanted. Nuff said.
I am not voting for someone I think is about the POWER, the Political Career Opportunites, and becoming Permanent Residents of DC, like Snyder or Lincoln.
I don’t know who I am voting for yet. But I will be at the meeting tomorrow to listen to any of them that show up. I hope they will all come. unlike last month when Mr Gilbert Baker went to raise money in California instead of coming to the meeting and speaking.
Nuff said about how he feels about the little small business people.
October 29th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Not sure what you mean about spin, Bush Baggage. All I’ve done is defend a candidate that I prefer. Meanwhile, you’ve attacked a candidate that you don’t seem to care for. If I have an agenda here, you most certainly do too.
October 29th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Hope to see some flip-cam video of the Wallace statements: good for all to see.
Can’t say anything bad about Scott: he could become one of the best of the GOP farm team. Scott does have some modest support among experienced political hands, too: just not clear that those few folks will be able to guide the ship to a victory in May.
But it is clear that Griffin is ready for Prime Time. Not just financially, but strategically and tactically. He didn’t take the bait about family (i.e., Scott’s violation of the first rule of politics). So perhaps Max B. and his syncophants won’t get the mud-slinging contest they so hope will destroy the GOP’s chances to take this seat back.
October 29th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
rules of politics? hmmmm sounds like the same ole bull Barbara. Its what I am voting against. Is that how Griffin is? I have only met him once. hmmmmm Now I have my concerns
Thanks for letting me in on his negatives
October 29th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
I haven’t yet decided who I will support in this race. However telling me someone shouldn’t be a Congressman because his wife is pregnant is not a good way to earn my vote. I haven’t yet researched Scott Wallace and didn’t really know a negative thing about him until that comment. The people who got upset (rightfully so) when others criticized Palin by saying she should be with her family and not run for President should be equally upset with Wallace’s comments.
October 29th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Also, commenting that Congressman Snyder is vulnerable because of his “family situation” is a good way to lose votes. When was the last time you saw a candidate win because he was complaining that his opponent had too many kids to be in office?
October 29th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
I always love it when people get on here and talk about how a candidate is not going to play by the established rules and change politics and Washington, DC. No offense, Kay, if Wallace doesn’t play by the rules, he’ll lose. You’re a pollyanna if you think you can change the way elections work.
Oh, wait, he must be playing by the Trevor Drown playbook: carry on then.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
I completely agree with Wallace on this one. What are Vic and Tim thinking having them babies and then running for a highly demanding job? Next thing you know some women is going to come out of the kitchen with younguns on each hip and try to run for Vice President or something. Them boys is ridiculous. Thank you Mr. Wallace for putting them back in their place.
Oh, and point out that Griffin is a lawyer, smart one. That will sink him once everyone finds out. I have heard some bad stuff about him somewhere but never that he was a lawyer. The nerve to even think of a lawyer from Arkansas with a pregnant wife to run for office. It probably is the first time that has EVER happened.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
[...] Tolbert reports that in a speech Wednesday to the Central Arkansas Young Republicans, congressional candidate Scott [...]
October 29th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Kay, Unfortunately I accepted an invitation to speak at the Conservative Forum tomorrow so I will not be at the CARC. I will have someone there to speak on my behalf. I hope to meet you soon. David
November 2nd, 2009 at 12:43 pm
[...] Wallace ensured that the Republican primary for US House District 2 will be a bloggers [...]
November 18th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
[...] with incumbent Democrat Rep. Vic Snyder and Republican primary opponent Tim Griffin for running when they were parents to young children. “Vic needs to be at home and needs to be a dad,” Wallace told a central Arkansas Young [...]