Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Money
  • Election 2020
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Money
    Election 2020
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

GOP candidates face the heat, hit the airwaves

  • by CT Mirror Staff
  • August 10, 2010
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

While GOP gubernatorial front-runner Tom Foley spent much of the final day before today’s primary indoors, reaching out to voters on the airwaves and by telephone, his chief rival Michael Fedele was out and about Monday.

But as the heat and humidity soared during a mid-day walking tour in Watertown, Fedele said he was feeling refreshed thanks to Monday’s Quinnipiac University poll numbers showing Foley’s lead, which had stood as high as 35 percentage points at one time, was down to 8 points.

“It’s basically a dead heat,” Fedele said, noting the survey’s 4.6 percentage point margin of error. “We actually think it’s closer than that. We think it’s dead even.”

fedele 8-10-10

Republican gubernatorial candidate Michael Fedele talks with Chris Perrotti outside a Watertown supermarket (Jacqueline Rabe)

Sipping water while trying to keep cool outside of a local Stop and Shop, Fedele introduced himself to shoppers as they approached the market. Their response: He looks better in person than in his television commercials bombarding the airwaves.

“Ouch, everyone keeps saying that,” he responded to one potential voter. “Maybe I should take the hint.”

While Fedele was trying to keep cool in Watertown, the third GOP candidate, Oz Griebel,  was splitting his time in Bloomfield between an air conditioned lunch with Kaman Corporation executives, and then a much warmer tour of one of the aerospace firm’s hangars where military helicopters receive maintenance and other support service.

As Kaman chairman and chief executive officer Neal Keating noted that his company began a transition earlier this year from a costly pension program to a more affordable 401 (k) program, Griebel repeated his pledge to oppose further contributions to the state’s pension programs until unions consider a shift toward a defined contribution plan as well.

“The point of not funding these is to put on the pressure to get the unions back to the table,” Griebel said. “You cannot debate the fact that the cost of these simply is unsustainable.”

Griebel, who is on leave as president of the Greater Hartford Metro Alliance, wasn’t challenged as strongly by workers servicing helicopters.

“”My mother used to work for you,” one technician said. “She always spoke highly of you.”

“Tell your mother I love her,” Griebel replied.

The Simsbury Republican, who trailed Foley by just over 20 points in the latest poll, lacks the private resources Foley has pumped into the campaign, and has opted not to use the public financing employed by Fedele.

But Griebel, who also took time Monday for a downtown business tour in Middletown and an evening gathering at the Southport Brewery in Stamford, objected to what he said is the latest example of a better-funded candidate lifting his ideas.

Specifically, a new Fedele radio ad touts the lieutenant governor as the only candidate to pledge to freeze state government spending and hiring for the next four years.

Griebel, who first pledged during a debate over a month ago to freeze spending in all four years of his term,  said holding the line on spending can’t be done unless hiring is put on hold as well.

griebel 8-10-10

GOP gubernatorial candidate Oz Griebel, right, talks with Kaman Corp. manager John Shelanskas (Keith M. Phaneuf)

“It’s intellectual hoo-hah,” he said, of the Fedele ad, arguing it effectively re-packaged and claimed a Griebel campaign position. “It’s outrageous.”

Fedele, who has pledged repeatedly to seek concessions from state workers, particularly regarding their pension programs, was challenged by to take a different approach by Chris Perrotti, a 17-year veteran of the Department of Motor Vehicles’ Waterbury office.

“You have one minute, tell me what you would do for state workers,” she said. “I have worked hard. I am not one of those $200,000 salary employees with a huge bonus check.”

Fedele responded saying that he promises to protect the pensions that have been promised but that state workers do need to help give back too.

“It really comes down to the pensions,” he said.

As Perrotti continued to press her concerns, a line of questioners formed and Fedele addressed several queries about national health care reform.

“I will veto any tax increase caused by national health reform,” Fedele promised a Charles Beaumont, 67 of Bethlehem.

“It’s awful my taxes are going to be raised to pay for Obama-care,” said Beaumont, a semi-retired orthopedic surgeon. “Mike is right. They shouldn’t be asking us to pay for this.”

Fedele wrapped his day outside of Connecticut, greeting commuters heading for Connecticut-bound trains at Grand Central Station in Manhattan.

Foley, who met returning commuters at the Stamford train station, reached out to voters much of the day Monday a different fashion.

The Greenwich businessman spent most of his time hammering his core message home during radio appearances on WTIC-AM in Farmington, WICC-AM in Bridgeport, and WESU-FM on the campus of Wesleyan University in Middletown.

Foley, who has repeatedly touted his ability to fix troubled businesses, told Wesleyan listeners he’s not surprised Connecticut students leave the state after graduating.

“That’s because young people are smart and they go where the opportunities are,” he said, adding that by controlling government spending and taxes, and by investing in growing industries, Connecticut could again become the “economic engine of the Northeast.”

“In the last several decades we have moved way away from being that kind of supportive, friendly environment,” said Foley, who favors incentives for alternative energy technologies as well as new nuclear power generation in Connecticut to lower energy costs. “Now state government seems to be doing all it can to step on (businesses’) necks.”

Foley, who insisted he’s pleased with an eight-point lead entering the primary vote, took the get-out-the-vote effect into his own hands Monday evening, making calls at his campaign’s Naugatuck phone bank.

“We’re not taking anything for granted,” Foley said. “We’re working hard right up until they close the polls.”

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CT Mirror Staff

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
After killing his cousin, Clyde Meikle found purpose in prison through service. Now he’s asking to go home.
by Kelan Lyons

Clyde Meikle is a "poster boy candidate" for release from prison. If he can't get a sentence modification, who can?

Connecticut’s $90M lobbying industry has a new player: former Speaker Joe Aresimowicz
by Mark Pazniokas

Former House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz is becoming a lobbyist, but a revolving-door law limits him for a year.

Spiking tax revenue will wipe out state budget deficit, analysts say
by Keith M. Phaneuf

Projected state revenues skyrocketed by $1.7 billion Friday, positioning officials to balance the next state budget without tax hikes.

Judge approves shorter sentence for convicted murderer turned prison mentor
by Kelan Lyons

The DOC could start screening Clyde Meikle in July for discharge to a halfway house.

Without vocal dissent, Senate confirms Justice Andrew McDonald
by Mark Pazniokas

The state Senate acted quickly Friday to confirm Andrew J. McDonald to a second term on the Supreme Court.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion Evidence not clear that Trump incited Capitol destruction
by Alan Calandro

Defending President Donald Trump is not popular and I have no interest in writing this other than adherence to truth. Recognizing the truth (if we can find it, which is not always possible of course) should make us be able to come together around that and move on with a common understanding.

Opinion Securing our nuclear legacy: An open letter to President-elect Joe Biden
by Erik Assadourian

Dear President-elect Biden: As you noted in a tweet shortly after protestors stormed the Capitol on Wednesday, “Today is a reminder, a painful one, that democracy is fragile.” Indeed it is. And so are nation-states.

Opinion Last votes of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others
by Gary A. Franks

Finally, the election season is over. The historic elections we saw in this cycle were intriguing. The runoff elections for the U.S. Senate in Georgia put a cap on the campaign season. For many people this could be described as a COVID-19 election. I would argue that this was an election influenced by a pandemic but determined by the killing of unarmed Black people with no adequate justice for the Black community.

Opinion Not just environmental problem; Killingly plant is a great target
by Joel Gordes

In 1990, I was one of five legislators to introduce the first climate change legislation that became PA 90-219, An Act Considering Climate Change, the most popular bill of that session. Back then I considered climate change a national security issue… and I still do.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO