On
Fox News Sunday (August 23, 2009), Chris Wallace interview Jim
Towey, Tammy Duckworth and Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA).
The Towey interview (Part 1
below) went as smoothly as expected. Towey is an excellent
spokesperson for his point of view. His article in the Wall
Street Journal, available at the link above, has sparked a
controversy that will continue for some time.
But, in the "not so good"
category, was the interview with Tammy Duckworth, the VA's Public
Affairs Chief. Duckworth is confused about the dates the
guide was used and who allowed, or ordered, it to be used.
But, the most damning part of this interview is when Wallace put a
Veterans' Health Administration (VHA) directive on the screen
dated July 2, 2009 urging use of the guide. This was
Duckworth's "deer in the headlights" moment. You can see it
in the video (Part 2 below).
Duckworth kept talking about
directives signed by the Secretary and wouldn't acknowledge the
VHA directive Wallace had produced. It should be noted that
a VA Secretary would, most likely, not be issuing a directive
about literature used in counseling ... this would come from
someone with that authority in VHA and Duckworth should have got
that name into the record.
What Duckworth should have done
is said: "Who signed that directive? Please show
that." And then declared that she had no knowledge of it (if
true) and move on. But, she dug a hole and then fell in.
Ms. Duckworth should be better
prepared for her interviews. Perhaps some OJT will take care
of that, but as it stands, she is an easy target for any
aggressive newsperson and leaves the VA with lots of egg on its
face.
Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA),
Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, wants (Part 3
below) to hold a hearing on this. Don't they all?
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