Steele: "Ready to Change Washington"

Steele Campaign Manager Michael Leavitt released the following statement on Michael Steele’s debate with Congressman Ben Cardin this morning on Meet the Press with Tim Russert:

“This morning, Michael Steele spoke passionately about the need for change in Washington, D.C. and his commitment to working above partisan labels and Washington finger pointing to get something done for Maryland.

“Congressman Cardin, however, delivered yet another disappointing debate performance – stumbling on Iraq, flip-flopping on parental notification and questioning the benefits of stem cell research. Evidently, skipping the NAACP debate with Michael Steele on Thursday still did not give the Congressman enough time to study the issues.

“Congressman Cardin should have an interesting time explaining to Marylanders how he voted against stem cell research legislation the senate voted unanimously to approve because he thought it would do, ‘nothing at all to advance stem cell research.’

“Maryland voters deserve the Congressman’s explanation on why he would vote to cut off funding for American troops if he thought the political winds were blowing in the right direction. Maryland voters deserve an explanation on how Congressman Cardin can tell Tim Russert this morning that he doesn’t think there should be a ‘time schedule’ for troop withdrawal, but yet he supports withdrawing troops from Iraq at 10,000 a month no matter the effect. If that’s not a timetable, Congressman Cardin should tell us what is.

“We have enough partisanship, double-talk, spin and lies in Washington, D.C. today. It’s time for change, not another 20 years of Congressman Cardin’s all-talk-but-no-action approach to addressing the challenges we face.”

To see the complete “MEET THE PRESS: Setting the Record Straight” document, please visit: http://www.steeleformaryland.com/meetthepress.htm.