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9/22/08
PRESS RELEASE FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
RIC FARRAH
DONOVAN FOR
CONGRESS
PHONE:
615.773.1702
ric@donovanforcongress.com
Jim Cooper Declines Debate
Nashville, TN -
The only scheduled televised debate in the battle for the
congressional seat held by Jim Cooper has been put on hold
by debate organizer 14th District Metro Councilman James
Bruce Stanley. According to Stanley in an email sent to the
Donovan campaign, there was lack of interest by the event
cosponsors and no interest from the Cooper camp.
"It’s not
surprising that Cooper refuses to debate," says Ric Farrah,
campaign spokesman and press secretary. "If you had his
approval ratings and that of most career incumbents, would
you want to face those who you claim to represent? This
Congress, including Jim Cooper, has been asleep at the
wheel."
According to
Donovan, "Representative Cooper is doing what he does best;
he's avoiding the issues and he is avoiding me. Jim knows
the 5th District is upset with him and his do nothing
approach to the three critical issues that face our
district; energy, economy and immigration. It's in his best
interest to run from a debate that he knows he can't win."
Donovan's
campaign is a textbook illustration of grassroots. "Our
campaign has come a very long way with only volunteer help
and very little money," says Donovan. I'm blessed with some
great people who are giving up an awful lot of their time to
help me win Jim's seat and represent the 5th District. We
are gaining recognition by just plain hard work; taking it
to the streets."
The lack of
campaign finances has resulted in some old fashioned tactics
of running a campaign. As Donovan calls it, "Taking it to
the Streets," as referring to the Doobie Brothers’ rock
classic.
"That should
be our campaign theme song," states Donovan, "because that's
what we do. Just like Fred Thompson in his successful bid
for the US Senate traveling the state in his old pickup
truck, we are going door to door in the district, riding the
bus talking with people, standing on street corners with
Donovan for Congress signs, and speaking at every meeting or
gathering where we are invited, and even a couple where we
weren't."
Donovan,
running as a non-partisan Republican, sports a sheepish
grin, thinking back to a few Democrat functions he attended,
mostly uninvited. Most recently, he arrived at the
Democratic Round Up fundraiser held at the Wilson County
Democratic Headquarters, where they actually welcomed him
and let him speak to the group. "It was all in good fun,"
says Donovan, "they even put me in the dunking booth. I
agreed after doubling the price of the donation and
insisting the money go to The Brooks House homeless shelter
for women. I don't know exactly how much money I raised, but
I did get awful wet. There were a lot of Democrats lining
up to soak me," laughs Donovan.
At the Wilson
County Fair, Donovan visited the Democrat Party's booth to
ask a stunned Jim Cooper for his vote. According to Donovan,
Cooper declined to announce for whom he is going to vote.
 While Donovan and his staff are having fun on the campaign trail
meeting the 5th District, the candidate is a realist and
knows he faces a formidable opponent as well as an uphill
battle. When asked what he needs to win this election, his
answer was simple.
"The voters in
the 5th District harbor the same disappointment with
Congress as the rest of the country. But even with the
dismal approval rating of this do nothing Congress, I still
need to reach out to more people and let them know they have
a real alternative. The status quo approach to the Big Three
issues clearly isn't working."
What Donovan
refers to as the "Big Three", are the three main issues of
the Donovan for Congress campaign; energy independence,
economy and immigration. The campaign knows that Jim Cooper
is going to pull out all stops and his wallet as Election
Day approaches. Even though their polling indicates that
momentum is swinging toward Donovan, the Donovan campaign
knows they have the daunting task of raising enough money to
counter the attack ads that the Cooper campaign will
undoubtedly place in the final weeks prior to the election.
"Our campaign
is designed to address the issues of which seventy percent
of Republicans and Democrats can agree," says campaign
spokesman Farrah. "We would love some prominent people
within the district of either political persuasion to step
up to the plate and host a few fundraisers. To be sure,
unseating an incumbent politician is political but the
issues we face now transcend politics."
Farrah goes on
to say, "These issues cross the boundaries of Democrats and
Republicans and affect all of our lives. Jim Cooper and
Congress, plain and simple, have not done an adequate job in
addressing these issues. Many in my circle feel that
government has caused most of these problems. In short, we
have found that even Democrats want real solutions to the
crises all of us face and many have lost confidence in
Cooper."
Farrah adds,
"As Gerard frequently points out, Jim is the 13th wealthiest
representative in Congress and, as usual, Gerard is right.
It will be nothing for Cooper to open up his wallet and buy
enough media time in an effort to drown out our message. And
frankly, I very much expect that to happen because as the
economy crisis worsens, he and other incumbents are
plummeting in the poles. The only way to counter Cooper's
barrage of negative campaigning is to get on-the-air as
well. In short, that takes money."
To find out
more information or to contribute, visit
www.DonovanForCongress.com.
5th District voters are even able to phone the candidate and
speak to him on his personal cell phone at 615-818-9354.
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