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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTown hall in Duesseldorf with two former House members, one D, one R
The Democrat was Gene Green of Houston, and the Republican was Barbara of Virginia. Both left Congress at the end of last year. Green retired, and Comstock lost her re-election bid.
I was all prepared to hate Comstock, as she voted the far right line almost always, and I celebrated when she was knocked out last November. To my great irritation, she was very pleasant, and I had a hard time equating her with her insane House Floor votes. Gene Green was a jovial Texan, and more moderate than most of today's House.
Comstock (this WAS in Düsseldorf, remember) took pains to remind the crowd that she had NOT supported Trump during the 2016 primaries, and I almost wanted to shout out, "then WHY did you always vote with him?" but it was water under the bridge. She acknowledged freely that it was Trump who dragged her down to defeat--her party's president, her burden for being in his party. When it came my turn to ask them both a question, I asked "is there ANY justification or rationale that either of you can offer for our betrayal of the Kurds in Syria?" Green AND Comstock both said simply NO. Instantly. It was actually Comstock who said that Trump appeared to just be the easy victim of a telephone snow job by Erdoğan, and Trump fell for it lock, stock and barrel.
It's amazing how even some of the most doctrinaire Republicans can acquire 20/20 hindsight--once they leave Congress.
panader0
(25,816 posts)That seems unusual.
There is an organization here called "Amerika Haus" that promotes understanding between the two countries. It was set up after World War II, and lives entirely from private contributions. They organize these things.
Above and beyond the call