Feingold: Listening Sessions, 72 Counties - The Truth

Russ Feingold loves to brag about visiting all 72 Wisconsin counties every year for "listening sessions."

Of course, we know that Feingold doesn't listen to his constituents. He mocks us and dismisses our concerns. That's Feingold's record.

On Feingold's campaign blog today is a post dissing Ron Johnson for visiting 60 of Wisconsin's counties during his campaign. I think making it to 60 counties is a remarkable feat considering how late Johnson entered the race. He hasn't even been in the race for a year.

Nonetheless, Feingold supporters are attacking Johnson.

With fewer than seven days until the election, which 12 counties has Republican multimillionaire Ron Johnson turned his back on?

Three weeks ago, on October 5, 2010, Johnson’s spokeswoman said Johnson has visited 60 counties. Last Friday, at the final debate in Milwaukee, Johnson said the same thing – that he had only visited 60 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties.

So is it like everything else with Johnson’s campaign- simply a political talking point?

If Ron Johnson can’t be bothered to visit all 72 counties and listen to and speak to voters as a candidate, why should the people of Wisconsin trust him to listen to them as a senator?

Russ Feingold holds a listening session in each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties every year. To date, he’s held 1,296 listening sessions and met with over 60,000 Wisconsinites. That’s one of the reasons why the Green Bay Press-Gazette endorsed him.

...Will Ron Johnson show Wisconsinites that they and their home towns are more than a talking point and spend the next seven days visiting the 12 counties he hasn’t been to?

That's a lame criticism and a lame question.

As I explained above, it's very impressive that Johnson has made it to 60 counties in the relatively brief time he's been running for office.

Let's put that silly charge from the Feingold campaign aside and look at Feingold's alleged "listening sessions."

What are these legendary Feingold listening sessions really like?

Let's look back. Let's revisit 2006, when Feingold was running for president of the United States and he spent a lot of time "listening" in Iowa.

"Russ, Are You Listening?" July 7, 2006:

Russ Feingold has some trademark "listening sessions" scheduled for July 15 and 16.

Feingold describes the meetings:

When I first ran for the U.S. Senate in 1992, I made a promise to hold open meetings in each of the state's 72 counties every year to listen to people's concerns and answer their questions. I have kept that promise, meeting with more than 43,897 Wisconsinites at these sessions since I was first elected.

Here's the Listening Session map.



As you can see, Feingold has scheduled a session in Grant County on July 15 in Platteville.

His Grant County listening session will be held at 9:15 a.m. in the City Council Chamber at the Platteville City Hall, 75 North Bonson Street, Platteville. The meeting will last up to an hour.

"Up to an hour"?

That's not much time. If Feingold is bothering to go to Grant County, you'd think he could devote more than just an hour to listening to his constituents' concerns.

Prior to the "up to an hour" listening session with Wisconsinites, Feingold will talk with the media. Rather than spending his precious time with the people he represents, the senator will be spitting out some sound bites and performing for the media.

NOTE: SENATOR FEINGOLD WILL BE AVAILABLE TO MEET WITH THE MEDIA FOR A SHORT TIME PRIOR TO THESE LISTENING SESSIONS.

If the session starts on time, it will be over by 10:15 a.m.

What else is on Feingold's schedule for the rest of the day?

Visiting with other Wisconsinites in another county?

Working for the people of Wisconsin? Looking into issues that matter to them?

No.

Feingold will be spending two days in another state.

You'll never guess which one.

IOWA!

Did you see that coming?

Craig Gilbert reports:

Russ Feingold will be making his second trip this year to Iowa, home of the first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses. Feingold plans to be in eastern Iowa July 15 and 16, holding a listening session and several public meetings with local activists.

It's the summer of 2006 and Feingold is already abandoning Wisconsinites for Iowans.

How convenient that Grant County just happens to be in the southwestern corner of Wisconsin!

Feingold can cross right over the border into Iowa, the promised land of presidential wannabes, before lunch time.

I wonder how many out of state listening sessions Feingold has held in the past. I really don't know. My guess is few to none.

I suppose this proves that Feingold is a maverick. He's so independent that he's freed himself from Wisconsin.

He feels free to spend his time listening to Iowans instead of his constituents, and he has no qualms about campaigning for a race that's two years off.

Remember, Feingold claims that he's not thinking about a presidential run at this stage.

Yeah, sure.

Getting the Dem Party's nomination is really a pipe dream. According to a recent poll of likely caucus-goers, conducted by the Des Moines Register:

Edwards led with 30%, followed by Hillary Clinton at 26%, John Kerry at 12%, and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack at 10%. Feingold was tied with several others at 3%.

Feingold has A LOT of listening to do.

That was 2006, when Feingold had visions of being president dancing in his head.

"Listening" to constituents for "up to an hour" isn't something to brag about. It's a stunt.

When Feingold had his sights set on the White House, he showed Wisconsinites that "they and their home towns were just a talking point." Their concerns were not his, typical of a career politician hoping to advance his position and increase his power.

Ron Johnson has done a spectacular job of campaigning around the state, really listening to the people.

He'll make a fantastic senator and will truly represent us.