4/19: Race between Dems in 2nd Congressional District heats up
>>> DEMOCRATS WILLIAM SOON
SELECT A NOMINEE FOR THE SECOND
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT AND
TONIGHT WE ARE ON THE RECORD
WITH TWO WHO WANT TO WORKING
WASHINGTON, D.C.
>> IT IS TIME TO GO ON THE
RECORD WITH WRAL NEWS.
>> GOOD EVENING, THANKS FOR
JOINING US, THERE ARE THREE
DEMOCRATS ON THE BALLOT FOR THE
MAY 6TH PRIMARY, TONIGHT BE
MIGHT TWO, A THIRD DECLINED OUR
INVITATION.
THE DISTRICT REDRAWN TWO YEARS
AGO STRETCHS FROM WAKE ALL THE
WAY TO AND THROUGH A PORTION OF
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, THE FIRST
CANDIDATE WE MEET TONIGHT IS A
FAMILIAR FACE TO MANY OF YOU, A
YOUNGER GENERATION CANDIDATE
WHO USED A YOUNGER GENERATION
TECHNIQUE TO ANNOUNCE HIS
CANDIDACY.
>> FOR MORE FAMILIES THEY ARE
STRUGGLING, AT LEAST TODAY --
>> -- WE ARE JOINED BY CLAY
AIKEN AND HERE IS WRAL'S MARK
BEAKER, LAURA LESLIE IS OFF
THIS EVENING.
THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> BEFORE YOU EVER DID THAT YOU
WERE A SPECIAL EDUCATION
TEACHER FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION
NEEDS.
>> RIGHT.
>> NOW I KNOW YOU TOLD A
REPORTER THAT CONGRESS COULD
USE A SPECIAL ED TEACHER, AND I
KNOW THAT IS A GREAT THING BUT
HOW DO YOU MAKE THE LEAP AS A
TEACHER THERE AND NOW IN SHOW
BUSINESS, WITH THAT.
>> WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE
REASONS IS I WORKED AFTER
SCHOOL WITH THEM BUT AFTER IDOL
I TALKED ABOUT HOW THE KIDS I
WORKED WITH COULD NOT GO TO
SUMMER SCHOOL OR AFTER SCHOOL
PROGRAMS BECAUSE OF THAT SO WE
STARTED A PROGRAM TO DO THIS
AND SO FOR ME THAT WAS A PLAT
FORM I HAD AS A RESULT OF IDOL
TO SORT OF BE A VOICE FOR
THEM.
AND TO ME POLITICIANS ARE SORT
OF SUPPOSED TO BE A
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE
THEY SERVE AND THAT IS WHAT I
HAVE SORT OF TIED TO DO, I HAVE
WORKED AS BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR
THEM AND SO THAT IS WHY.
>> YOU KNOW WHEN WE FIRST HEARD
YOUR NAME FOR CANDIDATE WE WERE
LIKE COME ON BE SERIOUS AND YOU
ARE AWARE OF THIS.
>> YEAH, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO
RECOGNIZE ME BECAUSE OF THE
SHOW, I WANT THEM TO LISTEN TO
ME AND TO SPEAK UP ON THEIR
BEHALF AND MAKE A DECISION
BASED ON THAT.
HAVING A NAME THAT IS
RECOGNIZABLE GETS US IN THE
DOOR A LITTLE BIT AND GETS
PEOPLE TO LISTEN SOME BUT I
RECOGNIZE I HAVE THAT
CHALLENGE, WE CALL IT A
MOUNTAIN I HAVE TO CLIMB IN
ORDER TO GET PEOPLE TO SEE ME A
DIFFERENT WAY AND WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AND ONCE
I FIND THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE
LISTEN TO ME ABOUT THE ISSUES
THAT FRUSTRATE ME AND FRUSTRATE
THEM, WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMON
GROUND, AND THEY SEE THAT --
YOU KNOW, I DON'T NEED A JOB, I
DON'T NEED A JOB, AND I SEE A
NEED THERE AND I WANT TO FILL
IT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS IS THE
PROGRAM WITH NATIONAL
DISABILITIES, HOW DOES THAT
WORK OUT?
>> WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE
FOR THAT CAUSE AND LOOKING FOR
SOMEONE TO LISTEN TO SOME OF
ATTENTION THAT THEY.
>> AND THEY SAID YOU DID NOT GO
TO THOSE MEETINGS, WHAT WAS IT
YOU MISSED, SIX OR SEVEN EARLY
ON?
>> YEAH, RECOGNIZED MY ROLL AND
CERTAINLY RECALL IN MY
COMMISSION, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I WAS ABLE TO BRING,
ESPECIALLY WHEN I WAS TOURING
NON-STOP, ONE OF THE THINGS I
WAS ABLE TO BRING WAS ATTENTION
TO THEM, OF COURSE THERE WERE
DOCTORS AND PROFESSORS AND I
WAS ABLE TO BRING ATTENTION TO
THAT AND THAT WAS MY STRENGTH
THERE AND I THINK I WILL BE
ABLE TO BRING ATTENTION TO
THAT AS WELL.
>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEN AND
NOW.
>> I AM GLAD YOU ASKED THAT, IT
IS MUCH DIFFERENT THEN THAN
NOW, I HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON
THIS, I SOLD MY HOUSE AND
FOCUSED ON THIS AS MY PRIMARY
FOCUS AND THAT IS MY FOCUS, AND
WHAT IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THEN WAS
THIS IS MY FOCUS AND I AM
FOCUSED AND I AM HERE TO DO
THAT AND MADE A CLEAR
DISTINCTION IN MY LIFE BETWEEN
THEN AND NOW.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE HELP
YOU CAN GIVE THEM, THE
AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE ACT, THE
PRESIDENT TALKED ABOUT IT THIS
WEEK SAYING THERE ARE 7 MILLION
PEOPLE ENROLLED AND HOPEFULLY
THIS WILL WORK BUT THERE ARE
REPUBLICANS WHO STILL WANT IT
REPEALED.
HOW WOULD YOU STAND UP ON THAT
IF YOU ARE ELECTED TO THE
HOUSE.
>> I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS
-- NOT JUST THOSE ISSUES, IS
THAT PEOPLE ARE TOO BUSY
STANDING IN THE CORNER, FOLDING
THEIR ARMS, ONE OF THE GREAT
THINGS ABOUT THE HEALTHCAREACT
IS THAT THEY HAVE DONE SOME
THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW
ABOUT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
DEMOCRATS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS
THAT THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS
WITH IT AND SOME PEOPLE ARE
HAVING TROUBLE WITH IT AND IT
IS IN THE SIDE WINNING OR
LOSING, IT IS PEOPLE BEING
COVERED.
AND IT IS NOT THINGS LIKE THAT,
IT IS ABOUT THINGS LIKE
HOSPITALS CHARGING YOU FOR
THINGS AND NOT TELLING YOU WHAT
THEY ARE AND THINGS LIKE THE
DOCTORS DOING THAT.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF
WONDERFUL THINGS THIS LAW
PROVIDES FOR US AND THERE ARE
SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO BE
FIXED AND INSTEAD OF STANDING
IN THE CORNER WITH OUR ARMS
CROSSED WE NEED TO GET THOSE
THINGS FIXED.
WE NEED TO FIX THOSE THING.
>> ALL RIGHT, RIGHT BEFORE WE
GO TO BREAK, SOMETIMES PEOPLE
STAND IN THE CORNER WITH THEIR
ARMS FOLDED BECAUSE THEY SAY WE
NEED TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND DO
THIS LIKE THAT.
>> WELL, THERE ARE RULES, AND
AGAIN LIKE I SAID, I DON'T NEED
A JOB, I AM DOING THIS BECAUSE
I WANT TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE,
I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO GO
TO CONGRESS AND TELL THE
LEADERS THERE THAT I DON'T WANT
TO DO THAT.
THAT IS WHAT GOT US INTO THIS
MESS AS WELL.
>> ALL RIGHT, AS WE GO TO
BREAK, A REMINDER, WE ARE
RECORD TONIGHT TALKING WITH
THOSE WHO WANT TO SERVE IN THE
SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
IN FORT CAROLINA, WHO ARE
DEMOCRATS.
THERE ARE THREE IN THIS RACE,
KEITH CHRISCO WAS INVITED TO
JOIN US TONIGHT, HE DECLINED
THE INVITATION, WE WILL BY
TALKING WITH TONY MORRIS IN A
FEW MINUTE, RIGHT NOW WE ARE
TALKING WITH CLAY AIKEN,
DEMOCRAT FROM THIS AREA, WE
TALKED ABOUT HEALTHCARE, WHY
YOU WANT TO RUN, MARK BEAKER, I
KNOW YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT
THAT.
>> WE DO, YOU TALK ABOUT
IMMEDIATELY PROGRESS THAT NEEDS
TO BE MADE ON OUR RAILWAYS AND
ROADS, ETCETERA, THE PUSH IS
THAT HOW DO WE PAY FOR THAT BIG
INFRASTRUCTURE PUSH.
HOW DO WE PAY FOR THAT BIG
INFRASTRUCTURE PUSH?
>> WELL, I THINK WE NEED TO SET
UP A FUND TO FUND THOSE
PROJECTS.
WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT THAT
WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE
GROWTH IN THIS COUNTRY AND WE
HAVE TO LOOK AT WAYS TO SPEND
MONEY SMARTER.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT,
FOR EXAMPLE, THE GOVERNMENT
SPENDS UPWARD OF 22 BILLION
DOLLARS A YEAR ON VACANT OR
UNUSED BUILDINGS, THAT IS THE
TOP OF IRRESPONSIBLE SPENDING
THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STOP
AND THAT MONEY COULD BE USED IN
OTHER AREAS TO PROMOTE GROWTH
AND I AM NOT JUST TALKING ROADS
AND BRIDGES, THE ELECTRICAL
GRID AND SMART BAND ACCESS,
THOSE THINGS, SMART BAND ACCESS
AND ELECTRICAL GRID
IMPROVEMENTS DON'T JUST CREATE
JOBS THEN, BUT BROAD AND ACCESS
CREATES JOBS RIGHT THERE,
ALLOWS GROWTH RIGHT THERE.
>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE
PEOPLE WHO POINT TO THAT AND
SAY, LOOK, WE HAVE GOT PRIVATE
SECTOR COMPANIES DOING THOSE
THINGS, WHY SHOULD THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT MEDEL IN THOSE
PARTICULAR AREAS.
>> WELL, LISTEN, WE HAVE A LOT
OF RURAL AREAS WHERE THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT
TAKING CARE OF THOSE FOLKS, AND
WE HAVE A LOT OF RURAL YARDS
WHERE THEY ARE NOT TAKING CARE
OF BUSINESS AND THEY NEED THE
SAME TECHNOLOGY AND ACCESS TO
THESE SERVICES AND THE
GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO
THAT, ANDYOU KNOW A GOOD ROAD
GETS YOU SERVICES TO COME IN
THERE AND TO AND FROM THE AREA
AND WE CAN'T IGNORE THE RURAL
AREAS JUST BECAUSE THE HEAVILY
POPULATED AREAS ARE WHERE THEY
ARE DOING THAT.
>> THAT CONTINUES TO BE A HOT
TOPIC, WHERE THE INCUMBENT HAS
SORT OF BROKEN RANKS WITHIN HER
PARTY AND IRRITATED SOME WITHIN
HER DISTRICT.
IS YOUR VISION FOR IMMIGRATION
REFORM DIFFERENT FROM HERS?
>> I HAVE NOT HEARD ENOUGH OF
HER STANCE ON THAT TO KNOW HOW
MUCH DIFFERENT MY PROPOSAL IS
FROM HERS, BUT I WILL SAY THAT
ANYONE WHO STAYS HERE IS
ILLEGAL AND IT WOULD COST 22
BILLION DOLLARS IF WE EXPORTED
THEM OUT AND THEY HELP THE
ECONOMY THROUGH THEIR WORK.
I DO NOT BELIEVE LIKE THEY DO
THAT WE SHOULD DO THAT.
I DO BELIEVE WE SHOULD MAKE
SURE THAT THEY ARE HERE
LEGALLY.
THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE
ILLEGALLY, IF WE DON'T MAKE OUR
BORDERS SECURE AND MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SECURE OUR
BORDERS THEN THAT WON'T MAKE A
DIFFERENCE BECAUSE WE WILL BE
IN THE SAME SHAPE IN A FEW
YEARS, AND SO I THINK WE NEED
TO HAVE REFORM THERE.
>> WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO
KNOW ABOUT CLAY AIKEN.
>> I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT I
AM A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR
PEOPLE.
AND I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT
I DO THAT AND I SEE A NEED
THERE AND I DON'T NEED A JOB
AND I TRULY TRULY WANT PEOPLE
TO VOTE FOR ME TO DO THE JOB
FOR THEM IN CONGRESS.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
WHEN WE COME BACK TONY MORRIS
MENTIONED JUST BEFORE THE
BREAK, DEMOCRAT TONI MORRIS
DESCRIBES HERSELF AS A
CANDIDATE OUTSIDE THE POLITICAL
ARENA, AND SHE IS HERE IN PART
TO TELL US WHY SHE WANTS TO BE
A PART OF IT.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE
OUTSIDE OF IT.
>> WELL, BECAUSE I WORK AS A
THERAPY EVERY DAY, AND I HAVE
PEOPLE COME IN MY OFFICE EVERY
DAY ONE-ON-ONE MAYBE I HEAR
STUFF THEY DON'T TELL OTHER
CHILDREN, DON'T HAVE A JOB,
CAN'T AFFORD MY BILLS, CAN'T
AFFORD MY COPAYS AND AFFORD
THAT AND I AM LIKE OKAY,
SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND
ALSO EVERY TIME I CALL UP
PEOPLE FOR RESOURCES THEY ARE
LIKE I AM SORRY, I CAN'T HELP
YOU, I AM SORRY, I CAN'T HELP
YOU, SO EVERY TIME I CALL THEM
THEY SAY THEY WILL HELP BUT
THEY DON'T SO I WANT TO HELP
PEOPLE IN CONGRESS.
>> HOW WILL YOUR MAJOR HELP.
>> HOW WILL MY MAJOR HELP?
>> WELL MY MAJOR IS PSYCHOLOGY
AND IT HELPS ME LOOK AT
STUDENTS AND A LOT OF IT IS
EDUCATION REFORM AND IT ALLOWS
ME TO LOOK AT STUDENTS AND
EDUCATION REFORM AND FROM THAT
PERSPECTIVE, AND IN ADDITION TO
THAT I HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE
DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD, I LOOK AT
HOW WITH CAN BETTER ADDRESS
THOSE ISSUES ON OUR SCHOOLS
BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I DEAL
WITH.
>> THE LAST TIME WITH TALKED
BOUGHT THAT, LET'S ASK YOU THE
SAME THING WE ASKED THEM.
IF YOU ARE IN CONGRESS WOULD
YOU SUPPORT THE DREAM ACT AND
ARE YOU DIFFERENT FROM HER
POSITION NOW.
>> I WOULD SUPPORT THE DREAM
ACT AND WHEN I LOOK AT
IMMIGRATION I LOOK AT THE
POLICIES WE HAVE NOW, WE HAVE
WORK VISAS ON THE POLICY AND
ALSO PEOPLE CAN GET
CITIZENSHIP.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT PEOPLE DO
NOT ADHERE TO WHAT WE HAVE IN
PLACE, SO IF WE HAVE EMPLOYERS
WHO ASSURE WORKERS ARE GETTING
WORK VISAS, THAT WILL HELP WITH
DOCUMENTATION, SO WE NEED TO
TWEAK WHAT WE ARE DOING AND
MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HEAR
ABOUT IT AND ALSO WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T TAKE
FOREVER TO GET THE PAPERWORK
DONE, BECAUSE THAT IS
PROBLEMATIC, IF I AM COMING TO
THE UNITED STATES AND ALL I
WANT TO DO IS WORK AND GET A
WORK VISA AND IF YOU ARE
WAITING FOR MONTHS AND SOMEBODY
SAYS I WILL PAY YOU NOW FOR THE
WORK, THEY WILL PROBABLY DO IT,
SO WE NEED TO HAVE BETTER
POLICIES.
>> AS YOU PROBLEMY KNOW HE IS
WORKING ON HIS REPUTATION AS A
SMALL BUSINESS OWNER TALKING
ABOUT JOBS, WHAT COULD CONGRESS
DO RIGHT NOW THAT YOU COULD
PROPOSE OR VOTE FOR, THAT WOULD
BRING THEM JOBS RIGHT NOW.
>> FIRST OF ALL WE NEED TO WORK
ON A JOBS BILL, WE HAVE NOT HAD
1 FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS.
>> WHAT WOULD A JOBS BILL LOOK
LIKE?
>> WHAT WOULD A JOBS BILL LOOK
LIKE?
A JOBS BILL WOULD HAVE JOBS FOR
THOSE PEOPLE, BECAUSE WE NEED
THAT IN OUR DISTRICT.
IF WE DO THAT GUESS WHAT, THE
ECONOMY WOULD MOVE BETTER AND
THAT WOULD MOVE BETTER FROM
THAT PERSPECTIVE.
>> BUT YOUR FRIENDS ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE SAYS
THAT THEY CANNOT CREATE JOBS.
>> WELL, THEY SAY THEY CANNOT
CREATE JOBS BUT WE CAN CREATE A
SITUATION WHERE THEY WILL BRING
IN JOBS, LET'S CREATE A
SITUATION WHERE THEY WILL BRING
JOBS TO US.
>> AS FAR AS YOUR RUN TWO YEARS
AGO.
>> UH-HUH.
>> WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN YOUR CANDIDACY NOW AND
TWO YEARS AGO.
>> I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS I
AM A DIFFERENT CANDIDATE NOW
THAN I WAS THEN AND THAT IS
WHAT YOU LEARNED ON THE
CAMPAIGN TRAIL TWO YEARS AGO.
I BE MYSELF AND I LET PEOPLE
JUST SEE ME BY MYSELF AND I
LEARN THAT, AND I SAY YOU KNOW
WHAT?
I JUST NEED TO BE MYSELF AND
LET PEOPLE SEE ME BE MYSELF.
>> AND CLAY AIKEN SAID HE NEEDS
TO DO THAT AND THEY NEED TO
FOCUS ON HEALTH CARE.
>> UH-HUH.
>> DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?
>> I AGREE WITH THAT.
I WORKED WITH HEALTH CARE SO I
KNOW ABOUT IT.
I WORKED WITH THE HEALTHCARE
ACT AND I KNOW ABOUT THE
HEALTHCARE ACT, SO LET'S
IMPLEMENT IT AND SEE HOW IT
WORKS, SO I KNOW ABOUT IT AND
LET'S SEE HOW IT WORKS AND THE
THINGS THAT ARE WORKING LET'S
KEEP AND THE THINGS THAT DON'T
WORK LET'S FIX.
THE PEOPLE IN AMERICA NEED
HEALTHCARE.
>> IS THERE A SPECIFIC ITEM IN
THE AD.A.
THAT YOU WOULD FIX OR REPEAL
NOW.
>> WELL, RIGHT NOW I AM NOT
SURE BUT LIKE I SAID WE WILL
SEE WHAT WORKS AND DOES NOT
WORK AND KEEP THOSE THINGS THAT
WORK AND FIX THOSE THINGS THAT
DO NOT WORK.
>> WE HAVE A LITTLE TIME LEFT,
DO YOU KNOW HER?
>> I --
>> -- WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO
HER.
>> I WOULD SAY TO HER I WANT TO
REPLACE YOU BECAUSE YOU VOTED
AGAINST FT.
BRAGG.
AND THAT IS WHAT I WOULD SAY TO
HER, THESE PEOPLE ARE UP EVERY
DAY WORKING HARD AND YOU VOTE
AGAINST THEM TO IMPACT THEM
LIKE THAT IN YOUR STATE.
I DON'T THINK SHE SHOULD WANT
TO DO THAT, A REPRESENTATIVE
SHOULD EVER DO THAT, SO I WOULD
TELL HER THAT I DO NOT
PRIMARY IS RIGHT AROUND THE
CORNER AND THAT MEANS EARLY
VOTING IS ABOUT TO BEGIN, MARK.
>> YEAH, THURSDAY THE 24TH OF
APRIL YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FOR
IF YOU ARE REGISTERED DOWN SO A
SORT OF REGIONAL POLLING PLACE
AND CAST YOUR BALLOT EARLY FOR
THE ELECTIONS, ONE CHANGE YOU
CAN'T REGISTER ON THE SAME DAY
SO IF YOU HAVE NOT REGISTERED
YOU ARE PRETTY MUCH OUT OF LUCK
AT THIS POINT SOME NOT MUCH
TIME AT THIS POINT BUT WE
ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF IT AND VOTE, WE
WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONTACT US ON
TWITTER OR E-MAIL US YOUR
COMMENTS AND REMEMBER YOU CAN
GO THERE TO WATCH OUR
DISCUSSION WITH FRANK ROACH AND
YOU CAN WATCH THIS DISCUSSION