Billy Kennedy

Dear Friends,

I want to share an example of how our campaign has touched lives this week, and ask for your help one last time.

Saturday, we invited folks to a free barbecue in Iredell County and offered rides to the polls. People came in droves and there were lines out the door at the board of elections.

People in western North Carolina are hurting. Our district has the 18th highest unemployment rate in the United States, and tragically, folks came to our barbecue because they were hungry.

Here in their own words are the voices of western North Carolinians whose lives have been destroyed by this recession:

"Thank you. My daughter lost her electricity this week. We didn't know where our next meal was going to come from. I've helped my daughter as much as I can. I don't have anything left. We didn't know whether we would be able to feed the grandchildren this week." --A grandmother

Please recommend on DailyKos

Early voting starts in NC tomorrow. Please pitch in & help us beat some terrible incumbents in North Carolina!

Kennedy vs. Foxx (NC-05)

As the Winston-Salem Journal noted when they endorsed Democrat Billy Kennedy,

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx ... has not achieved any great accomplishments for the residents of the 5th Congressional District.

Well, she just lost her most recent debate as well ...

Crossposted at dailyKos.
Last night I attended the incredible debate between Billy Kennedy and the hateful representative Virginia Foxx at the Ashe Civic Center in West Jefferson, North Carolina.

The place was packed to capacity with late-comers still trying to get in the door and "Billy Kennedy for Congress" Tee-shirts. We came to watch this:

Can you say "smackdown"?

According to the Jefferson Post:

Turnout is expected to be heavy for tonight’s forum with U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and her Democratic challenger Billy Kennedy, both from Watauga County. The forum takes place at Ashe Civic Center in West Jefferson beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Sponsored by the New River Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), the 90-minute forum is open to the public and will be moderated by three panelists: Lonnie Adamson, editor and general manager of the Jefferson Post, Ron Fitzwater, editor of the Ashe Mountain Times, and Scott Nicholson, senior political writer for the Watauga Democrat. Questions were invited to be sent in by the public.

The forum is expected to be broadcast live on radio station WMMY ‘My Country’ ‘Highway’ 106.1 FM broadcasting from Boone and serving the counties of Watauga, Ashe, Avery, Alleghany, Wilkes, Catawba and Caldwell.

After years of voting for Foxx, it's not clear whether most people in her district can still think for themselves, but if they can, this editorial will be an eye opener.

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Republican from Watauga County, has not achieved any great accomplishments for the residents of the 5th Congressional District, and has angered and embarrassed many with her sometimes wild statements that seem designed to provoke. It’s time for a fresh, progressive voice in the 5th District. We believe that Democrat Billy Kennedy, a Watauga farmer and carpenter who says he’ll work to reverse the high rate of unemployment in the district, is that voice. He’s the best candidate in the Nov. 2 election for the 5th District.

The liveblog link: http://tinyurl.com/billykennedyPHB

I’m Billy Kennedy, and I’m running for Congress against North Carolina’s greatest embarrassment … Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-5th).

Lainey Edmisten, who is working for Billy Kennedy for Congress, posted an introduction this morning. This is a follow up thread, an experiment in powerful questions.

In years past, candidates have dropped in at BlueNC for what we've called live blogs. They're fun conversations and they're certainly good for boosting site readership, but the truth is, they don't really get to the bottom of anything important. The very structure of a live blog format is not consistent with thinking. Maybe it's time to try something different, like adding a good old-fashioned interview into the mix.

If I had an hour to sit down and talk with Billy Kennedy, what would you want to find out? I'm looking for hard, tough questions.

___________________________________

As a practicing political consultant, it’s my job to make sure my candidate is the one in the limelight. It’s a standing professional practice of mine to keep my opinions about issues to myself, and to make sure that my candidate’s name is more recognized than mine.

It’s tough to get me to come out of the shadows to do something as public as posting a blog, but I’ve been convinced by some seasoned bloggers to leave my comfort zone and give a brief personal introduction to the online community in order to help my candidate’s cause.

This is my first time. Please be gentle.

If you haven't voted for Billy Kennedy as a grass-roots all-star yet, time's a wastin'. Hop on over there and get 'er done.