CD2 forum leaves more McSally questions than answers
On Saturday, July 26, the candidates in the Republican Primary for CD2 answered questions at a forum held at the Madera Clubhouse in Quail Creek, home of candidate Shelley Kais. Kais, Martha McSally and Chuck Wooten answered questions before the crowd of approximately 400, mostly senior citizens, who live in the nearby retirement communities.
The carefully crafted questions were geared to highlight Kais’s strengths, but the moderator; Dan Shearer, a supporter of incumbent Ron Barber added drama by taking the opportunity to call-out front runner Colonel (ret) Martha McSally for failing to answer the softball questions. Despite the choreography dark horse Chief Master Sergeant (ret) Chuck Wooten, appeared to steal the show with his simple straightforward answers and no nonsense approach to the complex issues facing the residents of southern Arizona.
However, it was McSally’s answers that have piqued the interest of her former Air Force colleagues. McSally’s claim that her lawsuit against the Pentagon ended her Air Force career caused Airmen to scratch their heads and search their memories. In 2001, McSally filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense, to end the policy which required servicewomen wear an abaya when traveling off base while stationed in Saudi Arabia. This issue only came to the forefront only when McSally herself wanted to travel to Riyad Saudi Arabia to see a friend; not because of some perceived injustice to all women, according to her fellow pilots.
For her effort, McSally gained the support of former Rep. Pat Schroeder, D-Colo., who had worked to open fields to women in the military. She suffered no consequences according to her fellow Airmen.