The REAL Congressman Bob Etheridge

From the News & Observer:

Published Wed, Jun 16, 2010

My sidewalk talk

In November 2007 following a Veterans Day event, I, too, had the experience of approaching Congressman Bob Etheridge while walking down the street. Unlike the "student," I extended my hand and told him my name. I shared with him my concerns about the lack of support for children with special needs and for military families when a parent is sent to combat.

He got a pen out of his car, took notes and my contact information, we shook hands and parted ways. Two days later, I received a call from his staffer asking for more information in order to find the best avenue to resolve this challenge.

This by no means excuses what happened between Etheridge and the no-named student on that Washington street. The congressman admitted the mistake and has apologized.

I get the sense, though, that the student got what he wanted: a damning video. I got what I wanted in my exchanges as well: a congressman who listens to his constituents and works for the people of North Carolina.

Joanne Casey
Raleigh

Record of service

In his many years in the public eye, I have never known Bob Etheridge to be anything but gentlemanly in his dealings with the public. He is a responsive legislator who continues to be returned to office by a swing district because fair-minded people in that district know he represents them well in Washington.

Throughout 2009, I watched Etheridge hold meeting after meeting in which he was abused, shouted at, ridiculed, berated and threatened by an obnoxious minority, and he never so much as raised his voice. Instead, he took measure of the needs of his district and the input of people who didn't shout at him, and voted his conscience.

One mistake does not erase a lifetime of public service, especially when that mistake is exactly what these anonymous gotcha "journalists" were trying to accomplish. Maybe Etheridge should have walked on. How many readers would have?

The bottom line is, I'll take Bob Etheridge on his worst day over his opponent, whose rhetoric and ideology does far more harm every day.

John Burns
Raleigh