Lungren's Elk Grove 'Townhall' Meeting Analysis

Last night Republican California Congressman Dan Lungren held what was purported to be a 'townhall' meeting. Lungren, California's 3rd congressional district representative, has held many of these meetings since winning the seat in 2004.

In the interest of full disclosure, let me say up front I have not have agreed with Lungren on most political matters since his days as California's Attorney General. But I can also say that I have respected Lungren, ironically, because he has held these 'townhall' meetings and has availed himself to criticism and tough questioning from his constituents.

Last night was different.

After a brief introduction by Elk Grove Mayor Patrick Hume, Lungren made it clear that the format of this 'townhall' meeting would not include direct questioning from the audience. Rather constituents were to fill out a questionnaire and submit for indirect questioning by Hume.

Lungren's reasoning was that he had received several constituent complaints that other district meetings were "so rambunctious" that they were afraid to come. To make the meeting open, Lungren said questions would be answered only by those filling out the questionnaires.

During the course of the meeting there were 15 questionnaires read covering a variety of topics, none of them pointed or very relative, in our opinion, to the staggering recession we find ourselves in. Lungren talked about his favorite topics of immigration, deficit spending and judiciary matters.

Hume, who had a table full of submitted questionnaires in front of him, never seemed to ask the questions as written. Hume was either being overly polite, or didn't want to incur the wrath of a congressman.

Regardless, Hume appeared to be a shill for his fellow Republican or was being played like a puppet in the most crass way by the politically superior Lungren and his staff. It was not Hume's finest hour.

Back to Lungren.

His talk had the feel of a condescending full-tenured professor at a major university being forced to lecture to an auditorium full of freshman students, or worse, a Karl Rove-like staged political event. It was clear that Lungren did not want to face any challenging questions or direct criticism ala George W. Bush.

At one point in the meeting one member of the audience spoke out against the format.

"If this is a townhall meeting, we should be allowed to make comments," said Elk Grove resident Mike Monasky. Immediately Monasky was loudly told by city charter commission member Christopher Orrock to be quiet.

Aside from the obvious, there are a couple of more subtle reasons Lungren has broken true direct dialogue with his constituents. Naturally it has to do with his presumptive 2010 reelection bid.

You may recall in 2008 Lungren won his seat running against a very weak, under-funded Democrat opponent, Dr. Bill Durston. In fact Lungren could not even muster a 50% majority. Imagine, we are sure Lungren, his staff and Republican leadership have, what if the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) had invested some real money in this district?

As a matter of fact, Lungren's is one of 12 seats that have become a top priority of the DCCC in 2010 so much so that they are "targeting [weak] Republicans who opposed President Obama's economic recovery bill."

Another not so small consideration is the 2010 census, the proposed process of which Lungren roundly criticized during the meeting. Given that Lungren could not muster a simple majority, should Lungren hold on in 2010, 2012 will surely see the third's congressional lines redrawn to include a greater swath of urban landscape, i.e., more liberal - not an area exactly conducive for Lungren's particular brand of conservatism.

Don't think it can happen? Just ask Richard Pombo - he didn't have to wait until a census to be run out of office by changing attitudes and demographics.

Now you know why Lungren is running a prevent defense - to crassly hold on for another term or two. Maybe if he returned to a real townhall format and not resort to his Karl Rove book-of-trick-plays, he might actually recapture the respect of enough constituents and actually serve the needs of California's third. Regrettably Lungren is thinking about his own political fortunes and not the quickly diminishing fortunes, such as they are, of his consitituents.

To paraphrase Lungren, as he often said during his ill-fated run for Governor in 1998, "character is doing the right thing when nobody is looking." We suggest that the congressman to show real character and quit hiding in the faux townhall meetings he and his staff have rigged up.

Note: A full audio recording of the meeting will be available tomorrow. We have encountered a few tech problems that need resolution. Check back tomorrow.