Slightly Positive-Sounding Article About Whitnum

This article actually portrays Whitnum really positively, probably because the article gives very little background on her and includes quotes from a lot of other people who are only talking about the debate aspect.

Newcomer Whitnum makes bid for debate with Himes
By Neil Vigdor, Staff Writer, Stamford Advocate, 06/24/2008
Now that she's on the ballot for a congressional primary, Greenwich Democrat Lee Whitnum is trying to turn up the heat on Jim Himes, the party-endorsed candidate, to accept a head-to-head debate.

Whitnum contacted the League of Women Voters of Norwalk yesterday about organizing a debate before the Aug. 12 contest, the first congressional primary in the 4th District since 1987. The winner will face U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays of Bridgeport, New England's lone Republican House member, in November.

"This party needs to be shaken up," said Whitnum, 48, a former software engineer who is a substitute teacher in Stamford.

Himes, who is also a Greenwich resident, was unanimously endorsed at a party convention last month. He has yet to decide whether he will accept a debate with Whitnum. A spokesman for his campaign said Himes was attending a Connecticut AFL-CIO union convention in Hartford yesterday and was unavailable for comment. The campaign released a statement that made no mention of Whitnum.

"We're considering requests from a number of organizations to debate Chris Shays in the fall, and we will give the same consideration to any request from a reputable organization for a debate this summer," said Maura Keaney, Himes' campaign manager.

Whitnum qualified Thursday for the primary, collecting signatures from 2,459, or 2 percent, of the registered Democrats in the district, which includes 17 municipalities in Fairfield County and a sliver of New Haven County.

State Democratic Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo said Whitnum would benefit from any debate.

"I am sure that Lee Whitnum would like to debate Jim Himes because I guess she would feel that it would give her some publicity," DiNardo said. "However, Jim Himes has been out there talking about the issues since he started this campaign. So I don't think his campaign would feel there is any advantage to him debating her."

A number of Himes' supporters have questioned Whitnum's viability as a candidate and said the upcoming primary is a major distraction from trying to defeat Shays in November.

"She's a ridiculous candidate. She has no support. It wastes his time. It wastes his money," said Ann Galloway, 66, of Stamford, one of the convention delegates who backed Himes.

Galloway, a retiree, added that debating Whitnum could be a double-edged sword for Himes.

"On one hand, I think that if they had a debate, it would be very embarrassing for her, and anyone who came would be very impressed by Jim Himes," Galloway said. "On the other hand, he's running a race against a money machine and a very powerful Republican establishment that knows they're going to lose seats, and this is their last hurrah in Connecticut."

Whitnum blasted those questioning the substance of her campaign, saying she has taken stands on tough issues, such as immigration, the war in Iraq, health care expansion and education.

Tom Shannon, a Shelton Democrat who signed Whitnum's petition to force the primary, said the competition is healthy for democracy.

"I don't see why there shouldn't be a debate," said Shannon, 22, who works in marketing and sales. "I do like Lee Whitnum as a candidate. I feel that she's just more in touch with the working class than Jim Himes is."

Diane Lauricella, president of the League of Women Voters of Norwalk, said the nonpartisan group is considering Whitnum's request, in consultation with its other Fairfield County chapters and league officials at the state level.

"We haven't had that kind of primary in a while," Lauricella said.

Jara Burnett, who is the president of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut and an officer in the Greenwich chapter, said lining up a moderator and getting people to attend a debate could be difficult during the summer.

"It's not that we're opposed, but it comes at a difficult time," Burnett said.

Burnett said she could see why Whitnum, a self-described underdog, wants a debate, however.

"The thing is, the challenger always wants a debate. The other person is often not so anxious," Burnett said. "Part of me thinks it would be a good thing to do."