Congressman, Tim Bishop is a man that can be trusted and is the ‘real deal’

Congressman, Tim Bishop is a man that can be trusted and is the ‘real deal’
By Mary MacElveen
October 23, 2006

I have been writing now since the 2000 presidential election which pitted Al Gore against George W. Bush. In many past pieces I wrote in the first person and on the advice from fellow writers and editors, over time learned to let the facts speak, but always asking my readers how they felt concerning the issue(s) at hand. I have read how other columnists reach out to their readers and did study the style in which they wrote. I have learned a lot from many of them. One of my favorite columnists is Ellis Henican. But, over time, I wanted my own style to come forth.

In this one particular column, I want to revert back to a first person style when it comes to one particular congressional race. That race is between the Democratic incumbent, Congressman Tim Bishop who is running against Ilito Zanzi his Republican challenger. In this one column, I want to speak with those that read this not as a writer, but a fellow American who lives within the 1st congressional district here on Long Island.

As an American, trust is something that is worth its weight in gold or is indeed a priceless commodity. I do not see, Tim Bishop as a politician, but someone that can be trusted and as a human being. In this past article published on MikeHersh.com, I wrote of my first meeting with, Tim Bishop. I wrote “What I observed at this open house was a group of people all highly energetic to get Mr. Bishop elected come November. These people truly represented Americana. There were young people, middle aged, to seniors citizens who took the time out of their busy lives to come down, listen to what Mr. Bishop had to say, and take his message out to the voters.” I still remember that meeting as if it were yesterday. In that meeting, it conveyed to me that I was welcomed, I mattered and that is something truly of value.

I also wrote of my first meeting with, Tim “He challenged us all to stand up by voting and getting out the vote to tell the GOP NO! That they must listen to us. After all it is the "US" that is present in the initials, U.S.A.” He has never wavered from that message and that is what I want to convey to all that read this.

Tim’s values are my values, Tim’s beliefs are my beliefs and he has voted consistently as he promised in two previous campaigns. Compromising of one’s beliefs and values is not what, Tim is about. How do I know this? I have met him on several occasions over the years and when speaking to you, it is as if you are the only one that matters. I know that others have written of elected officials in that same manner, but trust me in my opinion of, Tim.

In the above piece a firefighter was in attendance was angry at the many budget cuts and he too believed in Tim’s message. I have since lost touch with that firefighter, but my guess is that he still supports, Congressman Bishop.

What I failed to include in that piece since I was not speaking in a first person manner, but as an observer was when, Tim approached me, he asked me, “If elected, how can I best serve you?” as he looked me straight in the eye. That is ‘the tell’ (a term used in poker) of whether or not someone is to be trusted. What I saw coming from, Tim was someone to be trusted. So, he stood for ten minutes listening to what I had to say. Even his wife, Kathy approached me asking if she could get me something to drink. It was at that moment, I felt equal to a candidate.

As I attended the debate last week between, Congressman Bishop and Ilito Zanzi it was after it that I approached Zanzi to ask him a question and while he did not know the answer, what I saw was someone that I could not trust. It was ‘the tell’ in his eyes as he did not really make that eye-to-eye contact and acted somewhat nervous. All he said to me was “No comment” as he shortened that encounter and briskly walked away from me. His campaign communication’s director asked me for the information then walked away. While, Tim did not know of Posada Carriles a terrorist that I have been writing consistently of on VHeadline.com, he looked me straight in the eye and said, “Please give me all information you have of him and I will look into it”

When Zanzi acted dismissive of ‘The Military Commissions Act of 2006’ which was recently signed into law by Bush, this is what, Zanzi had to say of it "If you haven’t done anything wrong, you don’t have anything to worry about." Well, when I heard that clueless statement it proves he knows nothing of what is contained within this bill.

But to prove his experience in knowing what a bill now signed into law means, Congressman Bishop stated “Why fear a trial?” which means he fully understands what this bill does to Habeas Corpus. This new law means more than, Zanzi understands. Contained within that new law it “legalizes U.S. war crimes committed before December 30, 2005” As an American, I cannot understand how any law in the United States can contain legalizing war crimes.

If ‘We the people’ know deep down in our hearts that something is amiss in Washington, D.C., all I can say is that place your trust in Tim Bishop. Many said of John Kerry in the past presidential election that he was “The real deal” and all I can say, is that, Tim Bishop is as well. He is after all for the people and not the powerful and his voting record in congress proves that fact.

http://www.marymacelveen.com/blog/_archives/2006/10/23/2438188.html