Post-Bulletin comments on Gutknecht-Walz contest

Since the Rochester Post-Bulletin has a policy of hiding most of its content between a subscriber-only firewall — a policy that we think is counterproductive for both the newspaper and the community — we are republishing here its entire editorial of Sept. 14:

Editorial: Clear choice in 1st District
Fri, Sep 15, 2006

The issue

The future of Gutknecht and Bush are somewhat connected because the issues in Gutknecht's 1st District contest against Democrat Tim Walz are part of the midterm election battle some are trying to make into a referendum on the terrorism agenda of President Bush.

Hoekstra's timing could not have been better. He is the chairman of the powerful House Intelligence Committee and sits at the center of a broiling debate. President Bush wants Congress to:

* Approve coercive interrogation techniques of foreign terrorism suspects.

* Allow hearsay in the trials of terrorism suspects.

* Deny those suspects the right to hear and see evidence against them if it involves national security secrets.

* Drop the need for court approval for the surveillance of international communications of U.S. citizens.

Hoekstra said he will support the president on these issues. Gutknecht said he would follow Hoekstra's lead.

The most detail Gutknecht would offer of his positions was to say he had heard the president's speech on the issues and "didn't hear much he didn't agree with."

Gutknecht also said he wants to listen to the coming debate and hear from Republican House leaders such as Hoekstra and Wisconsin's James Sensenbrenner, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

Tim Walz, the Democratic nominee, saw the president's proposals as clear dividers between parties and opposing candidates. Walz said he opposes Bush policies and believes they have weakened the country's security.

On coercive interrogation, Walz said it doesn't work and there are better techniques that uphold the ethics of the country. On hearsay, he pointed out that people lie. On denying suspects the right to hear evidence against them, Walz said he was appalled by it. On wiretapping of international calls by U.S. citizens, Walz said the country needs electronic intelligence but the current system, which gives the government leeway to seek an after-the-fact subpoena within 72 hours, works perfectly.

Our view

The debate over national security proposals has spilled over into district congressional races. Even though Gutknecht indicated his positions are open for change, voters appear to have a clear choice between Gutknecht and Walz.