9/10: DeGette forced to go off-script

September 10, 2009
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Was Diana DeGette "ambushed" last week on a call with her constituents?

More on that in a moment on the Face The State Radio Minute.

Was Denver Democrat Diana DeGette caught off guard last week in a "telephone town hall" meeting with her constituents? It sounded that way. The alt-weekly Westword newspaper says DeGette was "ambushed" by a caller's line of questioning over an effort to audit the Federal Reserve.

I'll leave that specific issue for another day. What amazes me is that this constituent had to first lie to DeGette's staff about the nature of his question to get the chance to engage her. She had wanted to focus on the health care debate. Fine, but Congress considers a wide range of other issues, too. It shouldn't take such a grand strategy to simply ask a U.S. Representative a question. DeGette tried to hide behind her phone, but failed. This time.

For FaceTheState.com, I'm Brad Jones.