I see your press conference and raise you another
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- July
- 8
State Assemblyman Greg Ball, R-Patterson, and his Republican challenger John Degnan held dueling press conferences in Yorktown today. Ball held his at Murphy’s Restaurant, Degnan did his about a block over in front of Yorktown Town Hall.
Basically, the two challenged each other to debates but no one signed up just yet. You can read about it here. Degnan actually attended part of Ball’s function. That made for a slightly awkward moment as the assemblyman’s staff spotted Degnan and his contingent in Murphy’s parking lot and was unsure about letting them into the event.
Ball used the opportunity to say he’s spent the past two years working to reform Albany’s dysfunctional culture, curb illegal immigration and vote down tax increases.
“You know where Greg Ball stands,” Ball said.
Degnan at his gathering said he would focus on New York state issues, such as property tax relief, the ever-deepening energy crisis and rising health insurance costs. Illegal immigration, he said, is a federal problem, just like the space program and the Iraq war.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, July 8th, 2008 at 4:00 pm by Mike Risinit.
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Ball is going to have a very tough time this elections season. It’s obvious that we’re no going to be seeing Greg’s military records, Ball refuses to release them. Just put them on your website, in their entirety. But there’s so many questions and concerns about his brief stint on active duty that he can’t survive politically if he continues to ignore it. It just won’t work this time around. Too many people asking why he left after three years, why he was in a hold-over status on active duty for the brief time he did serve, first in a ROTC unit then as a protocol officer. For an Academy graduate to hold these positions is so unusual, and yet these unusual assignments made up 100% of his time in the military. He did nothing productive, just took his free education and ran first chance he got. After September 11th most guys joined the military. Greg Ball did everything he could to get out.
Can anybody answer these questions if Ball’s not going to?
Greg Ball is at it again, he is trying to set the stage for a debate with a group that is in line with his thinking. Whatever happened to having a debate on a neutral ground? Greg Ball would like to stack the deck and have a debate with those who he believes support his candidacy and his positions. John Degnan on the other hand has shown that he is willing to debate anytime, but John Degnan has offered neutral organizations to host the debate. In fact John Degnan has offered to have the Veterans Joint Council to host one the debates. Greg Ball having the military background should have no problem meeting in front of this organization.
Greg Ball has always attempted to stack the deck in his favor, let’s see if Greg Ball wants a meaningful and real debate.
John Degnan’s proposal is more than fair to both sides.
I guess both of the campaign staffs are at that meeting tonight, since this post has been up for an hour and there aren’t 75 responses yet.
This is such a joke …..“You know where Greg Ball stands,†Ball said. NO ONE knows where Ball stands as he goes which ever way the wind is blowing.
Ball has lost much support over the last two years, he has made a lot of noise but has done nothing. People are tired of hearing story after story and nothing being done. Maybe degnan is right about having new leadership in our district. Ball has been a failure up to this point.
Does anyone believe that this fair campaign meeting will make for a fair campaign where Mr. Ball is involved?
Greg Ball does not believe in fairness or ethics, he and his campaign will do anything in their power to distort, lie or undermind the democratic process.
i am intrigued by the posters who have said that ball has
done nothing..he is a first term republican in a democratic
controlled assembly..what is it you expect him to do….
he can do no more than andrea stewart cousins can do
in the senate….
The problem is that Ball goes around tooting his horn that he has done this, passed that legislation and has accomplished so much when in fact he has not.
People would rather say he is first term republican than say he has done so much on his web site. Just tell the truth and stop telling the public all he has done.
I just think it’s wierd when people refer to themselves in the third person. Not “You know where I stand on the issues.” “You know where Greg Ball stands…”
It was kinda cute when Bob Dole did it, but not so much for anyone else.
Walt – As Bob Dole said to Bush Sr. – “Bob Dole wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth.” For some odd reason, this obnoxious kind of self-reference wasn’t so bad coming from Dole, who actually had a pretty good sense of humor. The really good politicians always have one of those, and it gets them (and us) through a lot of hard times.
I think John Degnan hit the nail on the head today, Greg Ball is a clown, let’s start calling him “Bozo” it suits him. The only problem with comparing Ball with Bozo is I always remember Bozo being an honest clown. We all know Greg Ball is far from honest, calling Ball Bozo would be a disservice to Bozo.
Consultant:
Nobody is expecting Ball to move mountains. But you have to admit that Ball came in 2 years ago and hammered away that Will Stephens supposedly got nothing done. Looking back, nothing could be further from the truth. Stephens didn’t scream as loud as Ball, but Stephens got things done and knew how to talk to people and work with people, even with people he didn’t necessarily get along with, like Sheldon Silver. Stephens was a Statesman; Ball, on the other hand, truly is a fraud, a do-nothing, a scam artist, looking out for himself.
From what we hear, Ball had his eye on politics for years and instead of paying for college, took the Government route for education as part of his future plans. This man has been working on his venture for years and we will see more of his games for years to come.
Worst thing is the 99th District and some good decent people have to be the victim of his plan.
On March 14th, 2008 at 5:24 pm “The Consultant” aka Mike Edelman wrote:
“actually as long as great senators like vinny libel (sic) are going to take hits from an assemblyman in their own party they might as well have a democrat..at least he would be in the majority”
– VERY GOOD OBSERVATION FROM EDELMAN BACK IN MARCH. WHY THE CHANGE IN ATTITUDE?
the statement was made to pursuade mr ball that it was
not in his interest to take shots at my good and
long standing friend vincent…might as well is not
a prognostication of what is definitely going to happen
it serves as a reminder of what might happen if the
criticism of a fellow republican who is an admired
state senator keeps happening. ...and the advice
of course was free of charge….maybe he heeded it
maybe not…so my attitude hasn’t changed ..but
I believe greg may have…
as to the issue of braging about accomplishments
every elected official does it in one way or another
what do you expect him to say..”i have served in the
assembly for two years and sorry to say I can’t
think of a single thing that I have done”...that
is not the way it works…
Greg Ball has not changed. He still attacks Sen. Leibell and many other local and state-wide Republican elected officials on a regular.
Ball is only about Ball and promoting himself at any and all costs. Nobody and nothing else matter. And his views and beliefs are more on par with those of politician from Utah than one from New York. Not particularly good in helping the GOP cultivate an image that will help us grow the Party.
If you are correct and greg continues to attack
vinny publicly..he will have a big problem..
you simply do not go after your own state senator
if you are also in the same party serving in the
assembly..in fact traditionally even if you are in
the other party you don’t attack the senator whose
district you are in…it does not comport with
intra party courtesy..however I have not heard
nor have I seen any public attacks since the one
made several months ago..and having the leader
of the assembly endorse greg would lead me
to believe that he has not attacked vinny recently
if you have information to the contrary please
pass it along..but it has to be either a press
release from greg..or a printed public statement
otherwise its hearsay and rumor as far as I am concerned
Greg Ball can be heard talking bad about our good Senator at many different venues throughout his district. Greg Ball has no respect for anyone, let alone the Senator, Greg Ball continues to disrespect people of high character, Greg Ball thinks because someone has served for a certain period of time that they are a perfect person to attack. The Senator is a good man who gets elected every election overwhelmingly because his constituents RESPECT the job he does for his district. Recently the Democratic Chairwoman was asked why they are not running a candidate against the Senator, the Chairwomen, Lynn Eckhert responded by saying something to the effect, “Why would I have someone commit political suicide to run against a Senator with a 70% favorable rating?” I must agree those are astonishing numbers, apparently the democrats did a poll and realized that Senator Leibell is a well respected man in his district and the people appreciate the work he does for them.
Vinny is a permanent fixture in his district..thats
because he does a good job for EVERYONE…Greg would
be foolish to say anything but great things about
Vinny…remember George Pataki never criticized Mary
Goodhue until he decided to run against her….
Hopefully Greg understands the value of team loyalty
regardless of what he may think privately….loose
lips sink ships!!!
Team loyalty?????? That does not work for Ball, how about Ball loyalty??? That is all he cares about.
Ball’s ship is sinking.
Greg Ball is starting to look like Will Stephens 2 years ago – A deer in the headlights.
A while ago when Greg Bball was doing his fuzzy math about how much money he raised, he indicated that he raised more money then Marc Molinaro who was elected to the NYS Assembly the same year as Ball.
What is the real difference between Greg Ball and the other Freshman Assemblyman, here it is: Greg Ball’s legislation record for bills he was the key sponsor is zero, Ball’s bills are dead and never made it to the Governors desk.
Mark Molinaro at the very least prime sponsored two bills that passed both house A 11303 and 8831.
You can hear it in the streets, things are changing, people are starting to understand that Ball is DOA.
the wacko incumbent from the 99th AD should open his campaign building a gallows in downtown brewster dressed in a pirate suit with a can of spray paint in his hands so he looks like he is ready for anything and armed and dangerous