Barr goes on offensive against Shuster about Iraq war

By KATHY MELLOTT
The Tribune-Democrat

HOLLIDAYSBURG May 01, 2008 09:48 pm

— Tony Barr, the Democratic candidate for the 9th Congressional District, on Thursday attacked his opponent U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Hollidaysburg, saying he continues to support an ill-fated Iraq war effort.
“Shuster wants us to keep our troops in Iraq,” Barr said, outlining a “Responsible Plan to End the War In Iraq.”
The multi-point plan was developed by TrueMajority.org, a group that addresses the Iraq war, energy and other concerns on its Web site.
Shuster, who is seeking election to his third full term, fired back, saying Barr is taking his views from a plan outlined by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Shuster said his own position is misrepresented.
“I certainly want to see the troops come home. I don’t want them to come home prematurely because the situation will fall into chaos,” Shuster said.
“If we leave too early, it will pull other people into the chaos.”
In his second attempt to unseat Shuster, Barr, a Blair County schoolteacher, captured the Democratic nomination in April’s primary with 56,000 votes – 600 more than were cast for Shuster on GOP ballots.
“Obviously that didn’t count for anything because more Democrats voted in the primary. But what it shows is we can win this seat,” Barr said.
Shuster disagreed, saying that while more Democrats went to the polls, the results show 30 percent of the Democrats voting passed over Barr’s name on the ballot.
In comparison, 9 percent of Republican voters passed over Shuster’s name.
The points outlined by Barr include:
• Withdraw from Iraq in a respectable manner.
• Use diplomatic power to work out solutions.
• Address the humanitarian crisis in Iraq.
• Restore constitutional checks and balances to prevent such misadventures.
With an eye toward the November election, Barr plans to hit the campaign trail, knocking on doors and reaching out to independent and Republican voters.
The 9th district encompasses all or part of 14 counties, including the northern part of Cambria County and Somerset County south of Route 30.