Features panoply of falsehoods and candidate confusion

Following Monday’s forum debacle, “windowless basement” strategy making more sense

Sara Gideon called in to Maine Calling on Maine Public yesterday, and it was a spectacle. 

We highly recommend that reporters take the opportunity to listen to the entire interview. The contrast between Senator Collins and Gideon is laid bare: Gideon has no plan to help Mainers and no affinity for telling the truth. Her lack of experience shines through during every answer.

Remember, Gideon almost never talks in an unscripted environment. In our opinion, it’s worth hearing just why Chuck Schumer and the DC Democrats running Gideon’s campaign keep Maine’s Speaker of the House hidden away in the “windowless basement.”

The Maine Calling interview followed a disastrous performance by Gideon at a highly choreographed Maine Democratic Party forum held Monday night that featured softball questions with absolutely ZERO follow-up.

A few lowlights:

• Legislature: Gideon made it clear during the interview that she has no clear plan to bring the Legislature back to work (5:50). She has kept the Legislature adjourned for 99 days and counting during the coronavirus crisis, and her lack of action will forever be part of her legacy. She also doesn’t appear to feel any remorse for keeping the Legislature on ice during this crisis. Listen to the clips here and here.

• Pharma donations: Gideon went on a bizarre rant about campaign donations from pharmaceutical companies (22:00). Her theory that campaign donations from pharmaceutical lobbyists have an undue impact on policy is strange given that Gideon has taken loads of pharma money.

• Dodging debates: Gideon refused to answer both of Jennifer Rooks’s questions about why she has so far refused to debate her opponents (5:00). Listen to the clip here.

• Foreign policy: Gideon’s confused answer on foreign policy really makes clear how little she knows about the topic (15:20). Listen to the clip here.

• Rhode Island: Gideon opened the discussion (1:58) by calling Freeport “my hometown.” That’s false. Gideon is actually from East Greenwich, Rhode Island - nearly 200 miles and 3 states south of Freeport.

Gideon’s rare unscripted appearance on Maine Calling demonstrates clearly why the DC Dems running her campaign have been keeping her under wraps.

If she’s not answering questions, she can’t make a mistake.

If you’re covering this race, please take a minute and listen to this audio. You’ll see clear evidence of the stark contrast in this race.