Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando (D - At-Large) suffered a heart attack during a pickup basketball game this past Saturday, September 5, his office announced on Monday. He was transported to George Washington University hospital, where doctors inserted a stent, although the statement released did not indicate where the stent was placed. The statement did say that Jawando is "resting comfortably." His doctors expect him to make a full recovery, and anticipate he will be discharged from the hospital later this week. He will then work back up to his normal Council schedule under their guidance.
Jawando's medical emergency gained increased notice because he is also the Democratic nominee for Montgomery County Executive, and because he is relatively young and in apparent good health. The latter two factors will be advantageous in his expected full recovery. Much older elected officials like Bernie Sanders and Chris Van Hollen have suffered cardiovascular episodes, and have returned to not only full schedules, but to vigorous travel and public speaking engagements. In that context, there's every reason to believe his ability to campaign - and serve, if elected in November - will be unaffected in the long term.
However, the incident did draw renewed attention to the fact that Jawando had not yet agreed to participate in one or more public debates with his Republican opponent, Esther Wells. Debates are a critical part of this "democracy" thing we keep hearing strident lectures about. The voting public has a right to hear the candidates for each office expound on the issues, and defend those positions and ideas. If a candidate cannot do this, they are utterly incapable of assuming the responsibilities of public office - much less the highest office in the County.
Yet Jawando and his colleagues never participated in a general election Council At-Large debate in 2018 or 2022(!!). It seems inconceivable that the forces of "democracy" in Montgomery County would allow this definitively-autocratic trend to continue this fall. Voters should not only express their interest in debates to the Democratic candidates directly, but should also apply pressure to the local media and their civic associations to host these debates prior to the start of early voting. You can either be complicit in an election process that Vladimir Putin and Fidel Castro would be proud of, or you can claim you are a champion of democracy. You cannot do both.
16 comments:
I'm glad he's recovering. It's a shame that nobody better is running because he'll be a total disaster.
Yeah, that must have been the first (or maybe second, or third) thing plenty of people thought when they heard that Jawando had had a heart attack:
How will this affect the possibility of his debating his Republican opponent?
Yeesh.
No Montgomery county hospital can be trusted?
"democracy" is a misnomer.
Our elected representative officials
Sound more like skillful statisticians
They speak with eloquent generalities
While they sugarcoat the stark realities.
My mom taught me if you can't say anything nice about someone, say nothing at all. I never personally knew Jawando and frankly don't really want to. A great many of our local politicians are a 'net negative' IMHO.
You aren't paying attention. I don't think there's a politician at any level of government from MoCo who thinks the county/region/country isn't in the absolute crapper, currently.
"It seems inconceivable that the forces of "democracy" in Montgomery County would allow this definitively-autocratic trend to continue"
I'd say it's NOT inconceivable in MoCo for the simple reason that it's a Blue county and they want to keep it that way and there's not enough push back from the other side.
They make the rules and decisions to benefit the Dems.
1:06: That was most certainly not my first thought. It was a thought five days later, after it was announced he is expected to make a full recovery. If he's physically unable to appear in public and participate in a debate forum prior to November, that would raise serious questions about his ability to serve if elected.
I'll give $5,000 to all residents who can find a MAGA to win election in MoCo.
@ 10_24 PM I believe the current round robin council refers to us as suckers.
I you say nothing at all then you don't mind the status quo.
"Democracy Dies in Darkness" is the slogan of the The Washington Post.
@12:22 Never going to happen in MC. The residents here don't even read the news outside of the WP or NYT so they have no idea what's going on in the real world. They do know how to pull the D lever like good little drones.
1:51: Yep, "suckers" and "losers," according to those familiar with Council discussions behind closed doors.
And alienate the hapless taxpayers who pay their inflated salaries.
Not that the current incumbent is not.
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