"Henry Waxman: Leading the Flight?"

Congressman Waxman's campaign slogan is "Leading the Fight."

But for the past few weeks, it seems as if it should be "Leading the Flight."

First, he cancels interviews. Then he shuts down a detractor in an open forum in Redondo Beach.

Congressman Waxman seems to be taking flight or "leaving the fight" rather than "leading the fight."

For the first time in 38 years, he has to run a campaign, and he is not that good at it.

At the Hesse Park Community Center Debate, Congressman Waxman set out flyers which pictured him in a doctor's office, along the beach, and also photos from his childhood and his graduation from law school. The recent photos placing him talking with constituents could not seem more contrived or fake. When's the last time that Congressman Waxman ever went out of his way to be seen with voters, let alone listen to their concerns on local matters?

 I do not believe that anyone suspected that this man had a childhood, but his attempts to breed respect and familial interest with voters cannot match up with his hard-nosed approach to working with colleagues or challenging and badgering witnesses as chairman of the House Oversight Committee.

In some ways, his flyer campaign is amateurish, a strange appraisal considering the fact that he has been in office for nearly four decades.

For the first time in 38 years, he has to persuade voters to elect him, not give him another term in office.

The voters from Palos Verdes to Malibu have a real choice, and Bloomfield is providing them the picture of a home-grown native son who has stepped into many causes. Waxman claims to be "leading the fight", but the issues he discusses took place decades ago. Those fights have been fought. What does he suggest to do about the debt? What about entitlements? In his only line of attack, he denigrates the Ryan plan as a voucher that will short-change seniors. Waxman neglects to mention that the Ryan budget does not touch Medicare for current seniors, while providing a choice for those 54 and under.

Waxman is not "leading the fight", he is "leading by fraud."