Carper to hold "telephonic" town hall meeting

Senator Tom Carper has announced he will participate in a town hall meeting on health care reform.

Senator Tom Carper has announced he will participate in a town hall meeting on health care reform. It just won’t be in person. It will be done by telephone.

Senator Tom Carper explains why a town hall meeting on health care reform makes sense.

U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D) Delaware [audio:/delaware/090814bccarper.mp3]

Carper will conduct the “telephonic” meeting Tuesday, August 25th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

“It’s a great way to still have broad participation and a way not to turn a town hall meeting into a circus,” Carper said, referring to the recent rowdiness that has plagued town hall meetings throughout the country.

Carper says he got the idea from his colleague, Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, who hosted a telephone forum last week for more than 14-hundred people.

“Anyone who wants to listen in can do that,” he said. “The people can ask questions and hopefully get a good response. They won’t have to leave their home. They won’t have to burn any gas. They’ll be able to just do it from the convenience of their home or their work.”

To find out how to participate go to Carper’s website at carper.senate.gov.

As for the rest of Delaware’s congressional delegation, Representative Mike Castle will discuss health care reform during his next scheduled telephone town hall meeting. Senator Ted Kaufman’s media relations personnel were not available to answer questions for this report.