Fact-finding in political race
Updated: October 18, 2012
SPRINGFIELD -- If you've been paying attention to ads in the 13th District race, you've probably seen the controversy with all the negative ads. But, now a positive ad is sparking a few questions. WCIA-3's Steve Staeger examines the commercial.
The ad features Dr. David Gill, the democratic candidate. He discusses a patient he treated in the ER. But, the patient sounds awfully familiar.
"One wet Sunday, Dr. David Gill met a 39-year old patient he'll never forget. We tried and tried to resuscitate her, but we didn't succeed. Susan had chest pain a week before, but didn't have health insurance."
That sad story is suddenly sparking a little controversy in the race. This isn't the first time Dr. David Gill has run for Congress. In 2006, he told this story in a video on his campaign website.
"Several weeks ago, I had a 39-year old patient died in the emergency room, leaving behind his wife and two small children. He had a heart attack, and for about a week previously, he had had some mild chest pains on and off. But, because he didn't have health insurance, he ignored his wife's pleas to go and see a doctor."
Sounds familiar, right? Only with a man,not a woman. Republicans jumped on it quickly saying Gill is loose with the truth.
We wanted a straight answer, so we went straight to the source. Dr. Gill says they're two different people.
"The two things similar with those two patients is that they were both 39, and they both had two children, and they were both victims of the way we finance health care."
Gill says both had different medical histories leading up to their deaths. He's critical of his opponent for not realizing that.
"There's not just one Susan. There's a Susan and a Robert and a Mary, and many, many others who we could spend all day talking about. Him failing to understand that and even questioning how there can be more than one of these stories speaks to me to his lack of understanding of what's going on in his district."
We also asked Gill if he thinks the race is getting too negative. He says his campaign hasn't gone negative, only the National Democratic Party has.
The ad features Dr. David Gill, the democratic candidate. He discusses a patient he treated in the ER. But, the patient sounds awfully familiar.
"One wet Sunday, Dr. David Gill met a 39-year old patient he'll never forget. We tried and tried to resuscitate her, but we didn't succeed. Susan had chest pain a week before, but didn't have health insurance."
That sad story is suddenly sparking a little controversy in the race. This isn't the first time Dr. David Gill has run for Congress. In 2006, he told this story in a video on his campaign website.
"Several weeks ago, I had a 39-year old patient died in the emergency room, leaving behind his wife and two small children. He had a heart attack, and for about a week previously, he had had some mild chest pains on and off. But, because he didn't have health insurance, he ignored his wife's pleas to go and see a doctor."
Sounds familiar, right? Only with a man,not a woman. Republicans jumped on it quickly saying Gill is loose with the truth.
We wanted a straight answer, so we went straight to the source. Dr. Gill says they're two different people.
"The two things similar with those two patients is that they were both 39, and they both had two children, and they were both victims of the way we finance health care."
Gill says both had different medical histories leading up to their deaths. He's critical of his opponent for not realizing that.
"There's not just one Susan. There's a Susan and a Robert and a Mary, and many, many others who we could spend all day talking about. Him failing to understand that and even questioning how there can be more than one of these stories speaks to me to his lack of understanding of what's going on in his district."
We also asked Gill if he thinks the race is getting too negative. He says his campaign hasn't gone negative, only the National Democratic Party has.
