To the Editor:
Fairfax County Supervisor John W. Foust, Democratic congressional candidate from Northern Virginia, seems to have discovered one of those worse-than cures to treat political foot-in-mouth disease: suggest you do not consider elective office to be a real job, then list your opponent's superior qualifications and experience to serve in the post you seek for yourself.
In the course of his "Women's Priorities Tour," Mr. Foust questioned whether his opponent, Republican state Delegate Barbara Comstock, has "even had a real job." Presumably, Mr. Foust knew at the time that Comstock is an elected official, so one may fairly ask, with some trepidation perhaps, whether Mr. Foust considers being an elected public official a real job.
Of course he may have simply forgotten Ms. Comstock's current job, though in attempting to soothe the inevitable rash of outrage over his initial statement, Mr. Foust remembered that Ms. Comstock had once been employed by a congressional committee and also by the Justice Department. As reported, and as Mr. Foust no doubt knew but did not say for obvious reasons, Ms. Comstock was also once a top aide to Congressman Frank Wolf (R-Va.), whose pending retirement has created the vacancy for which Ms. Comstock and Mr. Foust are competing.
Not a very good balm to be applied by someone who has no federal experience himself but wants the real job of congressman.
Tyler Posey
McLean