Medical treatment an issue in Pa. race
WASHINGTON --The Democratic challenger to Rep. Curt Weldon said Wednesday that any criticism of his family's decisions on medical treatment for his 4-year-old daughter, stricken with a malignant brain tumor, was unacceptable.
"Any remarks regarding my daughter Alexandria's treatment will not be tolerated," Joe Sestak said. His daughter is being treated at Children's Hospital in Washington.
A story published Wednesday in The Hill said Weldon, R-Pa., suggested in an interview that Sestak should have sent his daughter to a hospital in Philadelphia or Delaware instead of one in Washington.
John Tomaszewski, Weldon's press secretary, said Wednesday that he had no comment on Sestak's statement or the newspaper report.
The 10-term Weldon has questioned Sestak's dedication to the district in the Philadelphia suburbs because the retired vice admiral rents instead of owns a house.
Sestak, who was born in the Philadelphia suburbs, has said he is looking for a place to buy, and his wife and daughter will move to the district from the Washington suburbs as soon as his daughter completes her treatment.
In the statement, Sestak said he and his wife chose to have their daughter treated at Children's Hospital because of its expertise on pediatric brain tumors.
"I believe these medical choices should be left in the hands of parents and family members throughout the country and not in the hands of bureaucrats, special interests and especially not in the hands of politicians like Curt Weldon," Sestak said.
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The Freedom Cruise offers the dream vacation for conservatives and policy wonks.
As the boat makes its way through the Mediterranean, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., will offer a political primer, Iran-Contra figure Oliver North will trade theories and Wayne LaPierre of the National Rifle Association will speak.
Sponsored by the Freedom Alliance, the cruise will include sightseeing stops in Sicily, the Greek Isles, Turkey, Malta and Croatia.
The Freedom Cruise has been around for a decade -- a seaborne conservative-fest that has included the Caribbean, and the waters around Alaska and Hawaii in past years. In 2003, the cruise ship stopped at Grenada, the island invaded by U.S. troops during President Reagan's first term. A guided tour of Grenada marked the 20th anniversary of the invasion.
The price for the 10-day cruise that departs Rome Aug. 19 is $2,500 and up.
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Associated Press writer Will Lester contributed to this report.
